The End of the Peterbilt 389

In-depth

14 Sep

Mike Murchison reports from Canada

I read somewhere last night that the iconic Peterbilt 389 will end production sometime in 2023.

It started out some 40 years ago as the 359. Then after a 20 year run it was revamped and released as a 379. Another 20 year successful run and again changes were made and it was released as the 389.

Regardless. She was one beast of a truck. Often referred to as 'the Cadillac' of highway trucks.

You could option her out from roof to rails. Creature comforts up the ying yang. It was described as the 'Owner/ Operator truck since it was mostly small independents and Mom & Pop companies who purchased them.

If your jurisdiction allowed it, they could be spec'd with long wheelbases. Sometimes beyond 270 inches. That big long hood that always got there before you did.

Peterbilt used the term 'Class and Elegance' as their sales pitch. For years you could walk into a dealership and see the walls plastered with those memorable posters of the 379 or 389 accompanied by a beautiful well-endowed woman in an evening dress.

Were they selling a truck or a dream? Maybe a bit of both. And that’s okay. Either way, they were both pleasant on the eyes.

A couple years back the big Kenworth W900L (another favourite with small companies) received a massive retool and facelift. Not even looking like the W900L, it received quite a few WTF comments and some negative criticism from the traditional 'old school' folks.

So now with Peterbilt sending the 389 off into the sunset what's left to wet the whistle? There's a whole lot of plastic out there riding the Whiteline - Lego or Tupperware trucks as they have been referred to with interchangeable cabs, dashboards and interiors.

**This is the 567 Heritage that may become the 'Flagship' once the 389's cease production in 2023**

It seems all the big class 8 manufacturers are going that route. Along with one-stop drive trains. Transmissions, engines and rear ends all produced by the same parent company for their trucks only.

The Peterbilt 389 and Kenworth's W900L will still be around for a while, just not produced anymore. Which makes me ponder the availability of parts through an already broken supply chain network.

But the folks still running them and those who have ordered the last batch will be hanging onto them for as long as they can. They'll still be out in the hammer lane in the wee hours of the morning, a gazillion lights creating that aura of distinction that’s unmistakable as they sneak up from behind. The ground rumbling, thunder rollin' and that high pitched whistle of the turbo that’s ramming the air into that big block under that big hood.

There are people and machines that seem to 'float' when they move. Watching them move is like time is suspended for a brief moment. They catch your eye and hold it. Your heart beats a little faster as they 'float' across your line of sight and you find your jaw closer to the floor and maybe you’re lost for words.

Yup. Those long legged, lean, and might I add sexy Peterbilts will reach the end of the assembly line sometime next year. It's all due to emissions, aerodynamics, minimum mileage per gallon requirements and material costs.

I know a lot of people who thought the world was coming to an end when Kenworth gave the W900L a facelift. I’m pretty certain that once the 389 is out of production, we'll be one step closer to things coming to an end.

I’ve owned and driven these Kenworths and Peterbilts. I still do. Not to degrade anyone but when you’ve driven one, you begin to understand and appreciate the legacy behind it all.

You begin to sort out the difference between whether you’re sitting on a good horse or whether somebody threw a good saddle on an old nag with a swayed back bone and a poor work ethic.

So to those who have ever owned, still own, driven or have driven one of those long nosed schooners of the concrete sea... apply for a zip code in the hammer lane, roll the coal and show some legs......

Blessings, MLM

Mike’s post received a flurry of response…..

Billy Adams posted:

Love the post Mike Murchison, you have a way with words, Be safe out there driver. I own a 1989 379, I'll be keeping it forever !

This from Greg Scott:

Love this 379 that I run on a daily basis. You, my friend have certainly hit the nail on the head with this post. The days of curb appeal are definitely going to the wayside, and it'll just be a short memory - all we’ll have is YouTube to remember the beautiful Big Shiny rigs that once ruled the roads and rock the white line.

Kevin Murray wrote:

I guess I was one of the lucky ones to get mine this year. “Blackberry” is what my kid’s christened her. She’s a ’23, so probably the last one I’ll own and I’ll keep her right to the end. Hands down the best produced trucks out there! I had a bit of a lull in waiting from selling my old one to when she came in, so I jumped in our company’s trucks to help out and it was a hard pill to swallow, there’s nothing like sitting and driving a 379 or a 389 down the road.