Wesd Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 I was needing some advice on a truck that I was thinking about purchasing but was wanting to see if it would be a good idea or not. My buddy has I’m guessing 73 or 74 ih 4070a single axle with a toter bed. The truck has a v903 Cummins with a 13 speed road ranger transmission I would take off the toter bed and just add a fifth wheel. But my question would be mainly about the v903 Cummins if there a decent engine for a hobby truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 8, 2022 Author Share Posted September 8, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike newman Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 .....a lot of 903 Cummins , down under ,back in the days...very good engines Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Peterbilt Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 In North America they seemed to go one way of the other. Ran a long time and were dependable. Just not a lot of power. The other way was they stayed in the shop all the time and owners got rid of them ASAP. That one must have been OK? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 10, 2022 Author Share Posted September 10, 2022 13 hours ago, 1066 Peterbilt said: In North America they seemed to go one way of the other. Ran a long time and were dependable. Just not a lot of power. The other way was they stayed in the shop all the time and owners got rid of them ASAP. That one must have been OK? Well would it be worth selling my truck which is a 1977 4070b single axle with a ntc 250 big cam 1 Cummins with a 7 speed spicer to get that truck and would it be bad to get parts for the v903 Cummins which I’ve heard that parts are hard to come by and expensive if you do find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R190 Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Just what are you trying to gain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 10, 2022 Author Share Posted September 10, 2022 52 minutes ago, R190 said: Just what are you trying to gain? Well I liked where it had the 13spd transmission and I like where it’s the daycab I’ve not seen too many of them where I live at. The engine I’ve not dealt with them at all but if it would just be good for a hobby truck I’m sure willing to learn all I can about them and do what I need to do to keep it in running condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt_Floor_Poor Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 That sounds like a lot of work for not much gain to me. I admit that I tend to think of the worst that can happen, but I can see a lot of problems with getting rid of your current rig and buying an unknown. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 13, 2022 Author Share Posted September 13, 2022 On 9/10/2022 at 7:56 PM, Dirt_Floor_Poor said: That sounds like a lot of work for not much gain to me. I admit that I tend to think of the worst that can happen, but I can see a lot of problems with getting rid of your current rig and buying an unknown. Well I’ve been doing some thinking about what you commented and maybe I would be better off just to keep my truck and eventually switch out the transmission I believe that was the actual reason I was thinking about the 4070a mainly. I believe I think about stuff to much lol thank you very much for the comment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acem Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 I would rather have the NTC cummins but the 7 speed is a turn off. How bout using the best parts from both!Thx-Ace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 8 hours ago, acem said: I would rather have the NTC cummins but the 7 speed is a turn off. How bout using the best parts from both!Thx-Ace Well here’s another option I know where a 78 4070b is that’s probably sat for 20yrs or more it’s a single axle with a 290 cummins and a 9 speed transmission would it be better to just get that for a parts truck and then I could use the transmission and whatever else I would need for my truck but I guess I was nervous if I got it and couldn’t get the transmission to work on mine I guess and where that it’s sat for so long but it might just be me lol. Thanks very much for your comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acem Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 These trucks should be reasonably priced due to their age. The 855 cummins are great engines. Both the NTC and big cam. As far as the trucks go, condition is very important. Some of these trucks have millions of miles on them. Thx-Ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 1 hour ago, acem said: These trucks should be reasonably priced due to their age. The 855 cummins are great engines. Both the NTC and big cam. As far as the trucks go, condition is very important. Some of these trucks have millions of miles on them. Thx-Ace Maybe I should just keep what I’ve got and not worry about changing the transmission or getting a different truck because I pretty much I know what I’ve got with the truck I have now. I don’t like getting in those situations where your opening up a can of worms all the time lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Peterbilt Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 On 9/10/2022 at 1:03 PM, R190 said: Just what are you trying to gain? I do not know how to put in old posts but look in this forum. cummins 903 By jim w Jan 6 2013 general chat Other folks kind of say it all. Around here they were referred to as 90 nothings. When stingers were put in the fuel pumps of engines to make them some thing they are not does that make them a bad engine when they blow up? I find no pictures of them with all the parts covering half a shop bay but found a triple nickel before the heads came off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 22, 2022 Author Share Posted September 22, 2022 This weekend I was going to go look over the 4070a to see if it’s something I want to pursue. I talked to my friend that has the truck yesterday and he said it ran good he picked up a mobile home with it last year and said you couldn’t even tell you was pulling anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Peterbilt Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 What model truck do you currently have? I have put a 9 speed Fuller in place of a 7 speed Spicer. They both had 14 inch clutches and bolt up was no problem. That was in a cab over Freightliner and it required gear shift linkage that matched the transmission. The arm on the left side of the bell housing could also be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 23, 2022 Author Share Posted September 23, 2022 11 hours ago, 1066 Peterbilt said: What model truck do you currently have? I have put a 9 speed Fuller in place of a 7 speed Spicer. They both had 14 inch clutches and bolt up was no problem. That was in a cab over Freightliner and it required gear shift linkage that matched the transmission. The arm on the left side of the bell housing could also be an issue. My truck is a 77 4070b with the ntc 250 big cam 1 cummins that’s had a bigger fuel button installed in the fuel pump which turned it up to 290hp it’s got the 1062-c 7 speed spicer transmission. When I got the truck I was wanting to at some point change out the transmission but then I started looking up about it and seen what some guys had trouble with then I decided maybe I should just find a truck with the transmission I already want and just go that route. Some had trouble with getting the bell housing to fit and getting a different driveshaft and all the shift linkages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Peterbilt Posted September 25, 2022 Share Posted September 25, 2022 A bit confusing to me the way this post goes but you are asking for advise. If I had a B model I would buy another B Model for parts. It has been a long time but there are differences between the A and B models as in the dash heater controls. Buy the other B. If you go the 13 speed the shift linkage from the 9 will still work. Driveshafts could be different but many other things to worry about. Window regulators and such. I have an 89 9370 IHC. When I was ordering parts for something else I asked if the plastic cover under the steering column was still available. Yes but we would have to order it. Told them to put it on a stock order and send it to me. They did and it was over $100. Much value in a parts truck these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted September 25, 2022 Author Share Posted September 25, 2022 24 minutes ago, 1066 Peterbilt said: A bit confusing to me the way this post goes but you are asking for advise. If I had a B model I would buy another B Model for parts. It has been a long time but there are differences between the A and B models as in the dash heater controls. Buy the other B. If you go the 13 speed the shift linkage from the 9 will still work. Driveshafts could be different but many other things to worry about. Window regulators and such. I have an 89 9370 IHC. When I was ordering parts for something else I asked if the plastic cover under the steering column was still available. Yes but we would have to order it. Told them to put it on a stock order and send it to me. They did and it was over $100. Much value in a parts truck these days. Well I guess as far as the advice goes I was wanting to know if it would be better to just get the 4070a and sell mine instead of having to go through getting a parts truck and switching out the transmission. The 4070a is pretty complete and it’s already got the transmission. The 4070b parts truck I would have to get it and plus pay to get it towed 2 1/2 hrs to my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesd Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share Posted October 3, 2022 Well I’ve done some thinking about everything and I would like to say thanks for all the comments and information. I believe I’m just going to keep the truck that I already have and maybe in the future see about switching out the transmission to a 9 or 10 speed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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