OVERVIEW
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“Event-ready” custom built 4-car transporter
6,000lb hydraulic lift gate, adjustable decking for different size vehicles
Custom lounge includes restroom, climate control, zippered separation and work station area
Formed aluminum exterior walls for lighter weight
Custom belly box storage system for ample storage space
Custom wired lighting for exterior and interior
Made to comfortably transport 4 vehicles and act as a hospitality center
Concept Transporters has never been known for building the average, the minimum, or the basic. When Bruce Canepa founded the company, he envisioned bringing his design skills and intense attention to detail to the trucking industry. After 35 years of working with some of the biggest manufacturers with fleets and private clients asking for projects that no one else would touch, Concept Transporters has become synonymous with quality, ingenuity, and utility. When a private client came to Concept Transporters looking for a 4-car transporter that integrated some retro design from the 90s with some European influence, Bruce knew exactly what to start with. Beginning with a Peterbilt 372 truck, it was transformed into one of the most ad-vanced retro vehicle transporters parading around the US.
The foundation started with a Peterbilt 372 cab over, which then had its chassis stretched to accommodate for the future transporter body. All air lines and electrical components were ex-tended as necessary. The transporter body was built from formed aluminum panels, incorpo-rating a “rivetless” design to maintain a sleek exterior design. The interior of the transporter was designed to be as flexible as possible by incorporating a number of special design fea-tures. This includes adjustable decking for different sized vehicles, a 6,000lb hydraulic lift gate, and a complete interior and exterior lighting system for increased visibility. The length of the transporter body is floored with 1-1/8” laminated tongue and groove hardwood. The entire rig’s exterior was painted in a custom grey color.
One of the major highlights of the transporter is its 12ft long integrated lounge area. Capable of providing an area of separation from the events happening outside, a zippered enclosure en-sures that you’ll have a space to relax in. Complete with a restroom and a workstation with stainless steel countertops and cabinets. The space is also climate controlled, keeping your oc-cupants comfortable regardless of the ambient temperature outside.
A key feature (and requirement) of transporters is utility at the track and space for all the nec-essary items for track days. Luckily, this transporter incorporates a custom belly-box system that allows for more than enough space for supplies and components, easily accessible from the outside. Alongside these belly boxes are the Onan 12.5kW water-cooled generator that powers all accessory systems throughout the transporter. At the rear, one belly box contains the controls for the 6,000lb lift gate, intuitive and reliable to ensure that you’re not stranded with cars on the ground or in the truck. A number of electrical outlets are available inside of the belly boxes, as well as a compressed air outlet.
Concept Transporters upgraded the entire cab interior of the Peterbilt, making the space a comfortable and inviting place to spend time while driving to the next destination. Custom gray upholstery with orange and white stripe accents was incorporated throughout the cabin. No surface was left untouched, disassembled, cleaned and reupholstered as necessary. A new headliner was added. Important for transporting valuable cargo in sometimes less-than-ideal spaces, a rearview camera was added and routed to the cab to make maneuvering easier.
When the transporter was completed, it made its maiden voyage to the 2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, providing support to its client’s racecars. Since then, the transporter has traveled to a number of events, although most of the mileage has been added from traveling to the yearly Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. With the client downsizing his collection, the transporter is ready to make another avid racer happy. Complete, ready to go, and loaded with features to make a track trip as easy as possible, the Concept Peterbilt 372 Transporter is the diamond in the rough, and will certainly be a shining example in the paddock.
“Concept” Custom 372 Peterbilt Conversion
Peterbilt 372 Tractor:
VIN: 1XP-DDR9X-9-ND606874
Chassis: Date of Mfg. September 1991
12,000lb capacity front axle.
(2) 19,000lb capacity low ride air ride rear axles.
108” bumper to back of cab.
42” frame height.
Detroit Diesel Engine: SEF ES60
Eaton Fuller 9 speed transmission.
Engine brake.
Dual air ride seats.
Sleeper bed behind passenger and driver.
Complete Mechanical Inspection, Repairs, and Upgrades:
- Complete tractor inspection: Inspect complete drive train including: Engine, radia-tor, transmission, clutch, drive lines, u-joints, differentials, etc. Inspect all suspen-sion components: Axles, bearings, seals, springs, air bags, king pins, shackles, pan hard rods, steering box, steering arms, etc. Inspect complete brake system: hubs, air pots, slack adjusters, linings, etc. Inspect complete cab: general structure, insu-lation, doors, windows, latches, tilting mechanism, etc. Inspect frame. Inspect all peripheral equipment and accessories: A/C, fuel tanks, lights, gauges, switches, etc.
