Peterbilt Motors Co. has been producing over-the-road (OTR) tractors since 1939, though its roots go back another 20+ years from a predecessor company (Fageol Motors). The name “Peterbilt” is said to be a hybrid of the founder’s name (Peterman) and the Fageol’s former president (Bill). The seller doesn’t indicate which model this truck is, but it could be a Peterbilt 280 which began production in 1949. This 1951 OTR survivor is said to run and drive and can be found in South Sioux City, Nebraska. It’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for the reduced price of $16,000 (down from $20,000). Thanks for the tip, “NW Iowa Kevin”!
Now operating out of Denton, Texas, Peterbilt has been a major factor in the heavy-duty trucking business for 85 years. Its founder (Al Peterman) was in the logging trade in the 1930s and thought trucks could be used to get lumber to market (most of it was moved by rail or ship). So, he bought into Fageol to bring that vision to fruition. Also, it would be a way to get timber from his land in Washington State to his other business, a door manufacturing plant.
Trucks like the 280 were sold as conventional cabs or cab-over-engine designs (COE), with this truck being an example of the former. The seller’s tractor caught my attention because it looks like the primary truck used in one of my favorite vehicle chase movies, Duel, which starred Dennis Weaver and was made in 1971 (it was also Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut). That truck was a 1957 Peterbilt 281 with a tanker setup. It was deliberately made up to look worn out and menacing.
Other than telling us that this tractor functions, we don’t otherwise know a lot about it. It comes with its original Cummins diesel engine (how many miles, and has it ever been rebuilt?). The body seems solid although surface rust and grey primer are the order of the day. If it’s been out of service for a while, you could assume that the multitude of tires are getting old. The big question is what would you do with it if you bought it? Whip it into shape to go to work again, restore it, or maybe turn it into some sort of display in its current condition?
Wow!!! A GMC Astro, and now a Needlenose Pete!!! This is cool. It has a “Brownie Box” you can see the second shifter for it. It definitely needs a restoration, restored these trucks are beautiful. I may be wrong, but I read that there was more than one Pete used in Duel. I believe the one that was seen the most was a Single Screw with a Tag Axle but I could be wrong. Love these old trucks coming in on Barn Finds, great find. Thanks Russ for posting this.
Dave
I don’t know anything about old Peterbilts, other than they look cool, so I will leave the vehicle-specific comments to others. But I will agree with Russ: Duel is a great movie, deservedly now a cult classic. Thanks for the link to the article.
I agree with you Bob, I forgot to mention that Duel is one of my all time favorite movies. That poor Plymouth Valient sure took a beating.
https://youtu.be/riecOffvg5w?si=uG6cwZkKU1SZa_af
I found this video on the Petes used in the movie.
Doing real well! Not too often you run across (2) haulers in less than 2 weeks. I’m a little disappointed that there aren’t any engine pics. I’m reasonably certain that it was powered by an HB600 (2-valve) which would be stock around 160 hp. Might’ve even got a supercharger (HBRS) to boost it up to 200. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the old Disc fuel system updated to the PT system as a lot of them were by the mid-50s. I do remember one of the locomotives at the local sugar factory still running the Disc system in the 70s but it was finally ‘upgraded’ to the PT.
Good write up Dixon.
Anybody remember the low air warning systems used in the old trucks. 🚩
I do, called the “Wig-Wag” was a stop sign on a low air device. The 1st HD dump truck I drove, a 1963 IH R190 tandem, had that. Years ago, there were no emergency brakes, and if that stop sign came down, you’d best have a clear path to the passenger door,,,
This is even more primitive than the trucks I drove in the 70’s (note no air ride seat even) today’s driver wouldn’t know where to start and even if they made it onto the road wouldn’t last half a day behind the wheel of this beast. Great find. Can’t wait to see Howard’s comments.
Thank ya’, thank ya’ ( in my best Gomer Pyle drawl), careful what you wish for, huh. I have nothing to add,,,except YEEEE-HAW. This is great because aside from FB, old trucks get very little attention. A tip of the hat to the staff for recognizing these all important pieces of our past and the people that drove them.
