Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

I was at the radio observatory in Green Bank, WV last July and saw 3 or 4 '71-2 Burbs in the back lot. All C10's painted blue, with "8-350" badges on the fender but a cord hanging out of the grille as to indicate a block heater. All vehicles at the observatory are diesel because spark ignition creates interference with the telescope, so I'm wondering what's under the hood. Anybody know more about them?

Re: Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

Not me, but that certainly sounds interesting.....

LockDoc

Re: Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

Did a little surfing and came up with this.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...burban_C10.jpg

Re: Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

I can't say what's in them but I have driven a couple of those Green Bank (NRAO) 'burbs before. I took a couple of grad classes there in astronomy and being one of the few students that could drive a manual, I was the driver for a couple of our trips around the place.

Anyway, the burbs I drove were 3 speed in the floor manuals with almost ZERO power for acceleration! As I recall, they have a manual throttle you use to kill the engine.

Re: Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

Hmmmm - poor acceleration and manual shutoff valve seem to point to non-turbo diesel.

Re: Green Bank, WV Suburbans?
 

Diesels make sense, they make less electrical noise than an HEI would, particularly near a VERY VERY sensitive radio telescope, and I remember reading somewhere about using diesels as often as possible.