- After each inspection repair or replace all components required to make truck me-chanically sound.
- Purchase and install new powdercoat wheels, graphite black satin finish, lug nut co-vers and center hub covers.
- Purchase and install new tires: (2) new steer tires, (8) new drive tires.
Custom Modifications to Truck Chassis and Cab:
- Stretch frame to 315” wheelbase: Cut frame and add length as required. Extend airlines and electrical. Fabricate and install custom drive lines as necessary.
- Add approximately 8ft. of frame to rear of truck behind rear axles. (Full frame length to be 414-1/2” from BOC to EOF)
- Paint complete frame from back of cab to rear of frame gloss black.
- Engineer, fabricate, and install custom air intake for engine. Relocate air intake from back of cab to under cab with intake out driver’s side.
- Remove trailer air line and electrical connections from back of cab.
- Extend exterior running light wiring to rear of frame.
- Engineer, fabricate and install custom battery box for truck batteries. Relocate truck batteries from back side of cab to behind fuel tank on roadside.
- Design, fabricate, and install custom exhaust system: Remove factory exhaust sys-tem that extends vertically up back of cab and install a new system that travels down passenger side of frame in front of fuel tank then under the frame to just in front of the rear tires on the roadside. Ceramic coat last section of exhaust.
- Remove all factory engine heat/sound/vibration damping material from under cab above engine and replace with all new material.
- Remove all exterior grab handles, polish, and reinstall using stainless steel fasten-ers.
- Install Canepa Design custom composite front bumper.
- Remove all side steps and front grill trim, sandblast, powder coat, and reinstall us-ing stainless steel fasteners.
- Remove and replace both front windshields and windshield rubber moldings.
- Fabricate and install custom plexi-glass headlight covers.
- Remove factory turn signals and replace with a new integrated flush mount signal.
- Remove factory side mirrors, polish, remove all accessory turn signals and CB an-tennas, and reinstall.
- Fit, align, and trim factory side skirts to fit belly box installation.
- Modify and trim cab side fairings to match profile of box including a radius at the top. Fabricate and install custom braces as necessary.
Upgrades to Truck Cab Interior:
- Install new radio/CD player head unit and speakers.
- Rear view camera mounted on rear of box and display screen mounted in cab.
- Made up test panels of sample materials and styles for customer approval.
- Disassembled complete interior: removed seats, seat mounts, all existing panels and plastic trim panels, bunk panels, headliner panels, dog house cover, etc.).
- Cleaned all components being reused.
- Cleaned cab while disassembled.
- Repaired areas where fasteners had stripped holes, trim was damaged, etc
- Repaired broken plastic interior components (broken corners, cracks, holes broken out, etc.) and prepared for spraying.
- Sprayed all interior plastic components matching grey in color.
- Made up new headliner and bunk panels to be covered. (Most original panels were damaged and could not be re-used.)
- Covered all headliner panels with headliner material.
- Covered all bunk and door panels with grey vinyl and incorporated customer ap-proved white and orange vinyl stripes around full perimeter of cab.
- Installed new dog house cover.
- Installed all headliner panels.
- Installed all bunk panels.
- Installed all plastic trim panels.
- Fit and installed carpet around seats.
- Rebuilt all the foam in the seats and fabricated new custom covers.
- Installed new seat upholstery.
- Fit and installed new carpet on floors.
- Reinstalled seats.
- Fit and installed carpet in bunk.
Re-colored Dash Insert Panels:
- Disassembled dash to remove dash insert panels: removed all switches, gauges, in-dicator lights, etc.
- Removed decals from dash insert panels.
- Cleaned, prepared, and painted dash insert panels flat silver.
- Sourced, supplied, and installed new dash shift pattern decal.
- Cleaned all gauges, switches and indicator lights.
- Repaired gauge back lights and instrument lighting while dash was apart.
- Reinstalled all gauges, switches, and lights.
- Reinstalled dash panels.
- Tested all circuits and gauges.
Concept Fully Enclosed Van Body:
- Overall dimensions: 34’-5” long x 118-3/4” tall x 102” wide.
- Inside dimensions: 404” long x 110” tall x 99” wide.
- “Rivetless” exterior construction.
- Formed .090 aluminum exterior walls with heavy duty single slotted galvanized steel logistic posts bonded to exterior skins.