Once again, the author(s) do a great job, especially in unknown territory. Couple things, 1st, I believe the truck in Duel was a 1955, 281. Other trucks painted to look like the ’55( a 1960 and a 1962 but no ’57) were used for minor action scenes, but the bulk of the movie was the ’55. Peterbilt model numbers always confused me, I think this is a 280 and I agree with Geo, this probably has the old “HB” Cummins or maybe a Detroit. Many of these had a straight stack right out of the hood and a blue flame indicating a propane boost, I think. A split exhaust manifold on those made a sweet noise you won’t forget long after the truck is shut off. This cab is referred to as the “small window”, and my ’72, 359( above and in avatar) was the last year for the smaller windshields. Some ’73s were leftover ’72s, and ’73 had bigger windows. What’s fun, is if you can access FB, it brings up a slew of other trucks of similar vintage.
While it’s hauling days are all but done, someone might repower it and use it, but highly unlikely. This chap in Cal. with the Futureliners has a bunch of old Petes running around S.Cal, or used to, but interest is waning fast, and future uncertain for these old horses. Maybe a RAM Cummins, or yes, the dreaded LS, and pull a camper, but trucks evolved into the rolling apartments they are today for a reason. These were pretty crude, but for the time, can you imagine this was top of the line. Thanks again.
These old Petes and the Diamond T and any old truck just turn me on. And Howard, your ’72 359 is one fine looker. Do you still have it? Those are my favorite old trucks. I have an AMT 1/25 scale model of one. If I had a big barn in my backyard to park this 1951, I would love to buy it. $16,000 is a bit high but it is in the ballpark. The transmissions are what we called a 4n4, two trannys. I learned how to drive in a 1968 Freightliner COE with a Detriot and a 4and4 haulin milk from Rapid City or Ogden UT to Denver. And NO power steering or A/C back in those days. You were lucky to have an AM radio. Well, I could go on, but enough truck drivin stories from me. Howard, please take me for a ride in your Pete.
Hi Woofer, no can do. I reluctantly sold the truck in 1993 to get a more local job and to save my marriage. I lost the truck, hated the local job, and divorced my ex, so a no win there. It really was a whim anyway, as I was using it to haul RR cans out of Chicago. The “Armstrong” steering was no day at the beach. It was a cool truck.
Sorry for the bad pic, all I got. I traded my Western Star in on it. I made money with the Western Star.
Can never have enough trucking stories, driver!
One more thing, you ask any driver of these, if any left, about the “butterfly hood Petes”. As they wore, they would shake and rattle, these trucks always ran hot in summer when you least needed it, cold in winter due to little, if any heater, poor or no trailer brakes, Armstrong steering, and shifting a “set of clubs” kept you more than busy. Still, these trucks didn’t go far, more of a regional rig, as opposed to the over the road sleeper ones, but make no mistake, these racked up MILLIONS of miles, and not interstate miles either. Before my time, but in the late 70s, I learned from the guys that drove these, and with over 3 million safe miles in a semi myself, it must have worked.
Nice looking Western Star Howard. 🌟
I recognize that yard. IF it is the same place, the owner doesn’t crush everything when scrap prices get high. They have a LOT of cool old trucks there, and if they are repairable, they don’t part them out. If you are looking for anything like this, check them out.
In 1965 I learned on an old Jimmy the brownie transmission. You mentioned brownie today and they think you’re talking about a cupcake.
The fresh can of ether would make me a little weary of what ever power plant it has.
Good catch, my friend, one guess. I’ve run Detroits for several minutes on ether trying to get a prime. Not sure if the old Cummins had glow plugs, but I remember early Cats that if’n you used ether and glow plugs, you’d blow the head off.
Hey Howard, you never could break that early morning start cycle. HA! Old Detroits were usually good starters. Cummins engines had a compression release, a cable or lever you pulled that would open the exhaust valve just a little to get that engine spinning fast enough to fire, of course with all that unburnt fuel they’ed rattle and smoke for a minute or two. The old 1693 and early 3406 Cat engines had glow plugs, heat and crank heat and crank. Macks weren’t too bad unless you had an air starter and ran out of air!
