Building a Dodge LS1000! AMT C600 v Louisville Hauler kit as base?

[mopargreg]

Hi guys, Firstly I know nothing about trucks but Im wanting to build a Hauler that Richard Petty used in 1970 to haul his super birds. Ive picked up a Dodge LS1000 cab from AITM resin for the cab. Im wondering which kit I would be best off using for the rest of the truck, chassis, box etc. Am I best off using the AMT C-600 city delivery kit or the AMT Ford Louisville short hauler kit? Upon researching the forum, people have stated the box is the same on both kits & the chassis are different lengths? Is that correct? Here is some photos below of what Im wanting to build. Any help as to which kit will be closest to the wheelbase for the Dodge cab? Thanks in advance.

 

[mopargreg]

Heres the AITM resin cab

[Fat Brian]

The Louisville kit will have the right wheels. Do you know what engine the hauler had? The Louisville has a Caterpillar diesel engine that was used in lots of brands of trucks while the C600 has a Ford gasoline engine.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

The only info that I could find on the truck was a picture on Pinterest. It was titled as a LV1000. If that is correct, it would have a "V" configuration engine. The 3208 although a v configuration, didn't come out until 75 I think. You would have to modify the AMT Cat slightly to make it a 3208 instead of just a straight Ford engine, but it would still be too new. I would lean toward a Detroit 8v-71, but I'm just guessing. I have several reference pictures where I built an LNT1000 a while back if you need any.

[Jim B]

This might help a little: http://www.olddodges.com/lseries.htm

[Fat Brian]

Based on the link Jim posted you've got two easy engine options, the 8v-71 Brian mentioned or a Cummins NHC-250. The 8v-71 was most recently available in the California Hauler kit and the Cummins is in the Freightliner cabover kits. I'm sure you could trade for either one pretty easily. 

[KJ790]

Richard Petty had 2 of those trucks, I actually saw one at an ATHS show last year. I talked to the current owner and he told me that he bought it not knowing that it was a former Petty truck (it had been repainted white). Once he noticed that there was Petty blue paint behind the upholstery on the interior and that there was Petty blue showing where the white paint was flaking off, he started digging and found out who originally bought it. The trucks had 6-71 inline-6 Detroits  in them. I may have taken some pictures, I will have to look.

Edited November 20, 2019 by KJ790

[KJ790]

Here is the truck today:

 

Here is a picture that I took of the 6-71 engine.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

2 hours ago, KJ790 said:

Here is the truck today

Here is a picture that I took of the 6-71 engine.

 

Thanks for the pictures! Nothing like seeing the real thing. I wish that I would have had those 6-71 pictures when I built mine.

That would make it an LN1000 instead of an LV1000. GW Trucks makes a very nice 6-71 and moluminum makes a very nice one as well.

[Fat Brian]

Nothing beats actual firsthand info, thanks KJ. It's odd though the 6-71 wasn't even listed as an available engine option.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

13 minutes ago, Fat Brian said:

Nothing beats actual firsthand info, thanks KJ. It's odd though the 6-71 wasn't even listed as an available engine option.

It was listed as an option. Before I built mine I did a lot of research. Of course I have forgotten more than I knew.?

Here's the brochure;

[DRIPTROIT 71]

To better answer your original question, I'm not sure how technical that you want to be but I believe that you could easily modify the box from the recent Coke short hauler Ford LNT.  Like mentioned before, that will give you your wheels. Wheelbase and frame length are easily adjustable. Tanks can be made from pvc pipe. You will need to convert the box to swinging doors from one of the trailer kits if you are wanting it to be exactly like the 1:1. I think if you lower the box and put the wheel cut out in it that you would have a pretty close representation of the real thing. Back to the engine, if you want the Detroit, GW Trucks or moluminum is the way to go. Other missing parts you could probably find here on the forum.

[gotnitro?]

Nice info !!!

[mopargreg]

Thanks for the replies guys. All great info. I havn't decided how detailed I want this to be yet. I definitely want swinging doors at the back & the rear wheels cutout on the box as a bare minimum. I may do it curbside yet with no motor, depends how easily I can source a motor. Thanks for your help. I will post some progress when I start this project.

[Bucky]

Would the Lindberg tilt cab Dodge kit not lend anything to this project? (Curiosity made me ask that question.)

[Jim B]

 

4 hours ago, Bucky said:

Would the Lindberg tilt cab Dodge kit not lend anything to this project? (Curiosity made me ask that question.)

I wouldn't think so.  The Dodge L700 is much smaller that the L1000, and has a gasoline engine.  I would think that the AMT Chevrolet Titan or GMC Astro would make good doaner kits.

[Bucky]

Okay, thanks. I wasn't sure how all that worked out for the bigger trucks.

[Truck parts]

Thank you for tips on building this truck, I am also interested in building it  ,  I will be following your build as you post them

[mistermodel]

I would consider a freightliner kit for the basic chassis. Get one of ones with single drive axle 

 

[TECHMAN]

???

You might want to get one of the kits that can be built as a Single-drive or Dual-drive..... Basically same price but lots of spare parts & you'll already have a set of longer frame rails (as well as the short ones) plus.....   the 6-cylinder Cummins can be "converted" to a 6-71 Detroit with some fabrication!!!!

DJ

[Warren D]

On 11/21/2019 at 6:21 AM, Bucky said:

Would the Lindberg tilt cab Dodge kit not lend anything to this project? (Curiosity made me ask that question.)

Probably not, there are much better choices.  The Lindberg Dodge frame is very short,  is kinda flimsy and from a build point of view, the parts don't fit well and the frame twists if you look at it wrong.  It also drops at the front.  The White 3000 cab is a good fit but that's about it.

[Pete68]

There’s a lot of parts you can use in the Those lindberg Dodge Cab Over kits. You can use the headlights and door handles and the mirrors are correct ones also Petty had the Lindberg Dodge kit type cab lights and air horns. AITM has the “Yankee” type cab lights and 2 single horns. Also you can use the back cab mount that the rear of the cab sits on. Yes I would pick one up. The AITM headlights are ok but I would use the kit ones instead. If it was me I would by the AMT Ford Louisville Coca-Cola city delivery truck like Brian said. AMT also just release not long ago a tandem pull behind trailer that would work well with this truck. If you need some decals I will try to find out who I bought mine from let me know. Hope this helps 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Pete68

[Vietnam Vet67]

On 11/20/2019 at 2:01 PM, DRIPTROIT 71 said:

Thanks for the pictures! Nothing like seeing the real thing. I wish that I would have had those 6-71 pictures when I built mine.

That would make it an LN1000 instead of an LV1000. GW Trucks makes a very nice 6-71 and moluminum makes a very nice one as well.

In Petty"s book "Richard Petty: The Cars of the King" it says it was a Dodge T-1000.

[Mopar - D]

On 11/21/2019 at 3:45 AM, mopargreg said:

Thanks for the replies guys. All great info. I havn't decided how detailed I want this to be yet. I definitely want swinging doors at the back & the rear wheels cutout on the box as a bare minimum. I may do it curbside yet with no motor, depends how easily I can source a motor. Thanks for your help. I will post some progress when I start this project.

Greg have you build this Petty race car hauler yet? I’m thinking about building one when I’m finished with my Dan Gurney race car hauler. 

[Mopar - D]

I’m starting my build of the Petty race car hauler truck is there information on what the wheel base is?