Pic-Thought About Using This To Pull My GN Trailer

When I bought this 1966 CO-4000 IH a few years ago diesel was under $1.50 per gallon.Now that its $3.09 a gallon it probably wouldnt be very practical to use this on a 25 ft GN trailer.It sure needs to be painted another color.

Its got a 318 Detroit and a 10 speed.I expect that 4-6 mpg would be about it empty or loaded at 65 mpg.Its in pretty good shape and only needs 10 tires and a few air lines-etc.The brakes and the splitter are new.By the way did I tell you that I'm a huge 2 cycle Detroit fan and never get tired of listening to them.I drove it 100 miles home from Kansas running straight out because the pipes to the mufflers are shot.

The pluses would be plenty of power,lots of stopping abilty,and no worries about tongue weight.

The negatives would be poor fuel mileage ,expensive liscense and insurance,expensive upkeep,need a CDL,etc.

Every now and then I see a road tractor being used to pull a GN trailer.Usually they are hauling antique tractors or pulling tractors.I wanted a long nose 9500 GMC but couldnt find one in my area that was decent.

I remember changing Speedometer cables in a few B models and man that was a PIA after someone used spray foam insulation behind the pedals.

I thought that you might like to see this one.The top picture is a nice 1976 Transtar 4070 day cab that was for sale at Springfield,MO back in Aug 2005.It had a 290 Cummins with some work done on it and $2000 cash would have bought it the day I was there.I darn near bought it.

The bottom picture is original sales lit for my 1966 CO-4000 IH.They were only built in 1965-67.I picked this up at the local IH dealer when I was a teenager.I have a better one that I didnt write on.Back then I didnt know that I'd be collecting this stuff some day.

It is too bad you didn't buy it.

It is too bad you didn't buy it.

Back in the 1960's-70's there were literally millions of 238-318 Detroit 2 cycles running up and down our nations highways.I'll bet they may have had Cummins out numbered at one time.

The old Detroits got the job done.They would just about run until they were totally junk and you never saw one with a rod hanging out.Lots of people hate them but to me they are the sweetest sounding engine ever built.The old Detroit mechanic in town still works on a few 2 cycles at age 75.

Our farm was 3 miles east of a major hiway that had a railroad overpass.I can still remember many times listening to those 318 Detroits pulling it.I said that I'd own one some day and now I do.

The picture above is a long nose 9500 GMC that sits about 20 miles from me.It has a 318 Detroit taken up to 350 horses but hasnt been used in 20 years.Notice the old KW beside it plus the Crackerbox GMC in the background.

For years the old 9500 made 2 round trips every day from ElDorado Springs,MO to KC,MO and back hauling sand and gravel.He ran dual straight pipes.My brother worked at the AC dealer 5 miles north of Nevada,MO.He just loved to hear it pull the grade out of the Marmaton River bottom a mile north of the dealer.You could hear it coming for miles and it always had to drop a gear or 2 pulling out of the bottoms.

I'd love to have the old 9500 but it isnt worth $2500.It would be a money pit.