Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. will soon offer its S2G, a medium-duty cab-chassis with a specially made engine that burns liquified petroleum gas, better known as LPG or propane.

Customers will include propane distributors who want to use what they sell, said Bob Harbin, FCCC's president.

Displayed at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis this week, the straight truck uses FCCC's S2 chassis, a Freightliner M2 cab and sloping hood, and an 8-liter, 325-horsepower V-8 set up to burn propane.

The engine from Powertrain Integration uses a block from General Motors' now-discontinued Vortec 8100 gasoline V-8. That had its roots in the old Chevrolet-GMC 454-cubic-inch big-block engine.

The Class 7 truck will enter full production in next year's first quarter, with orders accepted late this year. Aside from tank-truck use, S2G chassis is suitable for pickup and delivery, student transportation and municipal applications, Harbin said.

An LPG chassis can lower fuel and operating costs and reduce emissions without sacrificing payload capability or performance. FCCC claims the S2G will be the only factory-built propane-fueled midrange truck. It has a gross vehicle weight rating of 33,000 pounds and comes with an Allison 2300 automatic transmission with PTO provision.

The S2G was developed with the help of potential customers and the Propane Education & Research Council, a congressionally created group that promotes use of LPG fuel, Harbin said.

Partners were Powertrain Integration, of Madison Heights, Mich., the engine supplier, and CleanFuel USA, of Georgetown, Texas, which makes propane fuel injection systems and propane autogas dispensers. More information on the S2G is at FCCC's website.