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Welcome one and all to What The Truck. Here, we take a look at some odd and odder vehicles (trucks, bikes, cars, and more) running on diesel. Some of these vehicles are just plain awesome, while others are too weird for words. In any case, they all prove that no idea is beyond the pale… provided you have a welder, a plasma table, and a lot of bath salts.
Starting us off is the Yeti Concept Truck. From what we could dig up, it was built by Rex Bailey to conquer the harsh terrain of the snowy Rocky Mountains. Perhaps the 76-inch tires are a bit much, no? Judging by the video, the truck had a way of getting stuck more than it did clamber over snow banks. Oh, and did we mention it’s got rear-wheel steering?
Regardless of our misgivings and speculation, the Yeti certainly has the look going for it. So too does it have a 5.9-liter Cummins diesel, which we all know and love. The power goes to Unimog portal axles on the front and rear, making it off-road-capable, at least on paper.
The Yeti is powered by a 5.9-liter Cummins and has 76-inch tractor tires... because why not?
If we take one wheel away, however, the Yeti would have a hard time getting around. But that’s no problem for a trike. Case in point – a supercharged and turbocharged Detroit Diesel trike.
The specific engine in question is a Detroit Diesel 6V53T. This is a two-stroke motor, so the supercharger is effectively moot as a power adder, but it is vital as an air pusher. The spent exhaust gas is forced out of the engine after the first stroke, but there’ll be some oil getting flung out, too.
On Reddit, the trike was claimed as having “the required blower as well as a large turbo,” said user JP147. “It has a Ford C4 transmission with a manual valve body, as well as a narrowed Dana 44 axle. There is also a tow ball.”
This unusual trike runs on a Detroit Diesel 6V53T, which is a two-stroke engine. It also has a supercharger and a turbocharger. No cell phone charger, unfortunately.
Last but not least, we have a 1973 Land Rover Series III (88-inch wheelbase; although it hardly applies, for obvious reasons). Gone are the wheels and tires, and in their place are tank treads.
It seems this particular Rover was once listed on eBay, and its information was pulled from said listing. The highlights are as follows: 200 TDI engine, LT77 five-speed transmission, power steering, ARB air locker, 3.54:1 axle gear ratio, Line-X‘d floor pans, Hella headlights, and more.
With winter still swirling snow around, the Land Rover would definitely be a blessing up north. Tank treads are generally better at navigating over the soft stuff since they can displace ground pressure over a larger area than tires can. And who wouldn’t love to hear the sound of a chugging diesel as they climb up a snow bank?
Wild, weird, or wonderful – what do you think of these unusual diesel whips? Let us know in the comments below, and if you have pics and details of any weird diesel rides in your area, reach out to us by email.
