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Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?
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tommyw-5088
Posted 3/30/2023 04:09 (#10164084)
Subject: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Texas		Those guys flat out ran , big bower at the time and 4x4 trans , Long hood Kw 900"s
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DonkeyShowFarms
Posted 3/30/2023 04:24 (#10164089 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


NE NEBRASKA		They were the old school cool.



(monfort-of-colorado-trucking (full).jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments monfort-of-colorado-trucking (full).jpg (109KB - 252 downloads)
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farmboy99
Posted 3/30/2023 05:16 (#10164109 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


SE South Dakota		Isn't it still the "Monfort Lane"?

Jim J
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rupp man
Posted 3/30/2023 22:16 (#10165624 - in reply to #10164109)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


the dairy state		Yes sir
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Jbatmick
Posted 3/30/2023 05:45 (#10164129 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



Hastings, Florida

I remember seeing their tail lights as they passed me.

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boakfarms
Posted 3/30/2023 05:57 (#10164142 - in reply to #10164129)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


New Castle, PA		And the mud
flaps sticking straight back
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dvswia
Posted 3/30/2023 06:25 (#10164170 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


sw corner ia.		yes I do. always wondered who tuned those rigs because it took way more hp than manufacturers sold at that time to go as fast as they did.
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jdironman
Posted 3/30/2023 06:48 (#10164196 - in reply to #10164170)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Nw Iowa		What happed to the Montfort lots? Remember visiting out there with my dad when I was a very young kid.
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ronm
Posted 3/30/2023 08:21 (#10164370 - in reply to #10164196)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Fruita CO
jdironman - 3/30/2023 05:48

What happed to the Montfort lots? Remember visiting out there with my dad when I was a very young kid.


Monforts sold out the feedlots to ConAgra, the 2 sons of Kenneth Monfort are the principal owners of the Colorado Rockies now.
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R2farm
Posted 3/30/2023 09:01 (#10164453 - in reply to #10164370)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


sw Nebraska		didn't Con Agra get out of the cattle feeding biz? IIRC JBS has those lots now. I used to deliver corn to one in Yuma CO. I think JBS has the big packing plant in Greeley that was Monfort HQ. Them trucks would flat run.
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ronm
Posted 3/30/2023 09:08 (#10164463 - in reply to #10164453)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Fruita CO		I think you're right, JBS is the name now. They had a big labor dust-up among the Somalian employees a few years back...Covid ran through the place like a wildfire, as I remember.
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tommyw-5088
Posted 3/30/2023 06:55 (#10164206 - in reply to #10164170)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Texas
dvswia - 3/30/2023 06:25

yes I do. always wondered who tuned those rigs because it took way more hp than manufacturers sold at that time to go as fast as they did.


Two stick trans , and Cummins did make a twin turbo 475 horse 855 a long time ago .

I have forgotten a bunch of it , but back then we had shims and a "buttion " to flat make a 855 Cummins walk and talk .

We never tested one , but i think 600 horse would be possible . I know for sure 3000 rpms was possible .

Edited by tommyw-5088 3/30/2023 06:58
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jd8850
Posted 3/30/2023 08:13 (#10164355 - in reply to #10164206)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Roseglen, North Dakota		That wd have to be tortuous to run an inline 6 such as 855 at 3000.
What engines did the Monfort trucks have?
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havin’funfarming
Posted 3/30/2023 08:44 (#10164409 - in reply to #10164206)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Wow that would be some serious power out of an 855! How did they hold up with tunes like that? What weak spots showed up?

Edited by havin’funfarming 3/30/2023 08:45
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ronm
Posted 3/30/2023 08:57 (#10164440 - in reply to #10164409)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Fruita CO		Old friend of mine that did a lot of trucking in California said they turned an 855 up to 600 HP, & the exhaust manifold melted & fell off on the dyno...it would burn a set of drive tires off in one trip from LA to San Francisco.
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Hay Hud Ohio
Posted 3/30/2023 09:12 (#10164470 - in reply to #10164409)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



SW Ohio		I know a guy that grew up in a Cummins test facility when they were moving from small cams to big cams, he said you could get 500 out of big cam I,II,or III pretty easy, 600 with some mods, 800 was possible but short lived. Most problems were with the cooling, and the IV was a failed attempt at fixing that. Also knew of a guy that ran an injection shop in Greensburg that used to race trucks, said the 903 was the preferred block because any hack could get 100 hp per hole, and he said 5000 rpm was also possible.
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Mbmaring
Posted 3/30/2023 20:38 (#10165443 - in reply to #10164470)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



