This truck was produced before the 379 model. Probably today Peterbilt 359 can not be called the most comfortable and convenient truck. All the same, its cabin is rigidly, without pneumatic cushions, screwed to the frame and it is not as comfortable as the modern 389. But it’s an iconic machine that many of its owners are in love with. Some of the owners use the Peterbilt 359 as a show car, but some continue to work on it and don’t even think about a new truck.
It may surprise you, but the Cummins NTS engine installed in Peterbilt 359 was used in small ships and shunting locomotives. Just imagine! – this truck is powered by a train engine! That alone speaks volumes about the sheer thrust and durability of the engine used.
Peterbilt 359 EXHD – Extended Hood, differs by 20 centimeters longer hood. This modification looks even more spectacular. The aluminum hood is raised together with the wings. On weight it is held by two special shock absorbers. By the standards of ordinary cars, there is a huge radiator fan. It seems – it could be used on a small airplane.
Price and sale 1986 Peterbilt 359.
It may surprise many people, but a new truck costing 150 thousand, in the U.S. can be supplemented with options for the same amount.
Looking through the ads on Truck Paper I noticed quite a few offers for $100,000. Yes, – today for this money you can buy not much used 389, but 359 in the eyes of some enthusiasts is even cooler, although it is not so convenient to work.
So in Kentucky, an ’84 tractor with a Caterpillar engine is for sale for $100,000. An ’89 Peterbilt with a 13-speed manual and a Caterpillar engine sold for the same amount in Minesota. In California, an ’85 Peterbilt with 573,000 miles on the odometer sells for $30,000.
Well-maintained copies are not cheap, and the machine passed a serious restoration at a cost can be generally comparable to 2uh, 3years old tractor.
Appearance and photo.
Even by the photo you can easily understand that this is a classic, bonneted truck from the USA. The pipes of the exhaust system are not just up, but are fixed on the sides of the cab. Pipes in their upper part can be straight, or curved – it depends on the wishes of the owner. The same solution was used in the next models, – 379 and 389.
Pay attention to the air filter housings. They are made of stainless steel, as well as outside the hood and designed for large filters with a diameter of 15 inches. The fuel tanks are also made of stainless steel, have a capacity of 550 liters each and of course they are not covered with plastic fairings.
Pay attention to the windshields, – they have some angle from the center to the edge. Perhaps they tried to improve aerodynamics without tilting the glass itself. Whatever the reason, it looks very stylish and is a distinctive feature of this truck today.
There are quite large doors on the sides of the sleeper compartment. On the hood of the Cummins-engined version you can see the logo – 475H.P. Such a serious power had Peterbilt trucks in the 80s. Headlights could be round instead of rectangular at the owner’s request.
As on the later models of the brand, under the upper steps there are boxes, in which the batteries are hidden – 2 on each side.
Pay attention to how many mirrors on the Peterbilt cab. There are no cameras here, though some owners could install them. By the way, – the cab of the 359th model is made of aluminum and the hood too.
Rear tires have a rare size; – 11R24,5. Such tires may not be easy to find.
Interior and equipment.
The floor of the Peterbilt 359 is made of plywood. As practice shows, this material is strong enough and does not loosen. As mentioned above, the cabin of the 359 is rather narrow, but it is narrow even in comparison with later, bonneted tractors of the brand.
Even if the driver’s side window lift is mechanical, the passenger side window lift can be pneumatically operated. The windshield wipers are also air-driven, while the right and left wipers have separate switches and can operate independently of each other.
Among the devices one can notice the air filter pollution indicator and the higher the arrow rises on it, the worse it is. Among the devices there is a toggle switch for engine braking. It has 3 modes, which disable 2, 4 and 6 cylinders respectively. Under the steering wheel you can notice the trailer brake lever. To the left of the steering column on a Cummins powered machine is the air start button ( it helps the engine start).
As we said above, there are no air bags under the cab of this peterbilt. They were not under the driver’s and passenger’s seat, but it is quite possible to retrofit your truck with them. Of course, the gearbox of this truck has no synchronizers, which affects the specifics of driving the truck and the life of the gearbox.
1986 Peterbilt 359 is equipped with a window in the right door. This element is a usual feature of American trucks. It is somewhat inconvenient that right behind the back of the driver’s seat there is a partition of the sleeping and driver’s compartment. This prevents the seat from being pushed further back and narrows the passage to the sleeper compartment. This is one of the elements that indicates that this is a truck from many decades ago. Modern classic style trucks are much more comfortable in details, but it doesn’t matter to 359 owners.
Engine and specifications of 1986 Peterbilt 359.
The Cummins NTC engine with a displacement of 14 liters develops a maximum output of 475 horsepower. Just think about it – each cylinder of this six-cylinder diesel engine has a volume of more than 2 liters! The engine is mated to a 13-speed manual transmission.
The engine holds 44 liters of oil, and the cooling system holds 60 liters of fluid! This is a conventional truck, so the oil dipstick is not as long as on cabovers.
The front suspension is not double wishbone, but four springs! Brakes on all axles are drum, with pneumatic drive.
It is a beautiful, powerful and very charismatic car. I understand people who work on it to this day and invest significant money in their truck. This machine is worth any financial investment, and in return pleases the owner with reliability and excellent traction.
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