In the fall of '62 I found myself at the US Army Armor School at Ft.
Knox, KY for training on the M-48 and M-60 tanks. The 48 was
obsolescent and the 60 was the main battle tank then. The 48 had the
air-cooled gas engine and the 60 the air-cooled diesel. In training we
were told the 60 engine was related to the 48, but probably they shared
little besides the number of cylinders and air-cooling, since a diesel
must be made much stronger and heavier to stand the stress of the
super-high compression.
Both were fun to drive, the 60 a little smoother and stronger(and
newer). The bad thing about the diesel was that if you sat in place
with the engine running, like on a firing range, if the diesel fumes got
down into the hull they would make everybody sick. I can't imagine
where the scrap yards are that contain these engines, but if you put one
in a car, go with the gas job! ArdunBill
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