At a recent cruise night in Somerville, New Jersey, I came across something I’d never laid eyes on before – a Peterbilt truck cab that appeared to have been lowered much closer to the ground. After more than a minute of looking at this truck trying to figure out why it seemed so different, it finally occurred to me that its overall size was about 60-65% the size of an actual Peterbilt. Of course. How else could it fit in a normal-size parallel parking spot?
After finding the owner and asking him about it, he told me it was a “Little Pete” 3/5th scale model designed to fit on top of a typical full-size pickup frame. I was amazed at the exquisite detail and accurate proportioning of everything on the truck, from the wheels to the fuel tanks to the windows to, of course, the cab itself – complete with a sleeper section this owner had fitted a back seat into.
A quick internet search turned up that the miniature L’il Pete truck was one built by L’il Big Rig Inc. out of Nashville, Tennessee. The L’il Pete is a complete Peterbilt replica body assembly with mounting points designed for bolt-on installation onto 1988-98 Ford F-250/350 pickup frames. Either the Ford extended cab (2dr) version with a 155” wheelbase or crew cab (4dr) with a 168” wheelbase can be used as a donor truck, although the proportionate length look of the finished conversion may be a matter of personal taste. The L’il Pete body will fit onto RWD Ford F-150 frames as well since they have body mounts in the same locations.
We at Classic Cars Today salute L’il Big Rig for doing their homework to make sure components on the truck are shaped, finished, and properly proportioned to make the Lil Pete look as much like a full size Peterbilt as possible. Which it really does.
For example, front bumpers, fuel tanks, all fenders, overhanging visor, battery boxes, and cab entry steps are also custom built to Peterbilt proportions. A custom-built exhaust system is included that features a Y-adapter pipe, dual 5-inch diameter exhaust stacks, mounting brackets, and installation hardware.
The donor truck must be a rear-wheel-drive model because the flat floor of the L’il Pete is not compatible with 4WD transfer cases. Also, 4WD F-series pickups have longer leaf springs which extend to the frontmost section of the donor frame which needs to be cut off.
Can a full-size Chevrolet or Dodge Ram be used as a donor truck? According to L’il Big Rig, they benchmarked the older Ford F250/350 frames because the Ford’s front wheel centerline is set further forward than Chevys or Dodges from the same period. This creates a proportionate wheelbase that’s long enough to accurately recreate the wheelbase proportions of actual Peterbilt cabs.
That said, they note it is possible to adapt their body shell to a Chevy with a Duramax diesel. However, the L’il Pete’s body and hood have to be moved rearward for the wheel wells to line up with the donor truck’s front wheels. Because of space restrictions that result from doing so, it would be necessary to install a specially-built radiator, intercooler, and air conditioning equipment.
In order for a Dodge Ram with a Cummins diesel to work, the inline 6-cylinder engine and transmission would have to be relocated back a minimum of 9 inches on the pickup’s frame. The longer straight-6 engine gets in the way of moving the L’il Pete’s hood far back enough to match wheel well opening to the front axle.
Lil Big Rig does not build a fitting kit to adapt the Lil Pete kit to Chevrolets or Dodges, so modifications to the donor vehicle are the responsibility of the builder.
More about the cabin. The cabin sleeper unit is pre-assembled complete with floor, with mounts set out and drilled to fit the existing mount locations on the designated model of pickup. A rectangular steel tube is fitted behind the dashboard and steel reinforcement is included to mount the brake booster and steering column. The dashboard is pre-fitted, and door assemblies including power windows are mounted to the cabin unit and adjusted.
The sleeper section is available with a pre-installed rear window, side windows, or even side doors if the buyer so chooses.
I definitely want a L’il Pete of my own, and have been buying lottery tickets regularly ever since seeing this one. Below are some pictures I took of the cab I saw, which was fitted with vintage Ford dually wheels. To enlarge any picture, right click on the image and select “Open Tab In New Window”.
