Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

1970 Peterbilt 352 Pacemaker


Recommended Posts

Its been a while since I posted anything so decided that it was time to do so. I have been working on a couple of builds (matching Pair) of Peterbilt trucks one a 352 Coe and the other a 359 conventional. Progress on the 359 is slow with not much done but I have been making progress with the 352.

The truck will feature a Clatterpillar 1693TA engine. This is a big engine and took a lot of carefull "adjustments" to get it to sit in the frame and not clash with the dog house. With the big engine (Probably the biggest horsepower engine (425HP) available in a pacemaker in 1970) I needed a larger air breather unit and bigger exhaust stacks. It will also need a bigger radiator. You will note from the photo's that the exhausts are not fitted to the cab rear. Instead they are fitted to the "Eiffel tower" frame. This looks quite pleasing and in keeping with the rest of the build. This frame did not appear until 1973 (I think) so mine being a 1970 model has had the exhausts removed from the cab and the Eiffel Tower retro fitted at a later date. The frame and the bottom half of the cab will be dark blue, middle of the cab white and the top of the cab light blue.

Thanks for Looking!

054-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

050-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

049-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

http://public.fotki.com/oldalbion/peterbilt-352-pacemaker/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the comments!

The 1693 TA was a unique engine, if I remember rightly it was billed as the first 1,000,000 mile engine (Provided you maintained it correctly). 40 years ago 425 HP was a lot even by todays standards and no hocus pocus electronic wizardry to go wrong.

The truck uses the AMT T502 kit as the basis with some aftermarket and scratch built parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Thanks to everyone for all the kind words.

Dennis appologies for the delay in responding. Any photographs that you have will be helpfull. Particular with the cab tilted to show the exhaust, air intake, tilt cylinders etc.

I have made progress and will put some photo's upsoon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like your moniker, your builds are always unique and always very interesting to me. You can even take a fairly mundane kit like the 352, add your own special touches and viola!, you produce something unique and different! I love watching your builds come together.

As for this one; Being a former over the road driver and having driven some real doozies (Read: underpowered boat anchors) in my day, I was pondering the ramifications of a 425hp beast in an era of 250 and 318 hp machines. Having driven a few older trucks, this Pacemaker would have been a real Contender... A real Money Maker! It's what a truck should be; modest, unassuming, but with a heart the size of a mountain. Something an Owner-Operator would have been proud to own and drive.

I look forward to seeing you finish this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the old truckers I know that have been at it for a thousand years have always loved the 1693TAs, I know a guy from Albin, WY with a 71 Pacemaker and a 75 (or so) Chevy Titan and they both have 1693s stuffed in them. It's darn funny sight to see that old Titan out pull a chrome plated Kenworth with a Signature 600. I love the idea behind yours though, when I get my 352 I'm either going to put a 12V71 or a 1693 in it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks for all the kind words. I really like the older vehicles particurly from the 1950s through to the 1980s. There is a lot less chrome on these vehicles and they seem to me to be more purposefull than some more modern variants. With regrads to engines I like the idea of a wolf in sheeps clothing and got the idea of building this vehicle from a video I found on Youtube of a 359 with a 1693TA. I am also building the 359 (my version) in the video. The 352 and 359 will be a matching pair. See below:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...