What is the attraction with peterbilts

What year was it when they redesigned the dash and raised the roof cap a bit sometime after 1995? Seems that was the time when the quality started slowly going down hill. When the “daylight” door and the ford explorer looking steering wheel came out in early 2000’s that was the beginning of the end. Then 2010 happened and the rest is history.
Some true Pete enthusiasts will say the end happened when the materials that made the red ovals some time in the early 90’s were changed and they faded out in the sun in no time at all. Color washed off. The old acrylic one’s like on my ‘67 are still bright and shiny after almost 60 years.

 

Back in the pre-Daimler days when they built them up here in Canada I would say they were probably one of the toughest trucks you could buy.

 

Daimler Cummins and Paccar are in a joint venture on electric technology Daimler isn’t a partner in PACCAR itself.

 

Yes sir. They were a very well put together truck. Even though the cabs were still the same Autocar designed corporate cabs supplied by White they seemed to have much better fit and finish. Even down here in these parts it was always cool to open the driver door on an old White-Western Star and seeing that “White-Western Star Division of White Trucks. Made in Kelowna, British Columbia” tag on the bottom of the driver seat pedestal.

 

I have always had respect for Frieghtliner because of their history. Leyland James and T.A Peterman actually worked together in the early years and the first dozen or so Freightliners were built in the Peterbilt factory. If you look at the Pete sales order numbers (early serials or vins) you see a break in the sequence were those numbers are missing from being issued to any Pete chassis. FL was the first to make a real all aluminum truck a few years before Pete or Kw. They built their cabs like aircraft and a fully loaded sleeper cab coe tandem axle Cummins powered diesel tractor would only weight 13,000 lbs. Can’t do that today. Partnering with White made them a very popular coast to coast o/o truck. The last true FL’s were the FLA, FLC, and FLD’s. When they started putting the Dodge Caravan cabs on them they jumped the shark.

 

My old man got a factory tour back in the 90s. Wish I could have gone as well.

 

One thing I've wondered is how often the hoods on Peterbilts crack due to the headlight pods hanging off the side? Worked on a couple Peterbilt logging trucks years ago, only a couple years old and the hoods were already starting to crack and fatigue from the stress of off road hauling.

 

Mine have never cracked. That said I have not had them in the extreme conditions you are talking about. If the hoods are kept adjusted and cables, springs in good conditions the backs don’t crack either.

For instance my truck is 33 years old. The hood is at least old enough to have the original style j hooks on the front. Those have been discontinued since 98. It doesn’t have the first crack anywhere in it

 

I’ve seen the fenders crack right above the tires when the front end is lowered to much but the headlight pods are solid even tho they well vibrate alot just from an engine running at idle.
The old ones made between 1955-72 would break more often. But they were made very light weight. Only around a pound each. There were two kinds. Budd made and Alcoa. The Alcoas were forged and have held up better.
Its hard to see the symbol and word “Alcoa” molded in the part number but it is the rectangle block under it.