Cabover

Sounds like a sweet ride for sure.

Dave

 

To the o p, if you have driven cabovers and you would like to have a cab over, why not?

You would either have to find one that someone did a lot of work to or that you're willing to do a lot of work to.

But if you know what you're doing and you know what to expect and you know what you're in for, there's nothing cooler than seeing old trucks on the road that you don't see anymore. And that is entirely possible.

I know a guy that has an early 80s Mack r model tractor. When he bought it it was in good enough shape that he could use it, but every weekend and every day that he was not working he would work on that truck.

And I can tell you that if you got into that truck and you looked at it and you sat in it and you started it and you drove it you would think that that truck is maybe 5 years old.

Except as nice as that truck is it has a Camelback suspension that wants to kill you. He really should change to air ride and he's got an A.1 truck.

And that's my advice to you. If you can have something older like that modernize it with air ride and make the cab air ride if it's not.

Then when you're delivering your loads and you stop for lunch or you back into the door whatever it is everyone will clamor to run over to your truck and say oh my God I never see trucks like that anymore. And you can smile and say, " I even have air ride!", lol.

 

I don't know if you should put airride on those things. Or even how they would behave with such a thing.

Now hold on there, that thought I had pertains to drive ability. You spent all your time winding out (The better ones did not...) and it would cause issues with airride. Maybe.

Anyway.

Carroll County Maryland at what is called the Farm Museum. (I'll have to check there by the major Hospital to see if it's still even open...) has what is called steam up days. You will have older trucks show up. Even the 20's era mack chain drives etc. It's been a life time since I last went so I don't know if the then current owners are still alive to continue. Or even if the children bothered to carry on the tradition (I hope they did...)

I too have a thought that maybe one day I'll buy a truck cheaper than a used car. (Which is a thought that is rusted and needs cleaning up... before I get hurt or something.) And somehow think I can get a tool box on it and run about town with it. Money is obviously the big challenge. Taxes alone on keeping three axles historically true would be expensive I fear. I don't even know what the insurance would be to maintain a tag on it. I suppose a historical tag would eliminate many problems however it's still a heavy truck with a impact on the roads and bridges.

 

Speaking of old chain drives and trees growing through trucks-- see below....

 

I appreciate the video very much.

It seems to be a cell camera. It's "Flat" for my taste. Makes that drive axle and tire look out of alignment on the chain drive.

I am not a very good video grapher with cell camera, would prefer either a go pro or another similar device made for that work in HD and beyond. When spring shows up and we get out of house I intend to video tape and upload some vehicles around this area. It would make for a good day.

 

Scottie uses a gopro.

 

They still run this Kenworth. I did not think it was being run in winter but have seen it a few times lately. It really is pristine as I was looking it over last summer at its private lair

 

Me thinks a little something must have rolled away with all the newer trucks today. Not to pick on them now but eyeballing this rig end to end shows she is ready for work tonight.

 

Reading this thread is so nice, and I love the pics being posted. The first cabover I rode in was an International, and I was just a kid. The guy took me around the yard it parks at and I loved it. I hope to buy and build an old Kenworth for myself eventually.

There's an old 80 something Freightliner cabover that's used to tote around trailers at the Atlas Moving place next to my job. I'm always staring at it. And, last week I saw an old white Peterbilt cabover pulling a grain hopper trailer followed by a mid 90s Kenworth T600 pulling the same type trailer. Talk about throwback. I wish I could've gotten a pic of the two.

 

One day at ADESA in LIttle Rock off Hwy 70/440 exactly jct (Auction facility) I was responsible as a crew boss to herd both CDL employees of Adesa and Temp CDL Drivers to run the big tractors to and from the barn specifically for truck sale days. I was a temp myself and working first under Butch and then later Willie, whom I considered to be one of the handful of Bosses that does NOT get profanity, disrespect or too much teasing from me believe it or not. IF all my bosses were like that one...

Anyway.

He handed me two petes. Both 379 long nose. something like 550 Cat 18 speed and a bunch of things every trucker dream about more so than a future wife I must say. These were very special tractors of about 200K on one (My favorite) and the other had 450K. The 200K was white metal flake paint with a touch of flat red and a bit of charcoal on the hood against glare. All done tastefully in the old 20's car fender type painting.

I fell totally and absolutely in love with the one that had 200K on it. It was flawless in every way with the exception of the CLASSIC CLAM SHELL CIGERETTE HOLDER ASHTRAY. that is like a old time freaking PAIL able to hold a day's work and put out the fires as well. (I hate to pin a purchase on a stupid ash tray, but those of you who were not or are not truckers don't understand how nice those were to have back then.)

The bidding took off.

Sold for 32000 Cash. Assuming a 20% fee.. that lucky owner is driving it today. Not too many years after he bought it. Ive kept my eyes open around the area for that thing. I aint seen it yet. OTR maybe?

Ive put hundreds of trucks and people into the barn driving where necessary particular trucks and trailers that do not need to be abused by a temp giggling or high. Not for the expected serious money.

That was one of three trucks I would have bid on and bought on sight, espeically after having a chance to run the back side and take her into high range etc. It was flawless. And that growl. Showing me the turbos were sleepy, boosts were not one pound more than what needed to move that bobtail and if I ever got into it... it would be a raging big cat for sure.