Building A New to Me Pete

I have a pretty hot B model, CARB Would probably crap a squealy worm over. They can have it if they can catch it.


Nothing like like a stretched out large car pulling a cow wagon west bound hammer down. See y'all in Amarillo before daylight, pulling out of Batesville Ar now.

 

I would get the newest 379 that you can find with a mechanical in it, The 3ZJ C is a pretty nice engine, it won't make the raw power that a 7FB will, but it will be cheaper to feed. Make sure the cab sills are still solid, the cab frame/ structure is still the same on the 389s, but you don't want the wiring headaches of the newer trucks. nothing shifts nicer than a RTO 15, but a RTLO 18 gives you more gear range, unless you need the mid speed reverse of a 15. try to stay away from air leaf trucks, if you are going to ride that high go with the brute strength of air track, low airleaf rides nicer if you stay on rode.

If you get a deal on an early truck watch out for the severe service steel cabs, the aluminum sills tend to rot on these and they are a bugger to change.

Check the fuse box area for corrosion due to improperly sealed windshields. Check the cab door fit on 48 and 60 inch bunk unibilt trucks. (if you buy a unibilt truck it is worth looking into the mid mount cab ride add on kit

 

So when I see a fast, loud, covered with chrome brick shaped Titanic that has fuel economy of a jet pane in the left mirror I'll know that's you finally living it big and I'll say yeeha!!

Meanwhile I'll cruise at 58 in the right lane averaging 8 mpg and watching grass grow on the shoulder. Needless to say I won't have remotely as much fun as you blowing it through the stacks of that custom made monster of yours.

 

Different business models don't mean one is 'right' and one is 'wrong' there is only successful and unsuccessful.

 

Amen Twin Stick, to being able to work on your own truck! I always carried a military box of tools that came in handy many times. When I first started out in the mid 80's I had a 73 K100 with a 335 Cummins, truck started giving me troubles about 1:30am with the engine not wanting to idle and shifting gears was nearly impossible. I was green needless to say so I called Dad which I hated to do, Explained that the engine wouldn't idle less than about 1000 to 1200 rpm's, Dad calmly ask me, Got a Cummins in it right? I said yea, he said you got any tools? Yep, he said take the return fuel line off and switch ends with it. Ran that truck for about a week with no problems before replacing with a new line. Just glad I had those tools, and many on here I'm sure know exactly what the problem was, and why turning the hose around solved the problem at hand..... No computer needed. Looking forward to seeing your truck of choice Twin Stick.

 

Yeah, I know, it's your money and your business.
I'd actually like to drive some Pete with 18 speed transmission just to say I did it once.
Hopefully I won't even need earplugs

 

Honestly I'm just jerking your chain, go for it man, not that you need my permission or approval

 

You know it's funny you say that. You probably won't need them cause Pete and KW's are built a little better than your run of the mill cookie cutter plastic truck, rattling, shaking and noisy as fleet trucks are in the cab. My cousin had an '85 Liberty Edition W900 that was loud as hell. It had a big cam Cummins and 6" straight pipes 13'5" tall extended turnouts. I love the way a big cam cCummins sounds with straights has a real deep tone kinda unique I think. You could hear it at slow idle from a mile away on a clear night. Jakes were loud as hell. Just sounded great. And amazingly enough with the windows rolled up it was nice and quiet in the cab. You could have a normal conversation without yelling.

 

Laugh when your EPA wonder truck is backwards on a landoll behind a mechanical truck, cause the EPA wonder crap failed yet again.