North west MN		They had surplus 903 engines that were meant for Bradley tanks that in the tanks turned 660hp all day long till they didn't. Army had lots of spares in crates probably still some available
http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3948.html
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IADAVE
Posted 3/30/2023 12:07 (#10164717 - in reply to #10164409)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


I talked to a Cummins engineer about a big cam 1. He said it would not hurt it to run 2800 rpm all day long. 3400 they start 2 stroking and valve floating.
I suspect the small cam may have been able to turn around 3800. My tach didn't quite go that far. It sounded good but was getting hot fast.
An 855 can get some pretty serious power for a short time with not much expense.
As others said, keeping them cool was the hard part. Both exhaust temp and water. Keeping fuel in them at high rpm was a challenge also. Under 1 mpg is possible. It was also hard to keep a drive line behind them if one used that Hp.
Mine ended up with heat cracks in the sleeves. I thought electrolysis but Cummins said it was from heating up quick and then cooling quickly. I.E If I was in a hurry I would run the pyro up to 13 and use the jake to shift up.
The trucks I saw that I thought were the original Monfort trucks had a V style, I believe Cummins in them. They were 4070s with raised cabs with some other modifications I am sure to make the engines fit. They shifted 2 times while the passed me. My poor old 855 was turning 3400 and was 2 stroking. My rough math figured me at 136 and they rolled on by. FYI they were pulling triple axle cattle pots and running the scales as they were way overweight. The engines didn't appear to be working.
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havin’funfarming
Posted 3/31/2023 08:42 (#10166050 - in reply to #10164409)
Subject: Interesting info guys!


Thanks for the responses!

I’ve always been impressed that the valves don’t melt on my augers little 13hp honda when the exhaust is glowing red at night but if an 855 exhaust can run that hot I’m likely further from failure than I think. Lol

I never would have guessed that an 855 would hold together at those rpm’s without the rods escaping the block or some other catastrophic failure.

It sounds like 855’s are very tough old engines and heat removal is their main weak point.

I guess that explains why the old 855 in my 875 versatile has happily chugged away for about 9000 hours now with no signs of giving up. I guess i can’t say I haven’t had any trouble. I did have a pushrod bend several years ago now. No idea why it happened. It hardly gets used anymore so it sits for long periods. Maybe that had something to do with it.

Edited by havin’funfarming 3/31/2023 08:42
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IADAVE
Posted 4/1/2023 00:20 (#10167344 - in reply to #10166050)
Subject: RE: Interesting info guys!


The truck that had the big cam 1 in had the paint burnt along the side and back of the cab from exhaust heat.
One has to remember the heat deal was from engines putting out 3 or 4x factory ratings. At that extreme it had to shorten engine life. Notice earlier I was told the liner cracks were from heat. Also the bottom end on the engine was in need of bearings at 400,000 miles while my stock formula 350 bearings looked like new at 900,000. It probably also was why I needed a new turbo and manifold when I did. I will say the special turbo and manifold lasted until the sleeves failed.
One of the problems was it would literally melt a hole in the exhaust elbow under the muffler. I learned to paint the whole exhaust system inside with high temperature paint and then never seize. I don't know of it helped but I thought it did.
The best thing I learned though was to quit playing around with it as that was expensive!


Edited by IADAVE 4/1/2023 00:36
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CMN
Posted 3/30/2023 08:21 (#10164371 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


West of Mpls MN about 50 miles on Hwy 12		A good article about the history of Monfort by a Monfort driver.

https://pubs.royle.com/publication/?m=46325&i=441694&p=18&_ga=2.1559...

No back haul, they ran empty 50% of the time. The KW's had fancy exteriors but bare bones interiors.
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IADAVE
Posted 3/30/2023 12:16 (#10164726 - in reply to #10164371)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


It is interesting. That article is nothing like the stories I heard when I started trucking in the 80's. I am sure not disputing the article though.
I was told the original trucks were International 4070's and were running from Chicago to La.. They needed to make the trip in under 24 hours.
I wonder who had the Blue and white 4070's ? This would have been in the mid to early 70's

Edited by IADAVE 3/31/2023 00:39
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jdironman
Posted 3/30/2023 12:23 (#10164739 - in reply to #10164371)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Nw Iowa		Thanks CMN, very interesting article and publication.
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F2036
Posted 3/30/2023 08:23 (#10164375 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


