Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

I've been watching this video, and trying to make sense of that truck, but I can't.

All the time NA truckers have been telling us how wonderful their big sleepers are. Sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, swimming pool, it all fits in their sleeper. And now we see this, a cramped glorified crate with a bed in it. Standing upright, forget it. To get into that thing you have to squeeze yourself between the narrow gap between the two seats. But the truck has a wheelbase of 300 inch, of which at least 40 inch are totally useless, and just add weight. No plates on the chassis, so climbing up the chassis is quite unsafe. Lots of chrome though. Sorry, but you have to be a masochist to buy such a contraption.

 

truck is beautiful and this is where story would end for me, it is showtruck and nothing more, it is not practical at all.

but i have feeling that us truck people are dreaming about this but fact is that most of all trucks on road are white fleet cheap aero trucks.
been yesterday in 359, it is so narrow i can open passenger window from drivers seat.

 

I agree, but it is for sale at some dealer. So apparently truckers are buying such a thing!

You could be right there. It reminds me of the small advertisements I saw in German car magazines, where they were selling a Lamborghini Countach etc. Often with not even 3000 kilometres on the counter. They look great but actually driving them in traffic was horrific.

I'm not surprised.

 

The 379 model was basically the same cab, i loved being able to reach over and roll the window down.

As for practicality, its perfect for a regional operation when you only spend a day or two out on the road. Then you would have the best of both worlds, an absolutely gorgeous truck, and a sleeper that is adequate for the limited amount of time you will use it.

Flat tops are all about looks. And are not meant for the guy that will spends two weeks away from home. For that guy pete made a stand up sleeper.

Also the small square hole was enlarged in the newer models. Somewhere around 1995 they made the opening almost the entire rear wall of the cab.

Got to remember the last year for the 359 model was 1986. Over 30 freaking years ago. So trying to compare it to a new generation truck (na or euro) is a foolish exercise.

 

i know for integral sleepers, i am not comparing 1984 359 to anything modern. i know it is almost same base as new one and it is too small for any standards.

 

Diamond plate decking is added after the fact here......

If that truck was a glider without emissions it would be perfect........

 

Diamond plate is cheap and crappy looking. Smooth stainless is the only way to go on a good looking truck.

 

Sorry but its not even close to the same as modern petes with a flat top. For one, they are available in much longer sizes today, two the opening is increased a lot(still not integrated so retains the classic pete look), three they have cone a long way in the layout on the indeed of the sleeper since the 80s so not only are they physically bigger, but they make better use of the space they have.

Oh and one more thing, the stand up sleepers are not integrated either. They simply have wider and taller openings. In addition to that the cab will have a raised roof giving more headroom when driving or standing up to go into the sleeper. The differences between the 359 you looked at and sat in to a 379 are huge.

 

What an interior should look like:

At least the French know what's cool.