87' Project Pete (WWIP)

[eclipse85k10]

Been off online here for a few years since sadly selling my last square body. I haven't had any project vehicles but then again I've had the biggest project of my life when three years ago I bought an 87 Peterbilt 379.

Told myself in a year I'll have this working on the road. Oh told the wife that too lol. Looking at it when I purchased it all I saw was the potential, a bit too blindly optimistic in hindsight I could have bought a much better starter but after I came to that conclusion it was far far too late. I was way too deep into.

I'll try to dig back into my photos of three years on this lol

 

[eclipse85k10]

The retired owner I bought it from was in the slow process of turning it into another dump truck for his excavation business but never finished it before he retire. He had removed the original sleeper and started to shorten the wheel base.

Can't find all my photos of the initial build of the rear suspension. Soon after buying it I purchased a rear cutoff from a 2015 with newer low air ride suspension. Disc conversion would have been cool but it was almost double the price. Both the original rear axle housings were cracked in multiple places and had been welded and patched in a not very great way.

Instead of grafting the two frames together, I took the slow pain staking method of removing everything and bolting the new suspension on to the trucks frame. The rear spring hangers from the 2015 were complete different so the original holes didn't line up. Yet I managed to find 1 hole per bracket that did line up. This gave me a good alignment to mount all 4 of the rear spring hangers.

Because the 2015 uses much longer springs then the original air ride suspension. This pushed back my suspension quiet a bit and back the tail of the frame. So I took the route of chopping of the original frame tapered end and welding on the tail section of the frame from the cut off, I also put frame inserts to reenforces this part of the frame

This pushed the original week base from 265 to 276, not a lot but a bit longer.

 

[eclipse85k10]

The original fuel tanks are an older uncommon diameter of 29in, most Peterbilt in the last 30 years use 26in diameter. These tanks were also in bad shape. Still held fuel but we're dented up and some poor patch jobs. I found one 26in gallon off brand tank and a 2nd new reproduction tank. What I didn't realize at first was the frame mounts were different for the tank diameters so I had to dig thru the back salvage piles and find some. The passenger tank isn't a Peterbilt style. Rounded end caps but decent shape, eventually I plan to replace to match.

Next was adding a sleeper. I bought this truck to work it. I mostly do local work for the last 10 years but I do some over night trips and I have driven a sleeper truck for it. It's like have a crew cab or extended pickup when you never have passengers. The extra space is super handy! So I decided to go for the smallest sleeper option. (Oh yes future regret coming)

I picked up a 36in (coffin) sleeper from an unknown year. Now since this isn't the Peterbilt world this may be new information here lol, around 1993-94 Peterbilt widen the sleeper opening in the cabs from a narrow passage to one that stretched behind the seats. Honestly a game changer especially if your over 6ft like me. Now I had been driving a 99 model for almost 10 years so modifying the sleeper opening was at the top of my list.

Cant be too difficult right? I have access to a huck rivet gun and a sawzall right? Just need to order the two ring opening structures and the bigger gasket with some huck rivets is all lol.

Some where in my phone I have more pictures of this part of the cutting open the bigger hole I'll add

 

[eclipse85k10]

I measured and spec out the chassis to have room for a 4th axle, as up here in the PNW most tractors have a 4th liftable axle to carrier more weight. I left room between the fuel tanks and the drive axles to give myself room to add one later. Plus I was also pleased with look of the wheelbase with the smaller sleeper. After getting the wider sleeper opening in both the sleeper and the cab I got the bunk mounted up. Pre 1993 they were solid mounted to the frame using body bushings, after 93 they used air ride suspension between the cab and frame.

Now for this to work on a Peterbilt they bolted the cab and sleeper together and the air bags are at the back of the sleeper. I considered this at this time but it ment adding a ton of braces on the inside of the cab and sleeper and changing some mounts for the radiator because it is currently supported to the firewall. Well future regret not taking the time to do this at this early part of the build stage but this project was already more than I had anticipated with my optimistic vision from the beginning so I had to choose what was going to get it done.

At this point I was rather thrilled to drive it out of the shop after putting the back half of the truck back to. So many holes drilled for the suspension and getting the sleeper mounted. Getting drive lines made and splicing together air lines for the suspension and brakes. Getting it to drive outside was great progress!

 

[eclipse85k10]

Scrolling thru my photos trying to remember what was next lol

Because the previous owner was on the path to make it a dump truck. There was no 5th wheel and I was going to need one to make it a proper tractor again. I purchased one from a friend with the frame mounted slide track and got it bolted to the frame with yet more magdrill action to put 5/8 holes in a 1/4in frame.

On the other end working on the aluminum hood drilling was much easier. To replace the badly bent front fenders I just had to grind out the old huck rivets and snap on new ones. I picked up a set of used fenders which really added to the interesting color combo lol

With purchasing the truck I got a few pieces he didn't get on the truck yet and one was a corner to the front grill surround to replace a badly dented panel. So more grinding out rivets And putting in new ones to repair this old aluminum hood one piece at a time. The lower grill surround panel was also in poor shape and I ordered a replacement online (in future I've learned that aftermarket part is an incorrect size causing me problems)

 

[Babaganoosh]

Great to see this, I’ll be following along.