NE of Des Moines		I-80 through Iowa they just flat out run everything else.
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silagehauler
Posted 3/30/2023 09:06 (#10164460 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



They don’t call it the Monfort lane for nothing.
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illinidirtfarmer
Posted 3/30/2023 09:16 (#10164478 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


WC IL		Got passed by them many times.
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Offroadnt
Posted 3/30/2023 09:24 (#10164492 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Southern Alberta Canada		They have been mentioned on here a few times, thought I'd google them...

https://www.tenfourmagazine.com/2015/11/poetry-in-motion/the-circus-...

https://pubs.royle.com/publication/?m=46325&i=441694&p=18&ver=html5

Very interesting company.
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Headland
Posted 3/30/2023 12:14 (#10164724 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Malta, Illinois		I remember the trucks. How did they keep from loading up on speeding tickets if they were leaving everyone else in the dust?
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IADAVE
Posted 3/30/2023 12:21 (#10164735 - in reply to #10164724)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


I was told the company paid law enforcement and paid the fines if that didn't work.
Also during the 80's there was a time law enforcement would not hardly give a ticket for speeding.
I know Iowa and several other states passed a right to speed law when the feds forced the 55 speed limit.
We used to routinely run 80 or better in some areas. Especially western Kansas and Nebraska.
I did get some fingers wagged at me. I also got passed a lot running 85 mph in western Kansas.
I don't know about back east. We never ran that way if we could help it.
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dvswia
Posted 3/30/2023 13:21 (#10164814 - in reply to #10164735)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


sw corner ia.		I have been driving in iowa since the 60's.

there was never a time that any leo (in iowa anyhow) would allow anyone to speed at all anywhere if they had eyes on them. never. I know from experience. too much money to be made.
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TP from Central PA
Posted 3/30/2023 15:40 (#10164995 - in reply to #10164814)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Yeah I would say that would be the case anywhere. A local police chief paid his salary every year for years strictly enforcing a 35 mph limit through the burg.
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dvswia
Posted 3/31/2023 06:53 (#10165847 - in reply to #10164995)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


sw corner ia.		there was one stretch of heavily used 2 lane east of council bluffs that they would watch like a hungry hawk and give tickets for 56 mph. heard many truckers complain of this one.
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CMN
Posted 3/30/2023 22:02 (#10165604 - in reply to #10164724)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


West of Mpls MN about 50 miles on Hwy 12		According to the Montfort driver in the article I linked above, one driver racked up $1250.00 of fines during his "best" year. Fines averaged between $15.00-$25.00 per ticket.
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JAnderson
Posted 3/31/2023 10:02 (#10166204 - in reply to #10164724)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


McCanna, ND		Supposedly until about 20 years ago each state had its own drivers license division and didn’t really share information with other states. Loose your license in one state, go to the next and get a new license.

Some of the exotic car owners/super speeders have stories of doing that.
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Upsman370
Posted 3/30/2023 12:41 (#10164764 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Missouri		1693 Cats.
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tommyw-5088
Posted 3/30/2023 14:13 (#10164876 - in reply to #10164764)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Texas
Upsman370 - 3/30/2023 12:41

1693 Cats.


Is that the original 4 and a quarter cat ? I never worked on one of those.

I will say -if mi not mistaken my first inframe overhaul was a 3406 without aftercooler ?

Id guess i started on trucks as a part time job for a family friend in about. 1982 .Seems like everything about we worked on had 855 cummins .

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dvswia
Posted 3/31/2023 06:57 (#10165855 - in reply to #10164876)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


sw corner ia.		a good friend of my dad was a road driver and had a w9 with a 1693ta, he turned it up some and loved to tell that once he was in high gear he never shifted all the way from omaha to new york. that motor became a huge money pit. take a look inside one of those nightmares and you will see why. I think the cummins qsx designer must have built it..
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ronm
Posted 3/31/2023 07:38 (#10165924 - in reply to #10164876)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Fruita CO		AKA the Clatterpillar...if you ever heard one idle you would remember it. DOHC, precombustion chambers like the old dozers. I think they still had side covers on the block so you could change rod bearings without dropping the pan...
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tanner
Posted 3/31/2023 09:55 (#10166197 - in reply to #10165924)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Northern Ks		Ronm, had a grand jct fellow help me out with a weight problem at scales, Had KT sounded like locomotive at idle. Dewey Miracle, His sun had one too.
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ronm
Posted 3/31/2023 11:16 (#10166290 - in reply to #10166197)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Fruita CO		Oh yeah, Dewey! I never knew him personally, may have met him once, but he was kind of a legend around here for a long time. Old-school trucker for sure...he was claimed to have bought the original Smokey & the Bandit KW, repainted it yellow. I think his son drove it, or maybe a hired driver. Small world...
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shivers876
Posted 3/30/2023 14:41 (#10164921 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