- Formed 14Ga stainless steel exterior rear panel.
- .040 Pre-painted white aluminum front exterior wall.
- Lightweight formed steel perimeter steel frame.
- High tensile steel I-beam crossmembers on 12” centers.
- Custom extruded aluminum upper rails.
- Custom Cast aluminum radius front corner caps.
- Round and radiused front vertical corners.
- Heavy duty reinforced rear door frame.
- Integrated rear roll-up door.
- 1-1/8” Laminated tongue and groove hardwood floor.
- Stretched one-piece .050 aluminum roof.
- Extruded aluminum roof bows on 12” centers.
Concept Custom Belly Box Package:
- Lightweight formed aluminum construction.
- Reinforced bottom pans with integrated drains.
- Custom formed aluminum doors with vinyl covered stainless steel hinges and flush mounted lockable latches.
- (2) Gas strut stays on each door.
- Full perimeter seal.
- Interior of belly boxes sprayed with rubberized truck bed liner type coating: (Grey in color.)
- Concept custom tandem fender package, filler panels, and all required supporting framework.
- Custom filler panels from rear belly box to liftgate and from front belly boxes to tractor skirts.
- (2) False compartment doors: Both front belly box doors on either side are access panels to fuel tanks on truck.
- Curbside: (5) Open storage boxes: Approximate sizes: 28” tall x 30” deep x 48” wide.
- Roadside: Similar size compartments with generator, liftgate power unit, batteries, etc.
Concept 6,000lb Capacity Hydraulic Liftgate:
- Lightweight steel frame platform construction.
- Integrated liftgate lock system with no corner caps.
- 144” 3/16” smooth aluminum load surface.
- Liftgate frame powder coated for corrosion resistance and durability.
- (6) Recessed LED taillights.
- 54” Aluminum flip-over tapered transition ramp.
- Low maintenance “greaseless” UHMW covered slide tubes.
- Formed steel header with (6) LED clearance lights.
- Custom hydraulic power unit with PTO pump for liftgate operation.
- (1) Group 27 deep cycle battery bank.
- Custom hydraulic oil reservoir tank.
- 12V Master disconnect switch and in-line circuit breaker.
- Wired control box with extension cord.
- Nylon load and closing chain covers.
- Nickel plated chain clevis links.
- Provisions for (2) license plates.
- (2) Removable aluminum transition ramps to bridge between deck and liftgate plat-form. Clips on the back of ramps for wall storage.
- Load surface of gate and flip-over coated in non-skid textured Vortex (Grey in color).
Concept Custom Side Access Door Package:
- 42” x 84” Custom formed lightweight steel frame side access door.
- Side door installed approximately 148” back from front of box on curbside.
- Rivetless exterior construction.
- Recessed exterior door latch with integrated dead bolt and interior handle.
- Full perimeter compression seal.
- Stainless steel continuous hinge with internal compression seal.
- Rain gutter.
- .050 PPW aluminum interior panel with full perimeter trim.
- Custom reinforced internal structural support frame.
- Custom formed aluminum side access door stairs with adjustable quick-pin attach-ment.
- Custom bracket to store stairs on inside of side access door when not in use.
Concept Custom Fold-Up Deck System:
- Approximately 7’-4” of Concept custom fold-up decking.
- Decking clips into interior logistic posts of van boy and is adjustable in 4” vertical in-crements.
- Lightweight formed aluminum ramp section construction.
- Lightweight tube steel foldable support tube construction.
- Complete ramp system powder coated white.
- (2) Polished nickel plated removable load bars across deck sections.
- Each section folds up against the wall and is mechanically secured to wall for stor-age.
- Foldable aluminum bridge section across doorway.
- Full length surface mounted E-track mounted on load surface. (Track mounted on 60” centers.)
Concept Custom Adjustable System:
- Approximately 21’-7” of Concept custom adjustable decking.
- Decking clips into interior logistic posts of van boy and is adjustable in 4” vertical in-crements.
- Lightweight formed steel ramp section construction.
- Lightweight tube steel support arm construction with custom angled tubes for in-creased clearance on underside of deck.
- Complete ramp system powder coated white.
- (3) Polished nickel plated removable load bars across deck sections.
- Deck divided into approximately 8ft. sections.
- Foldable aluminum bridge section across doorway.
- Full length surface mounted E-track mounted on load surface. (Track mounted on 60” centers.)
Main Floor Interior Upgrades:
- 1” Rigid foam insulation in walls and ceiling.
