The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post

**Bob B.** · 01-17-2017, 12:03 AM

Not sure of the date of this article, I think it was around 1985:

http://magazines.marinelink.com/Maga...broader-201841

Deere was involved with the design of Detroit Diesel 60 series engines, and the plan was that Detroit would market mid-range Deere diesels for highway applications. The GMT-530 medium duty truck program (1990-2002 TopKick Kodiak) was intended to use Deere diesels, but when the Detroit/Deere joint venture fell through and GM sold Detroit to Penske, the 530 truck was designed to use the then-new Caterpillar 3116. It's an interesting 'what-might-have-been' scenario.

A very limited number of 1986/87 GMC C-6500's were built with the 5.9L Deere diesel in anticipation of the upcoming 1990 medium trucks. I was told they were made available to GMC commercial truck dealers as sort of an on-the-job test program. I have seen one!

01-17-2017, 12:03 AM	#1457
Bob B. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,312	Re: GM Semis Not sure of the date of this article, I think it was around 1985: http://magazines.marinelink.com/Maga...broader-201841 Deere was involved with the design of Detroit Diesel 60 series engines, and the plan was that Detroit would market mid-range Deere diesels for highway applications. The GMT-530 medium duty truck program (1990-2002 TopKick Kodiak) was intended to use Deere diesels, but when the Detroit/Deere joint venture fell through and GM sold Detroit to Penske, the 530 truck was designed to use the then-new Caterpillar 3116. It's an interesting 'what-might-have-been' scenario. A very limited number of 1986/87 GMC C-6500's were built with the 5.9L Deere diesel in anticipation of the upcoming 1990 medium trucks. I was told they were made available to GMC commercial truck dealers as sort of an on-the-job test program. I have seen one! __________________ 1967 GMC CM-2500 Camper Cruiser, 351E V-6, NP 435 4 speed, Dana 60, and factory A/C. 2012 GMC K-3500 WT regular cab, 6.0L Vortec, 6L90. Last edited by Bob B.; 01-17-2017 at 01:02 AM.