(first posted 11/4/2018) When a Dutch earth moving company was in the market for a new, heavy 6×6 truck in the seventies, there was plenty of choice. Truck manufacturers Ginaf, Terberg, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Magirus-Deutz, Tatra and Steyr offered highly capable and durable factory AWD chassis. Both the Magirus-Deutz and the Tatra trucks were always powered by an air cooled diesel engine.
At a recently held, sublime classic truck show I caught a duo of AWD, Magirus-Deutz Eckhaubers. Top tier off-road machinery of yore.
This generation of heavy, conventional Magirus-Deutz trucks and tractors was introduced in 1953 and was built till 1971, so you might call this magnificent 1971 dump truck the final edition model. Well, not entirely, as the production of some specialties continued for a few years.
Eckhauber is actually a generic name, only used for the Magirus-Deutz brand; best to describe as a square lined nose job. This type of model designation, as seen on the old school hood, appeared in 1964.
To be complete, the subject is a Magirus-Deutz 170 D 21 AK: 170 DIN-hp (176, more precisely) – Deutz (the engine) – 21 metric tons GVM (46,300 lbs) – Allrad Kipper (AWD dump truck). Its power comes from a naturally aspirated V6 with a displacement of 8,424 cc, called the F6L413V engine.
The front axle and its suspension.
The rear tandem…
…and a view from down under.
A 1968 brochure of the 230 D 26. The Eckhauber’s headlight units were still sitting on top of the bumper then.
The 6×4 (top image) and 6×6 chassis, as you can see the 230 was powered by a V8. More of the brochure here.
Also present, much to my delight, was a 1975 Eckhauber. This dump truck -imported from Norway- respresents the last generation, as introduced in 1971.
It’s a Magirus-Deutz 232 D 22 AK; 232 DIN-hp (from an 11.3 liter V8) with a GVM-rating of 22 metric tons (22.5, more precisely).
In the mid-seventies, the old truck maker from Ulm was integrated into the newly formed Iveco company. Iveco still offers excellent AWD trucks (4×4, 6×6 and 8×8). And Deutz still offers excellent air cooled diesels.
Related reading, with more background information about the Magirus-Deutz brand:
CC Global: The Magirus-Deutz Eckhauber – The Air Cooled Mercedes L-Series Competitor
Sweet truck. I remember seeing Eckhaubers back in the day. And the Deutz air-cooled diesel engines show up here from time to time. The last time I had concrete pumped, it was a portable unit powered by an air-cooled Deutz.
Farmers I know find the old Deutz farm tractors pretty tough, though hard to find parts for. All were air cooled diesels. They merged with Allis Chalmers, who begat Agco Alliis, who begat Fiat Allis?, then…well, not sure who not sure who owns what now. Always been a big tractor fan since my first Ford 9N, and have thought about picking up a smaller Deutz if one came around nearby. According to thermodynamics, theoretically an air cooled diesel is more efficient than water cooled, though due to the present state of commercial metallurgy/material science they are not as long lasting/durable. Ceramics might rectify that shortcoming if if an engine could be made at a viable price… maybe someday.
We saw I a lot of Magirus-Deutz trucks when last in Europe, way back in the ’70s. My understanding is they were a well respected manufacturer.
Have a look here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cc-global/cc-global-2017-deutz-fahr-agrotron-6215-ttv-with-a-cvt-a-descendant-of-the-worlds-oldest-engine-manufacturer/
Water cooled and Italian owned! my goodness!
Many are not aware that Porsche also made tractors, also air cooled.
I’ve seen a couple of them in the past at tractor shows in Vermont and Pennsylvania:
Another renowned manufacturer that built farm tractors with an air cooled diesel engine was Eicher. Each cylinder of their engines had its own cooling fan.
Eicher Wotan 2.
Such a good-looking truck. Mechanically, a bit anti-social on the ears, ofcourse. They were sold here.
We still have Deutz selling stationary engines here. It uses the old symbol of Magirus-Deutz. Is it too owned by Iveco?
For your consideration, here’s a link to a brief clip of a Magirus-Deutz hauling wool in far outback Queensland, Aus, in 1964. The owner was obviously proud – the bullbar (brushbar in US?) is shaped like the Magirus-Deutz symbol. Enjoy.
http://www.roadtrains.com.au/Videos/ID/155/Here-is-a-Magirus-Deutz-hauling-a-load-of-wool-to-Longreach
Deutz AG (Cologne, Germany) is an engine manufacturer, no Iveco (CNH Industrial) connection. The Iveco, New Holland and Case products are powered by FPT engines (Fiat Powertrain Technologies).
