Peterbilt 353

[ABC Auto Industry]

Hey, at some point in the future, I plan on building a Peterbilt 353. Aside from the fenders, what other modifications would I need to make to a 359 kit?

Here's a picture of a 353 (from Tim's website):

Or, what if I wanted to step up to a 387? No, not the new aerodynamic conventional. There was a prior truck with the designation 387. It was a super heavy-duty conventional built for duties like coal hauling & such. Here's a picture (also from Tim's website):

Any help would be appreciated, especially from Tim, since he's a major Peterbilt fan.

[mackinac359]

353 was originally a wide-front 351 butterfly hood. Basic spec's were similar to a 359 at the time with the front axle and rear axles being heavier spec'd as standard. 353 could be spec'd to quite the heavy-hauler with tandem steer models available from the factory.

353 was available in set back front axle and set forward front axle.

To build a 353 using the AMT, Revell of Germany or Revell USA snap kit, you will need fenders, convert the hood to a butterfly hood. Change the air cleaner pipe panel from angled to squared off.

The top of the hood would have a single center piano hinge. The hood side panel seam would be in the same location as the raised rib panel seam on the 359 hood. Sand off the raised rib and scribe in the panel seam.

353 fenders in the Revell Alaska kit are incorrect. The shape is more KW than Peterbilt. 353 fenders are shorter at the rear.

Virtually all the "dress up" options on a 359 were available on 353.

387 (the original, not the sleek highway truck) was the big brother to the 353. Designed by JB Selvidge (same who designed the ultra setback 346) for coal truck use. 387 sat taller off the frame, had optional 40" wide frame rails, taller frame rails, fenders that extended under the cab (as running boards), full grille and headlamp guard standard, heavier spec'd axles and suspensions.

In the two photos, notice that the grille/radiator crown is the deep-core radiator shell. Much deaper than the AMT kit grille, but about correct from the Revell of Germany kit.

The Revell of Germany kit has the deep core grille that should have been on a fiberglass hood 359, not the aluminum hood version. The AMT and Revell USA grille is more correct for an Aluminum hood.

Here's a 353 I recently built using the Revell USA snap kit. The fenders are from Sapulding Trading and Shipping.

The front tires are from AITM/Dave Natale. The rears.. out of the parts box.

You can see where I scribed in the hood panel seams and cut the squared air cleaner panel.

There are all sorts of possibilities when it comes to the 353 or 387.

Tim

Tim

[ABC Auto Industry]

OK, thanks! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find 353 fenders at Spaulding Trading & Shipping's website. Have they been discontinued or something?

[mackinac359]

I'm not sure if they discontinued the fenders/hood conversion or not. If they have, you could make a set out of flat Evergreen or Plastruct plastic.

Tim

OK, thanks! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find 353 fenders at Spaulding Trading & Shipping's website. Have they been discontinued or something?

[ABC Auto Industry]

What about modifying the fenders from the Kenworth Alaskan Hauler kit? Would that work well?

[ABC Auto Industry]

On my way to college today, I passed by a black 353 dump truck. It had a painted grille & radiator crown rather than the normal chromed one & quad headlights.

I wonder, how common were/are the 353 & 387? It doesn't seem to me like too many were made.

Also, I've seen two other heavy-duty Peterbilts: the 381 & 383. All I know is that they're narrow-nose rigs, possibly the predecessors to the 387. Do you know anything else about those trucks?

[mackinac359]

The painted crown on the 353 and 387 were standard with the bright crown being optional. The grille screen was always bright.

The headlights would have the brackets aluminum and the bezels chrome.

The 387 and 353 sold quite well. There was also the 40" wide frame 397. Only 2 of these were built. Real beasts.

The 381 and 383 were from the '60s. The 383 was the heavier of the two with full length under-cab fenders.

The above photo was taken at the old Newark, California factory. This 383 was engineered by Jim Overmohle.

Note the full length flat fenders. This truck was destined for the sugar cane fields of Hawaii.

The 381 had a 351 crown with full length flat fenders. SFFA axle.

As for using the fenders from the AMT KW Alaskan Hauler, with a bit of modification you'd have a close shape. Be sure to sand off all the diamond tread as the 351, 353 and 387 had smooth metal not diamond tread. A non-slip material was applied to the top of the fenders.

The fenders in the Revell Alaska kit are very similar to the AMT KW Alaskan Hauler fenders. With modifications they will look just fine.

Tim

On my way to college today, I passed by a black 353 dump truck. It had a painted grille & radiator crown rather than the normal chromed one & quad headlights.

I wonder, how common were/are the 353 & 387? It doesn't seem to me like too many were made.

Also, I've seen two other heavy-duty Peterbilts: the 381 & 383. All I know is that they're narrow-nose rigs, possibly the predecessors to the 387. Do you know anything else about those trucks?

[ABC Auto Industry]

OK, thanks for the information. It's a great thing that you're a member of this forum.

I'm going to check truckpaper.com & see if I can find any 353s.

In addition, I think the 387's fenders were twice as wide as the 353's. Also, based on my encounter with the black 353, I'd say it's about as big as an Autocar DC-64, which would make the 387 look giant in real life.

Also, I think the 353 has a 119" BBC length & the 387 has a 127" BBC length. Is this true?

Edited October 25, 2007 by ABC Auto Industry

[mackinac359]

353 was a 117" BBC, but depending on the bumper location could be longer. 387 had 123" BBC.

There were also a few unique configurations that crossed the line between 353 and 387.

Tim

OK, thanks for the information. It's a great thing that you're a member of this forum.

I'm going to check truckpaper.com & see if I can find any 353s.

In addition, I think the 387's fenders were twice as wide as the 353's. Also, based on my encounter with the black 353, I'd say it's about as big as an Autocar DC-64, which would make the 387 look giant in real life.

Also, I think the 353 has a 119" BBC length & the 387 has a 127" BBC length. Is this true?