1979 Dennis RS fire engine "on the run"

Short clip of 1979 Dennis RS out for a run in September 2008, we decided to make a new video showing her getting a bit of a reasonably hard drive as the last video really didnt do it justice!! When the gearbox shifted into top gear, it was doing over 55mph going up a hill. This machine has clocked in excess of 80mph **when tested on private grounds** which really is a testament to the durability of the Perkins V8

***This vehicle was passed on for further preservation on the 12th September 2009 and I no longer own it***

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Dennis
• RS
• Fire
• Engine
• Perkins
• V8-540

[MCDModels]

excellent video, do you have any more recent videos of it.

[markthebusman]

This is the most recent footage I have (September 2008)

[markthebusman]

New video added today, see my videos

[del121a]

does that have the turbo 540 perkins in it, (about 210hp) at 11ton, would pull quite fast but impressive with the stats you gave, but over 100mph, that is well good (almost twice the legal speed) ,22ton, very good, We liked the perkins, sound of power when you rev it / drive it. Only thing we hated on the 653 auto box is on hill when gearbox isn't sure which to be in and changed between 3 /4 constantly (big jerk and stress on transmission I guess so you have to able to be more patient.

[markthebusman]

No she's a standard V8-540! The 100mph speed was clocked on a private test track, obviously we wouldn't have done that on the road!! This appliance has only 25,000 miles/3,000 hours on the engine, so it's no wonder she goes well

[markthebusman]

She has an MT643 box, and she's a 11-ton GVW truck, as for the 80mph test track speed, it was probably more like 100mph, but we couldnt be sure as the clock only goes as far as 80 and even then it was almost going around another turn to zero again!! Even without the speedometer it was going very, VERY fast I can tell you, ha ha. Definitely not a lazy machine. She's quite happy doing about 75mph on average but like most diesels she dies on the hills.

[markthebusman]

Further to the speed testing, I once used this appliance to tow another stricken Dennis RS at least 500 yards up a 30 degree hill, and although the 79 one had to pull herself AND another engine on top of its own weight, the gearbox still changed into 2nd, going up the hill with 22 tons at 25mph!! Wouldn't believe it myself - only for the fact that I was driving it

[TheDavidpayne]

looks if you were just pulling out of arklow der heading for wickla am i right ?

[s34n93]

bet it was loud as its not the quietist of engines to start with

[del121a]

nice vid, 80mph, wo, is it the 653 auto box you have in that, we have the 540 v8 perk with 653 and was slow on the hills at 18ton weight