Idle Truck Banter - truck options

[petrel]

I am sure there is a perfectly good reason, but I'm not ready to pick up the phone and ask a builder. Why do you see so very few Pete 389, Kenworth 900 or Coronado/122 conversions?

[bushpilot]

expense? style?

even among the freight liner chassis you see fewer coronado cabs.

[solo318]

Most coach shops are engineered to fit a particular cab. The Show hauler for instance attaches their box to both the back of the cab around the edges and the removed roof section, for a more open "class A" feel. A different cab means a large redesign of their RV from the steel work up.

[bushpilot]

that doesn't really make sense to me - they all make/offer open & closed cockpit (roofs) and they all do in different cabs (volvo & freightliner columbia, M2 & coronado)

[solo318]

But they all have a "standard" cab that they like to use. I spoke with a few of them at the Tampa RV show last year. If you stray away from their standard cabs the prices go up substantially. The salesman from both Show hauler and renegade were pleasant to speak with and If I recall correctly both had Cascadia cabs.

[solo318]

The Show Hauler was absolutely Gorgeous inside and out.

[solo318]

A quick perusal of Show haulers Website Shows a few open top builds with a Lone star cab. How Cool is that? The options list still only shows an "aero" cap for the cascadia though.

[petrel]

I doubt I'll live long enough to wear out our Coronado, but there may come a time when it may be more practical to purchase another coach, rather than upgrade our current one. The DW has already expressed her desire to have a Pete 389. Unfortunately, with them being so apparently undesirable as a motorhome platform, there doesn't appear to be any hope of there being many good used ones around any time in the future.

[Dragonslayer140]

When i toured ShowHauler, Lonnie was not against building on a new or used Pete, they have done a couple in the past. Haulmark and Renegade were not interested in doing anything other than the Freightliners. Jason at Hawk Engineering in Missouri is willing to build on pretty much any chassis, new and used. There is a black pete on his website that was in progress when I visited. He also will build any layout you would like for the coach as he makes everything in house including cabinets. Hawk Engineering was also the only manufacture I visited that did not require you to go through a dealer for the purchase. I did not get to visit NRC, but I believe they will build on different chassis also.

Dave

[solo318]

You would be surprised at how many of my friends/clients would rather have a Pete or a KW instead of the Freightliner. They all have stories about being "steered" to a FL for one reason or another. The Fl is a nice and roomy cab, But I think most of us are envious of the Big stacks and all of the Chrome goodies that a more conventional truck entails. I know I am. My next build will definitely be a pete 379.

[petrel]

A gentleman that goes by Peterbilt Steve has a channel on youtube to show off the Petes he customizes. I think I'll just have to save up to start my next TC on a chassis customized by that guy!

[bushpilot]

Ive seen those video's but I've never seen him talk about anything but factory PB's.

He more of a dealer that orders trucks w/ factory bells and whistles... Chrome options, gauges etc.

He works out of Rush Truck Center - Tulsa
The country's best selection of new and used Peterbilts specializing in 379's, 389's.

PeterBilt Steve's YouTube Channel

PeterBilt Steve's Facebook Page

[petrel]

Heck , I thought all that stuff was custom! I think it would be nice to start with tricked out chassis and install the motorhome on it. I could really burn up some time obsessing over all that mirror polished stuff.

[bushpilot]

Originally Posted by petrel

Heck , I thought all that stuff was custom! I think it would be nice to start with tricked out chassis and install the motorhome on it. I could really burn up some time obsessing over all that mirror polished stuff.

beautiful trucks just the same.
my only issue w/ 'em is they either don't look well integrated (cab to box) or they end up w/ weird unusable space (sleeper cab)

[petrel]

Those are some of the costs/compromises of that old school look.