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Pessimist Prime? A cabover crawler hauler

ChestonScout

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
I’ve been a fan of cabovers as long as I can remember. Probably transformers as a kid if I were to take a guess at the start.

I had been mostly happy with my Volvo semi truck. I paid 3000 for it, put like 1500 into building the flatbed, tires, and a radiator and that’s really about it. It served me well for 8 years IIRC. Meanwhile I’ve looked at cabby’s on and off.

I didn’t think I could make one work for the family. (It still might not work)
It’s just the 3 of us but after driving a couple there just wasn’t enough room. Doghouse killed the deal.

Then I found out International made a flat floor. Oh snap!

Then one popped up in TN for a decent price. I wanted it but didn’t have the cash. Then a friend told me he wanted to buy the Volvo. We talked a price that I thought was fair and he took it home!

So I go to message the guy in TN and it sold the very same day! No biggie. Plenty around right. HA!

Turns out the flat floor are hard to come by. I found one in Denver that I actually drove out to buy. The guy had lied to me over the phone and didn’t have the truck even close to being ready to sell. He wanted 20k. Half the truck was missing. I just couldn’t do it.

Finally one came up in North Dakota. I have a wheelin buddy that lives fairly close and he happens to be a diesel mechanic by trade so he went and checked it out.

It needs work but the price was right. He felt the truck was worth it so I had him buy it for me! The truck has trailer tires on the steers so he didn’t dare drive it home so he trailered it.

The plan is he will go over it and make sure it’s ready to make the trip then I will go get it. Not sure when that will be yet but just as well wait til I’m not fighting weather

He also has a flatbed for sale that may just fit perfectly!

It’s a 1997 IH 9800. M11 Cummins, 13 speed, 3.73 gears. Over a million miles but has had engine work.

I’ll update this as the project progresses
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Hickey

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Location
Grantsville, Utah
Nice long frame and larger sleeper on that one. We had a ton of flat-floor IH’s when I drove for Frito Lay. They were the standard sleeper length and also had the M11, but only 10 speeds.
 
ChestonScout

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
Hickey said:
Nice long frame and larger sleeper on that one. We had a ton of flat-floor IH’s when I drove for Frito Lay. They were the standard sleeper length and also had the M11, but only 10 speeds.
Click to expand...

The larger sleeper isn’t as attractive on the outside but almost a need on the inside!

There is 15 feet of frame behind the stacks. Planning a 16 foot flatbed plus a dovetail. The Volvo bed was 16 foot total. So I will have a little more room
 
ChestonScout

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
Shane is slowly tinkering with the truck. He got the good used steer tires put on and even gave the wheels a hill billy half ass polish. He said they need sanded and he ain’t got no time for that. Haha. IMG_3431.jpegIMG_3432.jpeg

So much better.

Then he said he got tired of looking at the stickers on it. No complaints here for sure!

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Still haven’t figured out when I’m going to get it. He is going to try to put some miles on it this weekend and see how it does
 
ChestonScout

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
Quite a bit happened today! He was able to take it for a drive. Everything seems good. Temp held around 190. Oil pressure isn’t high but it is normal for this engine.

He said it goes down the road good at 80. That makes me happy. Head wind slowed it down a little. I can’t believe the big box isn’t more aerodynamic. Haha.

Then he was able to set the flatbed on for a test fit

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Little longer than I expected but it’s definitely a good start. Thinking I may cut the dovetail off and do something different. But for the price it’s coming home with the truck

I am going to remove the fairings and the cab jack pump and that will make room for about 8” more forward for the bed.

He thought the oil drain plug was leaking but when he climbed under it’s actually the oil pan. It hit something or someone stuck a jack under it. It’s pretty messed up so I will need a new one. The heater works good

Another day closer to bringing it home!
 
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ChestonScout

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
Progress slowed a little. Shane made these stacks for a cab over he was building a few years ago. He ended up selling it with the stock stacks so these have been sitting.

Another smoking deal and they are currently being installed. I will most likely cut them down a foot or two IMG_3513.jpeg


He keeps threatening to load the thing up and head this way. I would not complain. Otherwise I’m looking at middle of April for my trip out
 
R

rholbrook

Well-Known Member
Location
Kaysville, Ut
@ChestonScout I'm game to go with you. Will the motorcycles fit in the back of the truck that will be loaded on the semi? We could take a couple of extra days. Whether its dirt or adventure bikes, I can make it happen. Just saying. That's if I can get my favorite 890 back from Jaxon. He took it right before my last surgery and hasn't brought it back. I asked him about it yesterday and he asked for one more week.

Now that Rengade is off the back of the truck I will ride in it. My son and his buddies have this thing where you have to put the word "ANAL" in front of any sticker on a camper, trailer, semi, etc.
 
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