 

[eclipse85k10]

Haha yes I think I'm about a year in of three at this point

 

[eclipse85k10]

Unfortunately I found out after installing the 5th wheel slide I purchased from a friend, it would not slide. This style of slide track I've been familiar with using on trucks and when they haven't been slide in sometime they can take a bunch of penetrating oil and some good old persuasion to move, IE hooked to a trailer with the brakes locked.

Let's see I used the steam cleaner to try to remove as much dirt and rust on this slide, lots of oil and at one point I had 5th wheel changed to a road grader with the blade down so I could yank in it. Still no budging. After much fighting with it. I bought a newer style slide from the junk yard and was able to reuse the 5th wheel from the other one.

At the same time I was reassembling the rest of the front of the hood with more aluminum pieces and the grill. I had a tough time lining everything up and recently now realized why because the lower grill panel I bought offline is about 3/16in too long.

Edit, it doesn't put my photos always in order, the 1st pic is the replacement slide and the others are the old one.

The factory exhaust was completely rotted out and I opted for the free used stacks because a set of new ones is over 4k.

My other biggest issue is the cab electrical, the fuse panel is corroded badly.

 

[centexk5]

I've always wanted to build a semi but no room or experience. This is cool.

 

[eclipse85k10]

I've always wanted to build a semi but no room or experience. This is cool.

Room is a big one!
I was lucky enough to be allowed to put it in a friends shop but worked hard being respectful of how much space I took up. Every part coming off the truck took up so much space so if had a big shop of my own I would have tore it all down at once.

Im a driver by trade though I spend a lot of time helping in the shop at work when it's slow so I've had some good general knowledge of working on big trucks but however there was so still much more of learning along the way

 

[warrpath4x4]

Truck is cool, but that stepside in the background is a sweet rig

 

[SPLATT]

Seeing that you're in Washington you ought to take a trip to MT Vernon during the Tulip Festival when PACCAR has an open house at their Tech Center.

 

[max 02]

I’ll watch!

I’ve always wanted to buy, fix up an older Peterbuilt I have no real use for one for myself. Just like them!

I get my trucking fix at the farm I work at. Just enough driving to make me happy. Not enough to get sick of it.

And everything is Farm plated so no log books.

The KWs in the shop are sweet too!

 

[eclipse85k10]

All the old trucks in the background aren't mine haha.

Not sure how this thing didn't ignite in an electrical fire from all the worn thru wiring I kept finding

 

[eclipse85k10]

Took the sleeper back off to paint.
First painting attempt didn't go as planned. First off last thing I painted was my 89 burb way too long ago and 2nd I screwed up and used a gun with a primer tip on to spray grey metallic, to say the least the result was sure interesting but I wasn't leaving it.

 

[imiceman44]

I need to work on my freightliner.
I am doing the opposite, it was a line hauler and I am going to make it an RV but first I need to fix the hood, and then remove one drive axle and then do the conversion

 

[eclipse85k10]

I need to work on my freightliner.
I am doing the opposite, it was a line hauler and I am going to make it an RV but first I need to fix the hood, and then remove one drive axle and then do the conversion

At one time I was looking to build an RV out of a Pete

I was able to justify this project financially as a business lol

 

[eclipse85k10]

Almost considered leaving the botched silver metallic but the paint had a texture to it and I planned to haul with this truck and trying to keep it clean would be a nightmare. Already had so many parts stripped off the cab for paint. I painstakingly sanded the textured paint and decided to go with a solid grey and skip the metallic. After repainting in grey. I already had the red for the fenders that was metallic and got that sprayer too

Wow must say reassembling after paint took so much more time then expected. So many pieces needed to go back on. I had opted to replace the windshields because one was cracked badly and I was quoted 80 per side. No biggy right? Oh man I heard they were a pain and we broke two left sides trying to install. We got the right side in and the left I said screw it and called a mobile guy.

Once I had the glass in I was able to install the new visor I ordered which I felt like set off the look I was going for. Then continuing assemble with fender brackets, headlight buckets. Front bumper, air cleaners, cab lights, exhaust, sleeper mounted up, mirrors and wiring.

Getting the exterior painted and assembled was a bit feat but still so much left. The interior was pretty much gutted and needed to be out back together and I was missing, most of the parts

 

[eclipse85k10]

Exterior was put together last summer of 2024 and I continued to work on putting the interior together which to date is still pieced together with random parts.

Learned a bit about hydraulics to build a 2-line wetkit. The company I run for we pull live floor self unloading trailers.

Wekit Included installing a PTO the transmission
The first pump I installed was too small and I had to purchase a new pump
Mount a used a hydraulic tank behind the sleeper.
Have hydraulic lines made for pressure and return side and install a pressure bypasd valve.

I was actually pleased how well it turned out. After about 6 months running it daily the hydraulics have worked great except I need to replace the old tank. It's formed a crack and drips slowly.

Most of the issues I've had running the truck daily this year have been minor. I've had to replace three of the rear inner axle hub seals.
The air powered clutch fan went out.
Replaced the air compressor

And this week I replaced the driver door. The original door formed cracks and since the mirror mounts to the outer shell of the door this ment my mirror kept vibrating worse every day.

Next project on the list is replacing the 36in sleeper with a 48in sleeper from a 2012 Peterbilt. This will get me a bit more space and I'm going to be adding air ride to the cab.

 

[max 02]

Hauling sawdust, wood chips?

Pete turned out nicely!