The Real Deal

The 8V53 has almost the exact displacement of the 6-71, and when the 6V71's came in there was really no reason for an 8v53, the power and size of the 6V-71 covered it in a smaller size. The -53's got the V's before the -71's

Lots of "smog-era" gasoline-powered carbureted V-8s would run backwards for awhile on shut down if they were hot and the idle speed stop was set too high.
Restarting after that took some doing. Nothing else automotive-wise smells like that.
A good decarbonizing with a chemical or water would fix it for awhile. That also fixes slow starting hot due to incandescent deposits in the combustion chamber.
Thank goodness for fuel injection! That nonsense all came to a sudden stop.

Many mechanical injected diesels can run backwards, it depend on how the lift pump operates, but the timing will be ATDC and the lube pump will not lube the bearings.
Some of the big ships diesel are set up to run backwards to reverse the ship. requires shutting them down, and re-starting in the reverse direction.
Gasoline (carb'd engines) can't run backwards but for a very short period and the flow thru the carb is reversed and no fuel gets to the cyl. Many will continue to run on ("dieseling") by a hot spot in the cyl, and that causes a odd smell also.

My famous old Toyota Corona would run backwards, for a time. Having a starter that turned the engine counter-clockwise sure helped that phenomenon.

I remember a couple of the 'smog era' carbed cars I had. It just became habit to shut the engine off in gear, then put the trans in park, to avoid run-on.

Dean

Oh, yeah! I remember!
These vehicles are still around. Once in awhile I have to smog them. I just forget the misery.
For example--the M" series of Ford V-8s (5.8L and 6.6L..351M and 400M ) used in trucks and cars were extra-special.
Getting one of those to pass smog was nearly impossible.
They LOOKED like the Ford Cleveland series of V-8 engines but WERE NOT the same. Different transmission bolt pattern, for one.
"M" stands for miserable.

"US Army Kitchen Truck" is what the caption says. 1920s, I'd say.
The Real Deal!
Anyone want to take a shot at year and make! Too cool!

This is top-of-the-line!
Colorized at some point. Pride, no doubt!
What make is it? Except WONDERFUL!
Imagine the wonderful sounds it made!

Truck is a Sterling, the crane is a Northwest.

Don't you like it?
I was told that old Sterlings had wood in their frames??? An old trucking family patriarch told me that.
Olson Trucking?