Large car?
 

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I ran across one of the company drivers weighing out his late model Volvo with a load comparable to the 43,000-odd pounds I usually haul. I noticed all his axle weights were a lot lower than mine, and he made some remark about "That's because you're driving that ol' large car."

I haven't gotten out a tape measure, and I didn't go into the sleeper when I drove a company truck for my road test, but it seems the company trucks are roughly the same size as this T600, and I wouldn't have thought of my truck as a "large car."

I've been wondering about this ever since. I think of a "large car" as a classic conventional like a Kenworth W900 or Pete 379, with a square hood, side-mounted stacks, side-mounted aircleaners, and the aerodynamic profile of a brick; usually bedecked with gobs of chrome accents.

A T600 is awfully plain by this measure. They aren't as common today as they once were, but there are still plenty of companies running these things. It's got a little more of a "premium factor" than one of those fugly Volvos (oooh, that ought to start a fight! :evil: ), but it's not really what I'd call a droolable truck at all. (Especially with the paint so dull, and all the faux chrome at the front turning white.)

So that begs the question. Maybe it's only a large car because it can pull the bark off a tree (to borrow a quote from another Cummins N-14 fan) and it can bury an 80 mph speedometer without even trying hard? Is it all about how fast it runs, and how it walks up the hills like a stick (furniture) wagon even though it has a load of heavy freight on it?

Personally, I say not. I don't think this is a large car, though it sure has a lot more hair on its chest than the International 9200 I used to drive.

I'll let CAD decide once and for all.

I would put forth an opinion that the T-600 is a near 50/50 mix of large car and aerodynamic build.

T600:

Narrow cab
sleeper appears to be attached to the cab
sloped hood

Volvo:

wide cab
integrated sleeper
sloped hood

Lg. car
 

The definition of a large car--- A Big truck runs as fast as it can, and a Large Car runs as fast as it wants too ! Now do you want to know the difference between a Big Dog and a Big Strapper ?

Re: Lg. car
 

Well, by that measure, it's a large car. It's just like my fourwheeler in that it will go way faster than I ever want to drive.I have no idea. Big Strapper makes me think of my wife's friend who likes to do odd things to men.

That would be a big strap on. :lol:

No, actually, she's a big girl, and she likes to strap men down and flog them with whips.

<shudder>

Oh, I saw her on Springer once. :lol:

That is not a "large car".

Silvan said, and is correct in the definition of a large car:

Size of engine, horsepower, torque, etc. has nothing to do with the definition of "large car".

Examples include: 379, W900, Classic, 9900i, Western Star. To name a few

My opinion is that a large car is the flag ship for each truck maker. Like the 379 long hood, W900L, Classic XL, maybe Coranado, 9900I, the Lowmax from Western Star. Maybe that big square nose Volvo. I don't consider Mack as a large car.

The only mack that i would call a large car would be the old Superliner aka "SUPER DOG" with a v-8 500hp. Thats what am talking about :)