Patrick K. Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Hello, Truck Modelers! I'm going to give this a try; but I was wondering if this was actually viable. I understand the visual differences between the C-900 & the c-9000. But that is as far as my knowledge base of real trucks go. For instance: What is the actual difference in hauling capability between the Trucks with only one rear tire set up in the back as opposed to two? I'm going to need alot of assistance on this one. TIA
mackinac359 Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Way back when.. single drive trailers and truck-tractors were the norm. Hello, Truck Modelers! I'm going to give this a try; but I was wondering if this was actually viable. I understand the visual differences between the C-900 & the c-9000. But that is as far as my knowledge base of real trucks go. For instance: What is the actual difference in hauling capability between the Trucks with only one rear tire set up in the back as opposed to two? I'm going to need alot of assistance on this one. TIA
Jim B Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Interesting question. Also, would the C900 with the gasoline engine be able to the auto transporter? Does anyone know when truck manufacturers made the "switch" to only offering diesels for Class 8 trucks?
Aaronw Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 (edited) As far as I understand the only difference between single axle and tandem axle is the weight allowed on the 5th wheel. My brother drives a single axle Peterbilt mostly hauling gravel, he can pull 2 short trailers (28 foot?) but can not pull the long (45 foot?) gravel trailers. As far as diesels, they have been an option since the 50-60s, but I don't think they really became the preferred choice until the late 70s. I don't know when gas motors were dropped as an option, but I would guess they were still around until the early 80s. The engine in the C900 kit (acually all the C cab kits) is supposedly the 534 ci engine, so it would have plenty of power to pull the car trailer. Edited September 10, 2009 by Aaronw
Murphy's Law Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 This pic should give you an idea of how we look at weights. These are the max weights allowed (in most states) without additional permits. The single drive unit you are describing would be allowed 17,000 on the drive axle. This is the weight of the trailer and of any cargo. If you really want to get detailed, you could research the curb weight of the vehicles being carried and work some guesstimations on the weight of the trailer.
mistermodel Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 The single axle would look much better with that trailerIMHO. I'm not 100%sure,but a 900 is a gas job,and a 9000 is diesel A tandem would be a CT900,orCT9000. they were c700,and c800 also depending on the gvw rating. A good diesel swap would be the cat from an amt loiseville. Tose C cabs were made from '57 to the mid '90's. KEVIN
Art Anderson Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 The single axle would look much better with that trailerIMHO. I'm not 100%sure,but a 900 is a gas job,and a 9000 is diesel A tandem would be a CT900,orCT9000. they were c700,and c800 also depending on the gvw rating. A good diesel swap would be the cat from an amt loiseville. Tose C cabs were made from '57 to the mid '90's. KEVIN AMT's car hauler is a design that began about 1940, 5 cars, and continued as the major haulaway design well into the 1960's, with a capacity of 25000 lbs cargo (5000lbs per car back then was pretty close to what say, a Lincoln or Cadillac weighed. Those trailers were themselves, fairly lightweight, not having any hydraulic lift systems in them. As for tractors, bear in mind that Ford Motor Company would specify that contract haulers carrying FOMOCO cars use Ford tractors, GM either Chevrolet or GMC, and Chrysler, of course, specified Dodges. Believe it or not, most of those tractors used basically the same engines as in passenger cars, save for GMC, which had engines based on 30's Buicks, later Pontiac V8's in the late 50's. Dodge trucks still used the same basic Chrysler flathead 6 through the 50's. Diesels didn't get much call until around 1960 or so, and then it took several years for trucking companies to make a complete switch. Art
Jim B Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 So, at 25000lbs could the C900 pull the trailer. Or better yet, stop it? If the reailer was used into the 1960s, would one of the bigger H-Series tractors be better? Since you mentioned Dodge & GM, would the L700 be an alternative, or would the L1000 or CNT900 be better? How about GM? The only GM tractor I know of from that time period id the Crackerbox, but I'm sure there are others.
ZIL 111V Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 AMT did box the same "Combo" : Ford C600 & it's "anonymus" single axle 5 cars Auto Transporter in the "Thrills of tournaments" as a set back in the early 70's. As mention, Single axle gasoline powered tractors with single one axle 5 cars trailers where very common from the 20's to the very early 70's: The AMT Ford C with amt's single axle would be period correct for a late 50's to early 70's: 4 to 5 car loads. ......Don't hitch to Revell AG early 80's auto transporter.....or Mistuwa 80's auto Transpo trailer
Aaronw Posted September 13, 2009 Posted September 13, 2009 So, at 25000lbs could the C900 pull the trailer. Or better yet, stop it? If the reailer was used into the 1960s, would one of the bigger H-Series tractors be better? Since you mentioned Dodge & GM, would the L700 be an alternative, or would the L1000 or CNT900 be better? How about GM? The only GM tractor I know of from that time period id the Crackerbox, but I'm sure there are others. Chevrolet / GMC had the L cab, a cabover design similar in appearance to the Ford C that came out 1960 and lasted until about 1980. They also had the short nose B cab (almost identical looking to the Ford N) in the 60s. Unfortunately no kits or even resin of either.
Aaronw Posted November 11, 2009 Posted November 11, 2009 Interesting question. Also, would the C900 with the gasoline engine be able to the auto transporter? Does anyone know when truck manufacturers made the "switch" to only offering diesels for Class 8 trucks? I've been reading through a book on Ford trucks I bought. According to it, Ford dropped the 401SD in 1977, the 477SD and 534SD were dropped in 1981. Since these were the standard / optional engines in the C900, from 1982 to 1990 all C900s would be diesels (so actually C9000s).
Modelmartin Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 I have a friend who owns a 1961 GMC Firetruck that has a gasoline V-12 in it which is 2 of the GMC V-6 engines siamesed together. It is a really cool engine. The only unique parts are the block, crank and cam. It has 4 heads, 2 intake manifolds, 2 distributors, etc. He found out that the resaon they developed this engine originally was that the car haulers needed more power and the dealers didn't like cleaning deisel soot off of the new cars that got delivered. He doesn't think that there were many made - only a few thousand. It would sure make a unique model subject - a V-12 car hauler!
Aaronw Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 That is an interesting motor GMC Twin 6 running There is a guy with a GMC site that has a decent section on the GMC twin 6 http://www.6066gmcguy.org/TwinSix.htm
SpreadAxle Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 Interesting question. Also, would the C900 with the gasoline engine be able to the auto transporter? Does anyone know when truck manufacturers made the "switch" to only offering diesels for Class 8 trucks? In the mid to late 70s from what I could find. Gasoline engines for trucks were available up to the mid 70s, but there was a shortage of available gas engines at the time. Not sure why, but I have read that was a contributing factor. Plus, diesel had pretty much proven itself by this point as an efficient engine for a large truck.
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