NC KS		The book Kennys Shoes is a good read
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jdironman
Posted 3/31/2023 07:30 (#10165911 - in reply to #10164921)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Nw Iowa		Thanks, ordered it
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JohnW
Posted 3/30/2023 19:20 (#10165300 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


NW Washington		In N Idaho I think some of the wood chip haulers that passed everyone on the road used a V-8 Cat 3408 engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsmgeyAi8R8&ab_channel=PittsburghPow...

Edited by JohnW 3/30/2023 19:21
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John Burns
Posted 3/30/2023 20:01 (#10165372 - in reply to #10165300)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



Pittsburg, Kansas		Had a local trucker guy that used to haul grain for us years ago. He had a flat top Pete with a 3408. He didn't let any grass grow under his feet, that is for sure.
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Ken
Posted 3/30/2023 20:22 (#10165411 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


central Ia		There was a trucker out of Des Moines that could give them a run for their money back then, he had a 12V71 in his truck can't remember what truck he had but do remember the 12V71. He got caught speeding up a hill in Pa, got a ticket for speeding they didn't weigh him because they thought he was empyt but he was way overloaded. But I do remember watching those Monfort trucks come up behind you and then all you saw was the back end of a trailer for a short time and to think at that time they were probably hauling swinging beef instead of boxed beef
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FJS
Posted 3/30/2023 21:23 (#10165539 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?



Tomball,Texas

They made good time because they didn’t stop

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IADAVE
Posted 3/31/2023 00:22 (#10165699 - in reply to #10165539)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


There is a lot of truth to that.
I knew a guy who was trying to run with some professional bull haulers. he had his engine turning 3000 rpm and turned 4th gear around to get a a faster speed. He then got faster rear ends.
After his first run with the new rear ends, he said man them guys must fly as he still couldn't keep up. The trucks he was trying to catch had a top speed of 68 mph and were powered with a 350 Cummins! LOL

Edited by IADAVE 3/31/2023 00:25
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tanner
Posted 3/31/2023 10:02 (#10166205 - in reply to #10165699)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Northern Ks		They used to rig up valve springs of some sort on the injector pushtubes back then so the semi race trucks could give the jimmies a run.
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ruzijobeans
Posted 3/31/2023 07:19 (#10165896 - in reply to #10165539)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


central wi
FJS - 3/30/2023 20:23

They made good time because they didn’t stop



It's amazing how much ground you can cover at 66mph if you keep the driver's door closed.
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Offroadnt
Posted 3/31/2023 06:57 (#10165857 - in reply to #10164084)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Southern Alberta Canada		To think they did that on bias ply non radial tires, makes me shudder...
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tommyw-5088
Posted 3/31/2023 07:50 (#10165946 - in reply to #10165857)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Texas		Couple of rich guys outside of Midlothian , Built a flat top pete , 300" wheelbase . 3408 5 and 4 . They always said it would run 140

One of them was in the dairy business and the other was an old Bull hauler.

I have a friend ,also a farmer / cattle guy like we are.

He also hauls some grain , had a pride and class 379 . He did get stopped at over 100 in new mexico .

Trooper let him go because he said " Im just trying to get home to see wife and kids "
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tanner
Posted 3/31/2023 09:49 (#10166186 - in reply to #10165946)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


Northern Ks		Early 80s lot of Colorado based trucks Denver, Grand Jct, had either Kt cumins, or 3408, even a 12V92 running, A company from Keocuck Ia ran 3408 in all up to mid 80s. Have later Monf truck with close to 400 gal fuel tanks and 3.31 rears so no stopping.
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illinidirtfarmer
Posted 3/31/2023 21:37 (#10167214 - in reply to #10166186)
Subject: RE: Anyone remembers the Monfort trucks?


WC IL		Was that company out of Keokuk Zimmerman or something close to that? Ran teams to the west coast and back in 4 days?
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