Founded by plywood manufacturer and lumberman Theodore Alfred Peterman in 1939, Peterbilt has an outstanding reputation for producing stylish, high-quality, heavy duty trucks and has become an American institution. Also, because of their outstanding quality, Peterbilts are often referred to as the “Rolls-Royce of trucks”. In short, nothing else can describe this legend of the trucking industry.
Theodore Alfred Peterman, the company’s founder.
The company’s headquarters in Denton, Texas.
One of the company’s first products. A 334 6×4 stake truck.
A 260 4×2 Prime Mover. Another one of the company’ first products, also the first prime mover made by the company.
Launched in 1941, the 270 is an example of a 4×2 unit built for on-highway usage.
Launched in 1949, the 350 was one of Peterbilt’s most popular models in the 1950s and instantaneously became a classic. This is the Conventional model, nicknamed the ‘iron-nose’.
Arguably the most desirable version of Peterbilt’s Model 350: The COE, famously dubbed the ‘Bubblenose’ due to its distinctive styling.
Introduced in 1954, the straightaway classic ‘Needle-Nose’ model, as they are famously dubbed due to their narrow front, was Peterbilt’s longest running model line-up of trucks, spanning 22 years of production. One earned its claim to fame in Steven Spielberg’s first feature film Duel (1971), in which the plot involves a businessman (played by Dennis Weaver) being pursued across the California desert by an insane truck driver in a rusty, grimy old tanker. Of all the trucks that were auditioned, the Peterbilt was chosen, for its anthropomorphic-like front fascia as Spielberg apparently wanted viewers to see the truck itself as the villain. These were also the first models to bear the now iconic red oval logo that has adorned Peterbilts ever since. This particular example is a 351 6×4 flatbed from 1956.
Peterbilt was acquired by industry giant PACCAR in 1958.
When launched in 1959, the 352 Model would become one of Peterbilt’s most famous and most popular cab-over models.
A classic from the start, the 359 was Peterbilt’s first wide-nosed conventional model.
Launched in the early 1980s as a replacement for the venerable 352, the aerodynamic 362 was Peterbilt’s new flagship cab-over model.
The 377, an aerodynamically designed conventional with a lightweight, fibreglass bonnet, of which was launched in late 1986.
Peterbilt’s flagship for a 20 year span, the iconic and classic 379, launched in 1986, became hugely favourable with drivers of Class 8 trucks. The 379 has also become extremely famous in reference to its role as the iconic Autobot leader Optimus Prime in the live-action Transformers movies.
Peterbilt’s next move forward into the aerodynamic sector of the trucking industry, the 387 also featured the company’s first integrated sleeper cab, as well as being the company’s most technologically-advanced design at the time.
The replacement for the legendary 379, the 389 is the company’s new flagship conventional for the 21st century. This particular model, the Pride and Class Special Edition, was built in 2014 to commemorate 75 years of Peterbilt’s history as a maker of high-quality trucks and also features some styling trademarks from models of yesteryear.
Yet another step forward for Peterbilt in the aerodynamic sector, the 587 was also the first truck in the industry to come with air disc brakes as standard.
Featuring a very wide, spacious cab, and larger windscreen for better visibility, the 579 is Peterbilt’s latest aerodynamic contribution and lives up to the company’s reputation.
Alex K Car Blog 