The Cabovers of Mid-America Trucking Show 2019 [Photos]

Equipment•Photos 24

Cab-over-engine (COE) tractors were once a mainstay of the U.S. truck fleet, but in 1982, the Federal Aid Highway Act changed the way length restrictions were applied. That move sealed the COE's fate and most OEMs had ceased COE production by the mid-1990s. Freightliner continued producing its Argosy COE for North America until 2006 (It's still available in Australia and New Zealand, but Daimler recently announced that it would stop making the truck in 2020, ending more than 20 years of production). Cabovers still hold their mystique and popularity with a small hard-core group. This gallery features all the COE tractors we saw at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2019. All photos by Jim Park

1979 Peterbilt 352 owned by Keith Hodges of Lafayette, Ind.
Detroit 8V92 engine, Eaton 13-speed and Eaton rear axles

All linkages such as the throttle and gear shifter were mechanical.

1974 Ford WT9000 owned by Arthur Culbertson of Frankfort, Ky
250-hp Cummins engine, Eaton 9-speed overdrive transmission

1982 Freightliner FLT owned by Mark Holland of Lexington, Ky.
Detroit 6V92 engine, Eaton 13-speed transmission, 3.90:1 rear axles

Peterbilt Model 362 owned by Landis & Sons Trucking of Lititz, Pa.

Detroit 8V92 engine, Eaton 13-speed transmission, 44,000-lb Neway suspension

1986 Mack MH 633 owned by VTI Trans Services of Indianapolis, Ind.

1975 International 4070 B owned by Jerry Hite, Huntington, Ind.
Cummins Big Cam 400 hp, custom interior diamond tuck

International Transtar II early '80s vintage

1988 Freightliner FLT86 owned by Ed Harwell of Cave Springs, Ark

1985 Peterbilt 362 owned by Jason Alt of Lafayette, Ind.
400-hp Caterpillar engine, Eaton 13-speed and Eaton rear axles

1979 Freightliner FLT-104 owned by Bob Pettit of Hartselle, Ala.
At the time, Freightliner was owned by the White Motor Company.

Cummins N14 525 hp, Eaton 18 speed, 3.37 rears 240-in. wheelbase

1980 Peterbilt 352 owned by Sherman & Linda Kerns of Wallingford, KY
Caterpillar 3406 425 hp, Eaton 15-speed overdrive transmission

1980 International Transtar II Eagle owned by Gibbs Farms of Detroit, Texas

1986 Kenworth K100 owned by Kuhnle Bros. of Newbury, Ohio

1987 Peterbilt 362 owned by Donovan Transport of Gordonville, Pa.

Kenworth K100 Aerodyne, early '80s vintage, with a Caterpillar 3408 V8 engine