…meanwhile I’ve checked out the video. That’s an Eckhauber alright, as a straightforward 4×2 tractor. The “Ulmer-bullbar” is a nice touch. Magirus-Deutz was best known for their special vehicles, like AWD dump trucks, fire trucks and logging trucks. But they also built many on-road cabover (day- or sleeper cab) 4×2 tractors, powered by the same air cooled engines as used in the mud wrestlers.
This is fun, an Eckhauber submarine, sort of. Heroic music alert!
Deutz ‘Air Diesels’ were offered in a few U.S. trucks in the late 80’s. An in-line 6 cylinder was a factory option in Chevy and GMC medium duty trucks in ’87 and ’88. Diamond-Reo offered Deutz V-8’s for a number of years, though few were built.
Eckhauber is likely derived from “Ecke”, german for Corner and “Haube”, german for Hood. Hood with corners or sharp angles I suppose. “Er wohnt um die Ecke” = He lives around the corner.
Good looking rigs in attractive colors, I recall seeing them (well, similar ones at least) semi-regularly in the 70’s in Germany.
The nicest Hauber name, IMO, is the M.A.N. Diesel Ponton Kurzhauber…
And of course, Magirus-Deutz also had their Rundhaubers!
Magirus-Deutz delivered a considerable number of short-nosed trucks to the then Soviet Union as part of the so-called “Delta Project”.
In 1974, represented by the Soviet “All-Union Trading Company”, the Soviet Union ordered around 9,500 heavy trucks from the then commercial vehicle manufacturer Magirus-Deutz, which were needed to build the Baikal-Amur Mainline as a branch line of the Trans-Siberia through Siberia. These were long hoods with air-cooled KHD diesel engines (third generation corner hood design as introduced on the market in 1971). Essentially two variants without all-wheel drive were delivered: a three-axle one with a ten-cylinder V engine with direct injection of the type F10L413 with 290 hp and a permissible total weight of 26 tons (types M290D26K 6×4 and M290D26L 6×4) and a two-axle one with a smaller, also direct-injection eight-cylinder V -Type F8L413 engine 232 hp and 19 tonnes permissible total weight (types M232D19K 4×2 and M232D19L 4×2).
In order to achieve a cheaper package price, the Soviets did without the factory-supplied all-wheel drive and also did not order the top model of the series, which was released in 1973 and was called the M310D26AK 6×6 or M310D26AL 6×6 and 305 hp. In order to still achieve good off-road mobility, all vehicles were equipped with differential locks on the rear axles. For the expected heavy use, they also all received two raised air intake pipes and additional headlights next to the radiator grille on the bumper. The color scheme was also uniform in orange, as this is best visible in snow. The supply contract was signed in Moscow on October 2, 1974.
Many of these vehicles are said to have been in use in Russia around 2010.
(Source: Wikipedia.de)
Right, see direct link to the other Eckhauber article at the bottom. There’s a Delta Project video in the comment section, further down.
Great biography. Very well-presented post, of an appealing truck. Love the retro looks, even when new.
Fast forward to our times, one can say that the Iveco T-Way 6×6 -as pictured below- is a descendant of the article’s Eckhaubers, since Magirus-Deutz became part of the big Iveco family, halfway the seventies.
Iveco is one of those brands that can offer 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 chassis straight from the factory.
Love it. Great design!
The Iveco models 190-42 and 190-48 were also in the company of Magirus.
What a beast! although those top load carriers are a pain in
Cool truck! In the 1970’s in North America I think only Mack, Oshkosh, and FWD offered something straight from the factory with similar capabilities.
I think that’s a duplicate photo of the 6×4 and 6×6 chassis. At least in both photos I see a V8 engine and a transfer case.
It’s amazing that Deutz and Tatra still make air-cooled diesels. One would think with the increasing requirements for efficiency with the accompanying high temperatures, it just becomes more and more difficult to get enough cool air to the right places, without packaging difficulties.
I see a front differential in the lower image. Also, its frame is sitting higher (as per usual), compare
rear tires/height frame rails and front tires/front leaf springs. Both of the rolling chassis are powered by the 230 hp V8.
Oh you are right! I guess that’s just an auxiliary transmission in the top photo.
Thank you!
Great article! Thanks
I remember a V8 Eckhauber AK starting up inside the hall at the Bremen Classic show.
Everyone rushed over to enjoy the Staubsauger!
For those who would like to get an impression of what the “Bremen Classic Motorshow” is, here is a short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtUEBzmOFV0
Unfortunately, no English subtitles are available. But perhaps the “automatic translation” function from the YouTube menu bar will provide a halfway usable result.
p.s.: To my regret, the Magirus-Deutz start in the hall has not been shown