Brand New Cabover

when i started driving back in the 80s that's what was driving cabovers . you thought the truck was going to turn over. the old ford cabovers had air bags on all 4 corners of the cab. when they got out of it it looked the truck breathed a si of relief

 

or a tv in the sleeper

 

You and I were typing at the same time. I type slow.
We ran Freightliner CO truck and trailers with twenty-four foot lumber rails. We gradually sold them all off and kept one for a short logger with a set of Hassle bunks and a home made trailer.
Those old flat noses made a pile of money for us and hardly ever let us down.
I know for a fact about the flying Stanley thermos. I left mine laying on the sleeper mattress and forgot it was there. The mechanic jacked up the cab, heard the crash, and just automatically called the glass company for a new windshield.

 

I remember when we had to do some serious engine work we would Jack the cab up until it went over center so it would actually lay over 180 degrees.
The scary part was once it went over center you had to Jack like crazy to build pressure back up to slow it down from tipping too fast.
The next fun part was when you let the cab back down making sure the shifter and clutch rod were in the proper spot.

 

Yep, many times…….

 

Had to do some surgery to get the pump on the future truck to work. Check ball was stuck

I remember Pop having a driver that always used a fairly long 1 1/2” pipe for a cheater. It was to long for the side box so he shoved it down in the front of the mattress. Said it made for a good head knocker when sleeping too.

Shop jacked the cab up to do a service, heard a big commotion in the front of the truck…., there was that cheater pipe and 1 side of the windshield laying on the shop floor lol…..

 

We used to put a come-a-long hooked to the back of the cab and down to a cross member if we had to go over center. Probably wasn't necessary but it was scary as hell when it took off. I remember having to line up the clutch fork on Freightliners. Seems like the shifters on some models stayed put when lifting the cab, and others with the really short stick would go with the cab. It's been a long time, my memory is failing me now, lol

 

I would have bought that truck over the the 389 I bought last year.

 

That's going to be sweet Jim. Is that the one with the B model?

 

I’m pretty sure the aerodynamics increase with the square of the speed ?

like the stopping distance ?
And the football helmet Pete was and still is the most aero truck every mass produced.

i thought it would be cool to make an extendable front on the Pete , so at highway speed you could flip a switch and extend it out at an angle for even better aero ,
With some sliding overlapping side skirts it would really help , and could be retracted for parking lots