Truck architecture

1. A truck architecture for a truck having an engine, said architecture comprising:

a truck frame;

a cab coupled with the truck frame, said cab having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said cab being positioned over said engine such that a portion of said engine is positioned beneath said cab;

means for lifting and tilting said cab rearward relative to said engine to provide access to said engine; and

a hood coupled with said truck frame and covering a remaining portion of said engine not covered by said cab.

2. The truck architecture as recited by claim 1 , wherein:

said hood is coupled with said truck frame such that said hood is tiltable forward to allow unobstructed access to a forward portion of said engine.

3. The truck architecture as recited by claim 1 , wherein:

said means for lifting and tilting comprises:

means for pivotably coupling a rear portion of said cab with said truck frame; and

means for coupling a forward portion of said cab with said truck frame and for lifting the forward portion of said cab thereby tilting said cab about said means for pivotably coupling a rear portion of said cab.

4. The truck architecture as recited by claim 3 , wherein:

said means for coupling a forward portion of said cab with said truck frame and for lifting the forward portion of said cab includes a hydraulic lifting mechanism.

5. The truck architecture as recited by claim 3 , wherein:

said means for coupling a forward portion of said cab with said truck frame and for lifting the forward portion of said cab comprises a three-part mechanism for lifting said forward portion of said cab and anchoring means for securing said cab when said cab is in a level position.

6. The truck architecture as recited by claim 1 , wherein:

approximately one half of said engine is positioned underneath said cab when said cab is in a level position.

7. The truck architecture as recited by claim 1 , wherein:

said means for lifting and tilting said cab prevents said cab from tilting beyond a predetermined point.

8. The truck architecture as recited by claim 7 , wherein:

said means for lifting and tilting said cab limits tilting of said cab beyond approximately a position wherein said front end of said cab is approximately positioned at a top side of said engine.

9. The truck architecture as recited by claim 1 , further comprising:

a cab frame upon which said cab is mounted and to which said means for lifting and tilting is coupled.

10. The truck architecture as recited by claim 9 , wherein:

said means for lifting and tilting comprises:

means for pivotably coupling a rear portion of said cab frame with said truck frame; and

means for coupling a forward portion of said cab frame with said truck frame and for lifting the forward portion of said cab frame thereby tilting said cab about said means for pivotably coupling a rear portion of said cab.

11. A method for configuring a truck, comprising steps of:

mounting an engine upon a truck frame;

pivotably mounting a cab to said truck frame, said cab at least partially covering said engine such that said cab can be tilted rearward to provide access to the covered portion of said engine; and

mounting a hood over a remaining portion of said engine not covered by said cab.

12. The method as recited by claim 11 , wherein a tilting and lifting mechanism is provided to lift a forward portion of said cab and tilt said cab in a rearward direction about a pivot mechanism positioned at a rear portion of said cab to provide access to the portion of said engine which is positioned beneath said cab.

13. The method as recited by claim 11 , wherein said hood is pivotably mounted such that said hood is tiltable in a forward direction to provide unobstructed access to a forward portion of said engine.

14. The method as recited by claim 11 , wherein said tilting and lifting mechanism prevents said cab from being tilted further than a predetermined amount.

15. A truck architecture comprising:

a truck cab;

a truck hood; and

an engine compartment disposed beneath the truck cab and the truck hood, wherein said truck cab is tiltable in a rearward direction relative to said engine compartment and said hood is tiltable in a forward direction relative to said engine compartment, such that by tilting said cab rearward and said hood forward, access is provided to approximately an entire engine compartment.

16. The truck architecture as recited by claim 15 , wherein:

a rear portion of said engine compartment is accessible when said cab is tilted in the rearward direction only slightly.

17. The truck architecture as recited by claim 15 , wherein:

at least twenty five percent but not more than seventy five percent of said engine compartment is disposed beneath said truck cab.