1957 Diamond T 4×2
Engine: 450 Cl IH Red Diamond
This truck did not have enough power for it’s owner Frank Gripp of Annawan, Illinois so he installed a V8 Buick engine with a 3 speed transmission onto the front end of his truck to give him the additional horsepower he wanted. He ran the second engines drive shaft through the radiator of the Diamond T and connected it to the crankshaft of the Red Diamond engine with air controls and it performed “very satisfactory”.
The model 730 Diamond T was one of the first true cab over engine designs to hit the market. No essential changes were made in engine, transmission, frame, axles, and other major componets but due to the short wheel base and set back front axle it was easier to distribute the payload and achieve the maximum payload possible. One of the major innovations of this unit was an ingenious system of counterbalances that allowed the cab to be tilted forward for servicing the driveline without the need of a external power unit of any kind.
from the Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum, Colonial Heights, VA
