The second life of GMC's
Engine and drive train
Engine type: Chevrolet
270 petrol
Cooling system
Water
Cylinders:
6 in line with top valvel
Bore: 96 mm
Stroke: 102 mm
Cylinder
capacity: 4,416 liter
Compression
ratio: 6,75 : 1
Capacity: 91,5
HP (67 kW) at
2750 rpm
Maximum torque:
28,85 Nm at 1400 rpm
Back side and right side of a GMC Chevrolet 270 engine
How the engine shoudl look like at its delivery
Due to its considerable fuel consumption (35 liters per 100 km), many post-war civilian GMC users converted their trucks to LPG or diesel. Wellknown European suppliers of diesels were Perkins, Ford, Henschel, Deutz and DAF. Paul Hazen compiled the list below showing all the firms providing diesel engines for GMC. A closer analysis of the pictures on this web site (November 2020 status: 467 suitable photo's) indicated that about three quarters of the GMCs started their second life with the original engine. However, one quarter, tippers in particular, received a diesel engine at a certain moment in time, according to their grill logo. Of these trucks one third had a Perkins Diesel, one quarter a Ford Diesel, one quarter a Henschel Diesel and the remainder another brand such as DAF or Deutz.
A few examples of advertisements on engine alternatives (courtesy of Ad Gevers, Peter Albers and Henk Jansen):
Clutch: mechanically single
dry plate
Gearbox transfer
ratios: 1st 6,06:1,
2nd
3,50:1, 3rd 1,80:1, 4th 1:1, 5th 0,79:1 and reverse 6,00:1; tranfer
case high gearingg: 1,155:1; transfer case low gearing:
2,602:1.
Drive via shafs (consult drawing below) from transfer case with either 6x4 (high or low gearing) or 6x6 (low gearing only)
Brakes: non separated, vaccuum supported ('Hydrovac') brake drums on all
wheels.
Tires: 7.50 x 20 with ply rating 8 with (usually) 'non-directional' profile.
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