Trying to decide on an engine for my AMT Pete 352

[ABC Auto Industry]

Among the myriad of kits I've yet to build, I have a reissue of the AMT Peterbilt 352 Pacemaker laying around. Due to some engine swaps I have planned for other kits, I'm planning to use a different engine from the one included in the kit. Thing is, I'm trying to decide between a Cummins NTC 350 or an 8V92 Detroit. Which one do you folks think I should go with? Just to clear things up, this rig is being built as a 1975 model that's not intended to represent any real-life rigs.

[ABC Auto Industry]

Actually, after giving it some thought, I've decided to go with the 8V92. Hopefully, I'll have no issues fitting it under the cab.

[Force]

17 hours ago, ABC Auto Industry said:

Actually, after giving it some thought, I've decided to go with the 8V92. Hopefully, I'll have no issues fitting it under the cab.

It shouldn't be a problem, the 8V-92's available isn't much larger than the kits 8V-71, maybe the turbo on the engines from the AMT Kenworth K100 Aerodyne kits can be a bit high...but it should work one way or another.
I have loose plans to put in a 12V-71T in one of my 352's, I have a double bunk cab wich just screems for it.

Edited October 3, 2024 by Force

[ABC Auto Industry]

1 hour ago, Force said:

It shouldn't be a problem, the 8V-92's available isn't much larger than the kits 8V-71, maybe the turbo on the engines from the AMT Kenworth K100 Aerodyne kits can be a bit high...but it should work one way or another.
I have loose plans to put in a 12V-71T in one of my 352's, I have a double bunk cab wich just screems for it.

Interesting that you should mention the 12V71T, because I bought one from Auslowe a while back and have plans to cram it into this GMC General I'm building, though I have a feeling I'll have to seriously mod the firewall to get it to fit.

[Biggu]

2 hours ago, Force said:

It shouldn't be a problem, the 8V-92's available isn't much larger than the kits 8V-71, maybe the turbo on the engines from the AMT Kenworth K100 Aerodyne kits can be a bit high...but it should work one way or another.
I have loose plans to put in a 12V-71T in one of my 352's, I have a double bunk cab wich just screems for it.

Excellent points about the 8v92 vs 8v71 Peterbilt says that the available engines were the 8v71 and a 350 Cummins …… I certainly would think a 8v92 should slide right in as I’m sure it wouldn’t be any wider than the 8v71 and not as tall as a 350 even with the turbos? As long as the dog house doesn’t narrow too much I bet it would be a great fit. That is just a random thought and I would be most interested to see if I am right or wrong….. interesting question with this thread…

Jeff

[ABC Auto Industry]

3 hours ago, Biggu said:

Excellent points about the 8v92 vs 8v71 Peterbilt says that the available engines were the 8v71 and a 350 Cummins …… I certainly would think a 8v92 should slide right in as I’m sure it wouldn’t be any wider than the 8v71 and not as tall as a 350 even with the turbos? As long as the dog house doesn’t narrow too much I bet it would be a great fit. That is just a random thought and I would be most interested to see if I am right or wrong….. interesting question with this thread…

Jeff

Really? Where'd you get this from? I mean, the 8V92 was introduced in 1974, so I think it'd be plausible for a 1975 352 to have one, but maybe I need to go through some Pete brochures again...

[ABC Auto Industry]

UPDATE: So, according to Tim Ahlborn in this thread, the 352 was indeed available with an 8V92 in 1975, either the 8V92N or the 8V92T:

 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

The great thing about building semi trucks is that you can put whatever engine that you want in it. Remember the truck that you’re building could have been a glider kit and any engine could be used. There could also have been an engine change. There should be no real size difference between the 71 and the 92 series, the only difference is if you add the turbo. I put a turbo in my K123 to represent an   8v-71t, and I didn’t have any issues with the fit. I would think that the Peterbilt would be the same. Regardless, modifications can be pretty easily made. I squeezed a 3406 Cat into an LNT 9000 Ford.

[ABC Auto Industry]

1 hour ago, DRIPTROIT 71 said:

The great thing about building semi trucks is that you can put whatever engine that you want in it. Remember the truck that you’re building could have been a glider kit and any engine could be used. There could also have been an engine change. There should be no real size difference between the 71 and the 92 series, the only difference is if you add the turbo. I put a turbo in my K123 to represent an   8v-71t, and I didn’t have any issues with the fit. I would think that the Peterbilt would be the same. Regardless, modifications can be pretty easily made. I squeezed a 3406 Cat into an LNT 9000 Ford.

Not to mention Peterbilt was very flexible when customizing rigs. I'm sure Kenworth would've been pretty much the same way, given they're both owned by PACCAR.