Dallas, Texas-based owner-operator Willie Flores Jr. is leased to Landstar and works a 2019 Western Star in his day-to-day operations.
In late 2021, however, he found a gem of a truck in this 1995 Peterbilt 379. The only problem: It was located overseas, in the United Kingdom. The truck was bought and built originally by UK-based Paul Scase with the intention of it being a show truck across the pond. The rig lived there for 27 years before Flores came across an ad for it on Facebook, listing it for sale.
Flores loved the truck and got the "OK" from his wife, so he reached out to the seller and arranged the purchase.
Willie Flores Jr. and his 1995 Peterbilt 379Video and photos by Lawson Rudisill
It made its truck show debut this past March at the 2023 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, picking up the first-place trophy in the First Show -- Bobtail class.
All of the truck's 3406E Cat's paint, chrome and stainless work was done by its UK-based owners through the years.
All of the custom work on the truck was done by its original owners. The only changes Flores has made since bringing it back to the U.S. is swapping the 24.5-inch wheels and tires for 22.5s, and adding an aluminum fifth wheel.
Because the truck was used purely as a show truck overseas, it only has around 78,500 miles on it with its 3406E Cat and an Eaton 13-speed. Flores said he's going to keep that mileage low, just for show.
The rig is also equipped with a Double Eagle sleeper that's still original. "To find the Double Eagle, it's a rare, rare model," Flores said. "And to find one like this that hasn't even been worked" ... Extra rare.
There is very little wear in the Double Eagle sleeper. "Not ripping or nothing," Flores said.
The rig already had its "Livin' the Dream" vinyl lettering on the back of the sleeper when he came across it -- and the whole experience is quite literally a dream come true for his wife. The couple first met in 2013, and Flores said his wife had dreams before they met that she would end up with a driver who would train her to drive. By 2017, that dream came true when the pair went to Covenant Logistics, and he was allowed to train her.
After spending a year there, Flores struck out on his own and bought a truck and leased to Landstar, where he's still leased today.
Finding the Peterbilt on Facebook with "Livin' the Dream" already on it was just "meant to be," he said. "We're living the dream."
[Related: Ohio-based bulk asphalt hauler J.D. Howard's 1995 W900L, with an older A-model feel]
Catch plenty more views of the truck in the video up top. For more videos and custom-equipment features delivered to your email inbox, subscribe to Overdrive's weekly Custom Rigs newsletter via this link.
Willie Flores Jr.: This is its first time in the U.S. that it's being seen, debut.
Hi, my name is Willie Flores Jr. I'm from Dallas, Texas, and I came across this truck in November of '21. This truck lived in the UK since the day it was made in 1994. It took about four months or so to build in Shipshewana by a guy named Paul Scase, and by December of '94, he took it across to the United Kingdom. So this truck lived in the UK for the entire 27 years. It's 28 years old now since I brought it back May of '22. So it's been nothing but a show truck. It never worked. Yeah, so God blessed us and we brought it back.
The truck is a 1995 Peterbilt 379. It's got a 3406E model and it's got a Eaton 13-speed transmission. And the miles on it right now are about 78,500.
Mostly everything was done over there in the UK. They ordered a lot of parts from the U.S. and shipped them across, because they don't make Peterbilt parts over there. They painted the engine, they ordered a lot of chrome bolts, stainless steel parts. They done everything. But when we brought it back in May of '22, the only thing that we've done so far is we took the 24-inch wheels off and we went to 22 [inch] wheels, and I went to a bigger 365 tire in the front instead of the regular tires that they put on there. And then we put an aluminum fifth wheel, because it used to have a metal fifth wheel. We put a aluminum one. It looks a lot nicer. That's about all I've done is the wheels and the fifth wheel.
The sleeper is a Double Eagle sleeper, which is very rare and hard to find because they don't make them no more. That Double Eagle company went out of business. So to find the Double Eagle, it's a rare, rare model. And to find one like this that hasn't even been worked, it's rare. So the Double Eagle, I mean, it'll turn some heads. Those old school truck drivers, they know. They see a Double Eagle, they're like, "Wow, that's a beautiful sleeper." So the interior, it's still original from the way they designed it in 1994 is just original. That's what makes it unique.
We call it "Livin' the Dream." Me and my wife have a unique story. She had dreams of being with a truck driver before we met. So when we met in 2013, she told me about her dreams. She dreamt that she was with a truck driver. And it's funny how the dreams were to the detail and everything came to pass. And we saw the truck, and the back of the truck has vinyl letters that says, "Livin' the Dream." So when I seen it on Facebook for sale, I showed my wife. I said, "Look, 'Livin' the dream,' and they're selling it." And she gave me the OK, gave me the thumbs up. It's meant to be. Yep.
