Oppo help?

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv) 07/01/2020 at 10:41 • Filed to: None

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Towards the end of this video, there is a very interesting truck with a weird, offset cab. I like this truck and I’ve been trying to figure out what it is for years. I’ve only seen one truck like this in real life and I find it fascinating, but no amount of googling has given me an answer. Questions of why the cab is offset like that, was it any good, what were the advantages and disadvantages, etc. have been rattling around in my brain until I realized that one of you probably knows what it is. So... do you know what kind of truck this is?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jim Spanfeller 07/01/2020 at 10:45

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It’s a Mack U or DM series! :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_R_series

TheRealBicycleBuck > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/01/2020 at 10:48

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Beat me to it. The overall length was shorter to make it more maneuverable, but the engine intruded into the cab. The solution was to offset the cab so the driver’s footwell was normal, but the passenger’s footwell was partially occupied by the engine doghouse.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/01/2020 at 10:49

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There is a cement plant near me that uses these plus a few other companies. I see one about once a month if I’m passing through the right area.

Mack U or DM series.

The idea was to shorten the chassis for city use but to move the cab off the le ft so the doghouse didn’t intrude into the driver’s footwell. Only the passenger didn’t have any leg room.

If you want a really offset cab, the LM series has got you covered.

Or in the most extreme case, the mysterious “pipe truck.”

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/dioccusa-strangetruckposting-mystery-edition-1842419323

ttyymmnn > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/01/2020 at 11:13

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I always thought those were cool. I don’t see them much any more. 

Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' > Jim Spanfeller 07/01/2020 at 12:14

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Somewhat related - a Pacific P16 also has an offset cab. Here is a P12 next to a regular Semi. It’s huge.

Jim Spanfeller > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/01/2020 at 12:44

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Thank you! Now I can finally learn EVERYTHING about it!

Jim Spanfeller > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/01/2020 at 12:44

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Huh! Co ol.

Jim Spanfeller > Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' 07/01/2020 at 12:48

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It’s like a Miata parked next to an SUV except the Miata is three times the size of an SUV and the SUV is utterly terrifying...

BrooklynEagle > Jim Spanfeller 07/01/2020 at 13:37

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Meanwhile, that old Texaco station — which was an indy car repair place until a few years ago — is now a fancy ice cream shop ( with a Divco milk truck on display) .

https://goo.gl/maps/G47BabSqqipqrBFE7