With yearly that goes by, seeing a pristine Peterbilt 379 will get slightly extra uncommon. In spite of everything, the mannequin has been retired now for 17 years. On the 2024 Stars, Stripes and White Strains Truck Present at Atlanta Motor Speedway, although, a mint 379 is simply what was on supply.
Introduced down from Norwich, Ontario, the 1997 mannequin Pete owned by Dawn Gear Auctions had only recently been pulled out of the barn it sat in for the final 18 or so years, in response to Doug King, who was exhibiting the truck on behalf of Dawn and proprietor Stan Hamulecki.
King is greater than accustomed to the unit, as he constructed the truck working as a mechanic at Peterbilt Motors Firm 27 years previous to his exhibiting it final Fall. He stated Dawn pulled the truck out of the barn within the Spring of 2024 and “did normal upkeep. We put 10 new tires on it. We dropped all of the fluids out of it to deliver it down right here.”
He stated the truck “rides just like the day it was brand-new. Not a squeak, not a rattle. Every part works because it ought to.”
The truck was initially constructed for Mark Gunter — right now the proprietor of Skillex Inc. “We stripped it proper down to 2 body rails. He stated chrome or paint all the things, and right here we’re,” King stated. It labored part-time in its first few years of life, however on the time of the occasion in Atlanta, King famous it might roll over 120,000 unique miles on its method again to Canada.
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Every part mechanical concerning the truck remains to be simply because it was the day it was constructed, with the unique 475 Cat engine, 18-speed transmission and three.55 rears. “Nothing has actually been modified or modified in 25 years different than normal upkeep simply to make it roadworthy to get it down right here,” he famous.
Each a part of the engine, like the remainder of the truck, is both painted or chromed.
The truck was initially painted grey however repainted to the Iris base layer that’s on it right now when it was custom-built for Gunter.
The airbrushed mural on the hood, that includes a wolf howling on the moon, was executed when it was constructed within the 1996-’97 timeframe, King stated.
The airbrushed farm scenes on the aspect of the sleeper have been executed in 2007 for the truck’s present proprietor.
“The person that owns this, they’re within the public sale enterprise and he’s a John Deere fan,” King stated of the explanations for this driver-side airbrush work.
Contained in the rig, the hardwood ground and all of the accents are from Rockwood, provided when the truck was constructed.
The Rockwood ground and accents look simply nearly as good right now as after they have been positioned within the truck.
“The bezels on the sprint, the extensions, the Rockwood door pockets, the ground” are all unique to the truck, King famous.
The remainder of the inside is all unique, King stated, with the exception of the seats, which “would have had most likely black or burgundy leather-based seats that will have had the Peterbilt [logo] within the headrest.”
King stated quite a lot of the {custom} stainless equipment have been made on the time by Dieter’s Equipment, which is now owned by Panelite. Protect Truck Equipment out of Aylmer, Ontario, additionally supplied a variety of {custom} provides.
King stated the rear fenders, from Hogebuilt, and all the opposite {custom} touches on the rig are from the unique {custom} construct.
Similar to the remainder of the truck, the 475 Cat can also be painted and chromed to match the outside.
The hood even incorporates a window on both sides to supply a peek contained in the engine compartment to see the excellent work executed on the engine.
[Related: ‚Why So Serious?‘: Joker-themed heavy-haul 389 shows out]
Discover lots extra views of the rig within the video up prime, and for extra movies and custom-equipment options delivered to your e-mail inbox, subscribe to Overdrive‚s weekly Customized Rigs publication through this hyperlink.
Doug King: Hello, my title is Doug King, and I am right here representing this 1997 379 Peterbilt that is owned by Dawn Gear Auctions in Norwich, Ontario, Canada. I constructed this truck 27 years in the past as a mechanic for a Peterbilt Motor Corporations. It has been in our barn most likely for nearly 18 years of the final of its life. We received it out early this spring.
We did normal upkeep. We put 10 new tires on it. We dropped all of the fluids out of it to deliver it down right here. I am 800 miles from dwelling, and this truck rides just like the day it was model new. Not a squeak, not a rattle. Every part works because it ought to. The doorways open and shut the best way they need to. Each key and each lock works.
He needed all the things executed. The proprietor, which was Mark Gunter however now’s owned by the Hamuleckis. We stripped it proper down to 2 body rails. He stated chrome or paint all the things. And right here we’re. 27 years in the past. The coveralls that I wore again then nonetheless match to today. Yeah.
It is a caterpillar 475 and it is unique. So it is all matching serial numbers. So it is not like a distinct motor that we needed to change ten years in the past or 5 years in the past.
All of the equipment on the within is just about from day one. Nothing has actually been modified or modified in 25 years apart from normal upkeep, simply to make it roadworthy to get it down right here. The hardwood ground, all of the accents. Rockwood made that stuff years in the past. The bezels on the sprint, the extensions, the Rockwood door pockets, the ground.
Plenty of these things again then was all {custom} made as a result of they weren’t doing that. The person that made quite a lot of these things, he offered, his title was Dieter’s, was the title of the corporate. He offered to Panelite, which Panelite remains to be round to today.
The tractors and stuff, as a result of now the person that owns this, they’re within the public sale enterprise and he’s a John Deere fan. That is all airbrushed. This was airbrushed in 2007. Yeah. The mural on the hood was from 96 to 97.
Matt Cole: Is the bottom paint colour, is that unique Pete colour?
King; No, it is referred to as Iris. All people calls it purple or no matter, however it’s Iris. This truck initially was grey, after which he fully painted it and did the themes and stuff on the doorways.
Yeah, the entire inside is mainly unique. After which we simply added all of the little accents and issues. Had to ensure we had John Deere bedding in there. It initially was 244 wheelbase, after which they stretched it to 280. The opposite producer that did quite a lot of stuff for us with Protect out of Aylmer. Their brand was the precise defend, like a badge. So that is what which means.
The tank covers the wrap tanks, the tank skirt, Hogebuilt fenders. Again then, they did not have the aluminum fifth wheel or the Teflon slider. You’d purchase the 2 piece Teflon from Holland. You’d take the stainless washers. You’d put it within the middle, you’ll weld it, and then you definitely would take a socket and you’ll hit it to get it tight.
Unique fenders. Like I stated, just about most of all of that is unique from 27 years in the past.
Cole: So did it ever work within the first 6 or 7 years?
King: Yeah. When it goes dwelling, it will hit 120,000 miles. So within the metric system, that is 200,000km. So it did work. And the person that owned this 27 years in the past is my boss to today, Mark Gunter.
However Stan Hamulecki owns it now. After which he involves our store and sees quite a lot of stuff, and he simply stated, hey, let’s get a few of these toys out and begin enjoying with them once more. So right here we’re.
