Older cabovers OTR?

Wings2Wheels those are some great looking trucks.

 

Thanks Puncher. I find them to be more fun than a conventional, and boy do they ever garner comments. I don't do a lot of OTR, though....mostly out and back in a day or two. If I was living in the truck, I'd have a conventional with a minimum of a 70" bunk.

The gentleman I bought the green flattop found that it just didn't meet his requirements for comfort and his situation, so I bought it from him before he could sell it to someone else!

With either of those rigs, sometimes it's hard to get away from the fuel island...lots of guys and gals taking pictures, asking questions, and I'm happy to oblige, but it cuts into the schedule when I gots to GO!

 

They look great Wings. It is amazing what a conversation piece a coe has become & all the comments that they garner.I never would have believed how many people would comment on mine, seems like on a daily basis. Funny how 10 yrs ago eveyone hated em, now it seems they are back in style.

 

The only thing I miss about them is the turning radious. When backing, it was far easier due to the shorter wheel base.

The thing I hated most was trying to drink a hot cup of coffee. I was in Penn on I-80 heading to Allentown and back in 1991 that freeway was full of pot holes. Needless to say, in my International I wore a full cup many times.

 

Great looking rigs, W2W !

 

In 04 I sold my 2000 379 and bought a 94 K100 Areodyne DDEC2 for $6500. I loved the truck but that DDEC2 was a POS. Set at 450hp it ran like a dog and got about 6mpg hauling boats(light going out, mt back). I then bought a 93 Frtlnr COE with a 460 N14 that had more power and lots better mpg. I had it for 3 yrs and made a ton of money with it. I would look for an old walmart IH 9800 with the 12.7 DDEC3 or 4. You will need a small amount of mechanical ability. Get yourself a test light and learn to use it. Wiring problems are common older trucks but easy to fix. learn to do your own belts, alternators, air bags, air lines etc. The bigger stuff you can take to the shop but go to an independant shop. They are half the labor rate as a dealer and they will know how to work on them. I have a buddy that worked for Joplin Frtlnr and he was amazed that none of the guys knew anything about anything over 5yrs old. He called them "techs not mechanics".

 

The flattop is really cool.

 

I agree, if you ever go to sell it W2W then let me know for sure!!!

 

Thanks guys. Obviously the BJ and the Bear replica truck was something I just had to have...it brought back memories that I had forgotten about. As a young boy I visited one of the actual BJ trucks at the Kenworth dealership in Bridgewater, NJ, and told myself if I could ever own one, I would.

Now that I own it, it is as cool as I thought it would be.

The flattop just fell in my lap. I cannot take credit for any of the cool factor; that is all due to the previous owner. As I build up my maintnance account, it will get a bit of a frame stretch and a new turned up Cummins 444. I really want to evoke the feel of when cabovers were common, and as such you'll never see it with a slammed visor or the latest 'What's up Miami' flavor of the week accessory. I'm trying to bring back 'old school' one truck at a time...and as I see it, it's an attitude and passion for the industry as much as it is the truck.

 

Those trucks are beautiful. I'm glad to see someone else into the classic/old school look. I myself just can't get into these new show trucks slammed to the ground with the seat on the floor and a visor covering 3/4 of the windshield. I can appriciate them and they too are amazing works of art, but I just don't dig that style like I do old school.