Normally I am very negative when it comes to “big rig” pickups because they are almost always a big rig cab that has been mounted on a pickup truck frame and they look weird. Conversely the other way to build one is to add a pickup bed to a big rig chassis and that can have its own pitfalls in the form of a gawky look, bad proportions and a final product that looks as though it escaped from the island of misfit cars and trucks. The good news is that this Peterbilt commits none of those sins and actually is the coolest big rig pickup that we have seen. Why? Someone has an eye for style and design, that’s why!
The roof chop is the most significant thing that makes this combo work. The big rig pickup conversions without a chop look very gawky and weird but this one avoids that because the roof has been lowered a significant amount. The listing has few details on the truck beyond the basics but it was the first thing we picked up on.
The second big thing is the shape of the rear fenders. While not a truly perfect match, the contours of the fenders are very similar to the contours of the front fenders so it does not look hack of thrown together. We have seen these things with very angular cabs and totally round rear fenders and that makes no sense. In this case you have the more aero friendly nose on the Pete and the bed looks like a GM piece from the later 1990s or early 2,000s. Speaking of the bed, the way it is mounted is huge bonus points. It is not just slapped on there riding too high on the frame rails, it is properly mount and The frame rails are not screaming out for attention under the truck. It looks really good.The engine is a 300hp Caterpillar and the transmission is a six speed manual box. Cruising this thing would be totally fun, showing it, and perhaps even making a couple of quarter mile rips would definitely be cool for sure. We think that a lot of thought and effort went into this truck and it shows.
Check out the images and then hit the link to see more on eCay!
WHERE’S THE STINKIN’ LINK??!?!?
COOL factor is high
Really? At least you could of steamed the engine off and painted the firewall! and overflow tank!
Yea it might look OK but to drive it, CDL A, It’s a day cab with a tiny fuel tank that’s got more miles than 460k ish miles on it, and that’s a lot of $$ for a little customizing and having driven a day cab with out the chop, it’s either going to be a rough ride or hitting your head on the roof none stop! Have at it.
No CDL needed, not a for hire commercial truck anymore.
It’s likely a Class 6 (medium duty) truck with a 26,000 GVWR, so you wouldn’t even need a Class B CDL to drive it. Of course, if you hitched up a 10,001 lb trailer, you’d be into Class A territory.
Jim makes a valid point about headroom, though. I own an F650 pickup, and the major drawback to the Super Duty cab (versus an International CXT, Freightliner/Sportchassis truck, etc) is that it isn’t designed for long-travel air ride seat bases. This truck had that going for it until they chopped the top.
Jim,
You don’t need a CDL to drive it if it is used for personal use. Only if you use it as commercial.
As for the ride it is a little rough on bumps but the seats help take some of the roughness out of it.
Way too scary for me I’m afraid – I just can’t help imagining a giant kid with a snot-dripping nose picking it up in his grubby fingers and making brmm brmm noises with the driver inside who would be regretting the day he ever laid eyes on it….
What I don’t like about the way these “big pickup” conversions look is how the rear fenders look on the bed. The wheel openings on the front are in proportion and the opening fits the size of the wheel. The rear opening is nearly always too small (from a smaller truck) and is above wheel.
For such truck lovers I’m disappointed in your bed identification skills… that’s obviously a 2003-2007 Dodge Ram bed. The tail lights are a definite give away!
But I do agree that it’s a well done big rig pickup!!! The only thing Id change would have been chopping it a little less so that the air seats were functional. I’ve ridden around in a Frieght liner M2 stake truck quite a bit and non air ride seats really beat up your back after 50 miles
Correct the bed is off a 2003 Ram 3500
The seats do air up about 8″of clearance when seats deflated to roof top