One of the wreckers I drove while working at a heavy-haul towing service was a GMC Astro with a 430 HP Detroit Diesel 8V-92 engine and a 13 speed Fuller Roadranger transmission. I've hooked up to fully-loaded 18 wheelers (80,000 lbs.) and rolled away without a problem. The Astro or the Bison could be ordered with just about any type of engine, Cat, Cummins, Detroit, etc., and virtually any transmission/rear axle combination. Under the skin, heavy-duty trucks are pretty much clones. Some of the older conventionals even used the same cab assemblies, and just changed a little trim to make them look different! The 1961 Diamond Reo I drove prior to the Astro shared a lot of cab parts with Kenworth and Peterbilt!
Jerry
