Color question

[dwc43]

What color is correct for a V8 Detroit diesel? I'm not sure of anyone else that made a V8 for a large truck other than Detroit.

[Jim B]

The answer is: it depends. If this engine is going into a pre-1986 Peterbilt or pre-1947 Kenworth it would be white. In any other truck, the Detroit Diesel 8V71/8V71T & 8V92N would be Detroit Diesel Alpine Green (available at NAPA). The 8V92T would be Silver.

As far as V8 for trucks, Cummins made the V903 & VT903 (dark gray), and Caterpiller made the 3408 (New Caterpillar Yellow). The 3408 is available in the Revell of Germany Kenworth W900 & Kenworth Australia. The Cummins V903 is available from Sourkraut (I have one, it's a nice casting):

http://sourkrautsmodeltrucks.com/?page_id=...;product_id=229

Mack also made a V8: the E-9. This would ONLY be available in Mack trucks, and would be gray.

I'm sure there are more V8, but these are the ones I know about.

Hope this helps.

[dwc43]

Thanks. That helps a bunch. I have a tow truck that has Pete on the grill, but it looks like a gm gas burner. I'm going to try to make it look as much like a diesel as possible. When I got it, the wrecker bed was missing, so I am going to build a scratch box to go on the back and make it into an emergency vehicle painted in fire engine red.

I need to find a truck axle to go under it though. The one in the kit looks more like a quick change than a truck axle.

Would be nice if it had a small pin on both ends so I can mount the tires just like in the kit. Needs to be 2 5/8" wide at the pins or 2 6/16th from backing plate to plate. Fits a 1/25 scale model midnight cowboy wrecker.

[Jim B]

No problem. Glad to help. Post a couple pics of your truck. Maybe the guys here could help figure out what it is.

I forgot to mention that Caterpillar also made the 3208 & 3208T. The 3208 be found in the AMT Ford LN8000 & LNT8000 kits. In the Ford it should be blue (for the year of the model 1973), any other truck it would ne New Caterpillar Yellow. I don't think they were put in the Peterbilt 359. Engine would be too small.

A cavet to my previous post: I know I said that the 8V92T would be silver, the V/VT903 would be gray, and the 3408 would be New Caterpillar Yellow; however, if these engines were going into a pre-1986 Peterbilt they would probably be white. Same with the 8V71 & 8V71T.

[cargostar]

IH had a V800 V8. Its in most of the Ertl IH truck kits. Also IIRC, IH had ALL engines in their trucks painted red until the mid 70"s, regardless of engine builder.

[mountaindewd]

I have a tow truck that has Pete on the grill, but it looks like a gm gas burner........midnight cowboy wrecker.

The midnight cowboy is a Chevy truck. It just has a custom front end to replicate a Pete. I believe there was a version called Sneaky Pete as well.

Les

[dwc43]

The midnight cowboy is a Chevy truck. It just has a custom front end to replicate a Pete. I believe there was a version called Sneaky Pete as well.

Les

That's what I thought. GM gas burner with a Pete nose on it. Would still like to fake a V8 diesel for it cause it has the big rig tires and air cleaners on each side of the cab. Was going to build ducts to both of them and to the throttle body on top of the V8. I used some of the tow truck stuff on another build since the bed was missing and will make a bed for this one. Want to make an emergency vehicle out of it.