Air starter,,forgot all about those, mainly for gas haulers before the vapor recovery systems. I remember as kids late at night, we’d hear this horrible shriek in the distance. To a kid that just watched War of the Worlds, we feared the worst. It wasn’t until we actually saw a truck start with one, it made sense. Don’t forget air assist steering too. Drove a Mack with that, was actually pretty nice. Had the road feel of manual, but assist in backing. That’s where you run out of air.
I hated air starters. Out in the oil patch every big natural gas burner cranked up with an air starter. Now, you were actually supposed to use AIR but with natural gas under pressure, it was a no-brainer to run some natural gas through. It wasn’t up to the proper cranking speed but it was sufficient to get those brutes running. Inspectors kind of overlooked that little bit of plumbing ingenuity. A lot of Cat G379s and G398s, not to mention some White-Superiors got started with gas…
Well Howard, I just have to say, you shoulda kept the 72 Pete, you could always put it to work if you got hungry. Jim Randall mentioned the CAT 1693. Don’t hear too much about those engines. I drove for Vickers gas stations out of Denver in the mid 70s and they had a 1973 Pete with a 1693 CAT in it. No power steering, no A/C and no jake brake. I guess the 1693 had no pushrods? I do remember the starter switch was next to the key that had glow plugs on to the left and start to the right. The other drivers didn’t like it, so that truck became my daily driver. With no jake the dispatcher did not send it into the mountains, that worked for me, I don’t like to chain up. Eventually they had to trade her in for a new one with a 3406 and a jake. I had to learn how to throw chains. Oh well…
From a mechanic’s stand point, ether was good job security. But I told several customers that ether should’ve cost $100/can. Less broken rings and blown up engines…
The Facebook ad says it’s the original Cummins motor, and note the can of ether sitting next to the driver’s seat.
My DD400 has a 170 Cummins. It is nice running engine and seems easy so start, even if it has sat for a while. Especially If you have fresh batteries. Oldies but goodies, but a far cry from the cabs of today. The nose of my ’68 Kenworth “Brutus” would have been a good Duel star.
At a glance this thin makes me want to buy it and go chase a red Plymouth valiant around town
The way things are right now in SW Florida with all the snowbird showing up, I’d put one of those big bull guards on the front like they do in Australia and spikes sticking out from each wheel. Then I could drive it daily ,all over town and if anyone ran into me they would be walking home. I love these old tractors and always said I would get one but I never have. Just don’t have anywhere to park it.
Someone’s gotta say it! When my wife was pregnant with our son and showing pretty well I just had to get her a Peterbilt t-shirt. She’s a good sport and actually wore it a few times.
Wow, that takes me back. I learned on a White 4000 with a 250 Cummins and a 5×4. Positive ground = no radio unless you wired one up and kept it in a box… Of all I drove in my career, I’ve not found a transmission that I like better than that 5-speed manual and a 4-speed brownie. You had a gear for everything! I’ve toyed with trying to restore one of these, but I’ve got two cars I’m restoring now, probably won’t happen. Thanks for a find that really spoke to me.
Love it. Talking about transmissions, bought and sold a few 75′ C600 Cabovers, I was getting them from the Post Office when they retired the fleet. Well… They come with automatic transmissions so any employee can drive it. Ford didn’t make a auto trans for big trucks back then, they used a Chevy Allison auto, with a spacer. So… I drive the truck to Florida, ( yes, with the distributor retarder in place set at 61mph) change the tranny oil, (back in 92′ before they had combo tranny fluid) put the Ford tranny fluid in… And blew the tranny… Weeee
PS I assumed it was a Ford tranny…
Lol that damned fussy ATF Michael
Stan, lost count on how many windshields I cracked thinking the deck was clear to flip the cab over… One time it was a hidden lug nut. Thank God they were split windshields… $$$
Enjoyed Peterbilts for years earning my pay! Only left me stranded twice during those times. Recall a couple of early Pete’s that were used for the trade shows in Nevada. Would always walk over and admire them (jealous I guess).