Love these things.

[Power Hungry]

So when Ford came out with the C-Series Cab-overs in 1957, they really struck gold. Those things were an instant hit. However, they were primarily relegated to gasoline engines because of the limited space underneath the cab. Now, there have been re-powers (engine swaps) over the years with some pretty sizable diesel engines installed, but these almost always involved raising the cab several inches in order to achieve clearance.

In 1961, Ford took the C-Series body and lifted it... HIGH! In the process, Ford installed a 14" skirt below the cab as a filler and then they took the axle, which was normally behind the driver, and moved it forward. This gave them all the room they needed to be able to install larger diesel engines in the rigs to meet Class 8 hauling needs. Also, to fill in the space where the wheels normally would be, Ford fashioned a toolbox to fill the space. Pretty creative, if you ask me.

Made only from 1961 to 1966, these trucks were ultimately superseded by the W-Series tractors, which was the more squared off, conventional style tractor. These trucks are rare as hen's teeth as it is, and to find one in any kind of decent shape or even fully restored is exceptionally rare. These throwbacks to the earlier days of the trucking industry always catch my eye.

In the attached picture, you can clearly see the similarities as well as the differences between the trucks and cabs. Both are Cab-overs, although the H-Series is considerably taller than the C-Series counterpart.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.