Mario Monette’s CAT-Powered 2,500-Horsepower Peterbuilt 379

Obviously, anything diesel-powered we all will eat, sleep, and drink it. Whether it be big or small, fast or slow, it doesn’t matter. We came across something on Instagram that we couldn’t pass up. Hailing from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Mario Monette has a Caterpillar-powered Peterbilt 379 and this is one mean machine. If there was ever a truck that screams “Maximum Overdrive”, this is it.

“The whole truck has been built using all recycled Caterpillar parts,” said Monette. Other than the turbo, this Pete is strictly a Caterpillar that is C15-based. “The turbo we used is a brand new Holset HX82 that a friend of mine built.” That being said, Monette is onto a completely new setup, one where he employed a secondary turbocharger above it to allow room for even more horsepower.

If police officers were forced to have semi trucks as patrol cars, this would be the perfect fit. This all-black rig looks like it means business.

“The cylinder head, fuel injectors, and the camshaft are all my own creation,” said Monette. “I’m proud of that fact, because this way nobody can say that they had a part in it.” With the help of his 15-year old son and a few close friends, Monette has built this thing nearly from scratch and made it what it is today.

If you’re reading this, we know that almost all of you have seen those videos online of the semi trucks side by side drag racing with a load behind them pulling the front tires. Turns out, it’s coming to the states. Monette has courageously entered into one of the country’s most prestigious big rig shows known to man: the Great Lakes Big Rig Challenge at Onaway Speedway in Onaway, Michigan. With the help of his sponsors MHPD Inc. (Mario High-Performance Diesel), Diesel Freak, and MD Truck Repair, Monette looks to wow the crowd in the Quebec-stylem side-by-side Semi Truck Pulls.

We see trucks similar to this one every day cruising up and down the highways, but we never stop to think what they are capable of. For something that has been created using salvaged parts, this engine looks amazing.

For more information and to follow this wild build, check out Monette’s Instagram. Let us know in the comments below what you think about this style of diesel performance.

About the author

Artie Maupin

Artie Maupin is from Southeast Missouri and has an extreme passion for anything diesel. He loves drag racing of all kinds, as well as sled pulling competitions.
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