- White composite panels between logistic posts in shop area.
- Rivetless pre-painted white aluminum ceiling.
- All screw holes filled in wood floor.
- High durability floor finish; floor sanded smooth, one coat of special penetrating hardwood floor sealer and two coats of oil modified polyurethane hardwood floor finish (satin.)
- (2) Rows of recessed E-track tie-down tracks: 60” apart down center.
Deluxe Generator Package:
- 12.5kW water-cooled diesel generator mounted in rear roadside belly box.
- Sound suppression package.
- Steel frame support structure.
- Custom exhaust integrated within rear doorframe of truck exiting in the roof with a rain flapper valve on top. Heat wrap on critical areas under floor
- In-line circuit breaker.
- Fuel lines (supply and return) installed from truck tanks to generator.
- Remote start stop panel installed in electrical control panel just inside side access door.
Deluxe Electrical Package:
- Custom stainless steel switch panel mounted inside in front of side access door con-taining: Fluorescent light switches, load light switch, low voltage lighting switches, generator remote start panel, 12V master disconnect with LED indicator light, and (1) 110V outlet.
- 100-amp electrical distribution panel located on curbside wall just in front of side door.
- 50-amp manual disconnect: shore power to generator.
- All electrical wiring done in liquid tight conduit and concealed wherever possible.
- Electrical provision and circuit protection for all components.
- (8) Corner mount LED lights: (4) per side, spaced evenly in custom built full length aluminum soffit.
- (2) LED load lights mounted at rear of body: Ballasts mounted in corner light soffit.
- (1) 30A marine grade battery charger for liftgate / house batteries.
- (3) Interior 110V receptacles: (1) duplex outlet in front of side door and (2) duplex outlets above workbench in lounge.
- (1) 220V plug in curbside belly box.
- (2) Exterior 110V outlets on curbside: (1) in front of first belly box door, (1) behind rear belly box.
- 50-amp Shore power plug located in front of curbside front belly box.
- 25’ Shore power cord with receptacle one end.
- (4) Low voltage LED surface mount lights in ceiling.
- (4) Low voltage LED surface mount lights in walls.
- Electrical provision and circuit protection for all components.
Air System Package:
- (2) Air outlets connected to “Trailer Air Supply” circuit on tractor.
- (1) outlet accessible on roadside and one on curbside in belly box areas.
Custom Lounge:
- Custom convertible lounge area in front of van body.
- Lounge approximately 12ft. in length.
- Full height curtain divider wall between lounge and shop installed just in front of side access door. Curtain to have zippered doorway in center of body and full length zippered connections down both walls. Curtain to unzip from walls and roll up to ceiling when not in use.
- Full contained bathroom: Divider walls with access door. Toilet, sink, small storage cabinet, window in bathroom, all wall panels, etc.
- Full water system for bathroom: black, grey, and fresh water tanks, water pump, in-sta-hot in-line water heater, and all required plumbing.
- Separate light/fan combo and light switch in bathroom. Fan to vent out roadside wall.
- Fold down bench seating on both sides under fold-up deck sections.
- Stainless steel workbench across front wall to bathroom wall.
- Overhead cabinets above bench across front wall.
- (2) Windows: (1) in bathroom, (1) above workbench on curbside.
- (2) 110V outlets above workbench.
- A/C vents above workbench.
- A/C evaporator mounted above bathroom ceiling and condenser mounted under box along curbside.
- All light switches and controls mounted in a stainless steel enclosure just inside lounge on curbside wall.
Custom Additions and Accessories:
- Brushed stainless steel trim: full floor perimeter in van body.
- Black non-script rear mud flaps with custom mounting provisions.
- LED full perimeter lighting – ICC lights, taillights, marker lights, etc.
- (2) Fire extinguishers: (1) mounted against curbside wall just inside side door, (1) mounted in front wall of front curbside belly box.
- Concept custom rear mounted heavy duty skid rollers.
- Concept custom tail plate and all required structure.
- Vehicle loading safety blocks (wheel stops.)
- (24) Vehicle ratchet straps, axle straps, motorcycle straps, Ancra tie downs, E-to-D straps, bungee cords, etc.
Custom Exterior Paint:
- Disassemble cab and box in preparation for paint: Remove all lights, handles, grills, fenders, belly box doors, latches, liftgate platform, rear tail plate, mirrors, etc.
- Perform all required body work, panel alignment and adjustment, etc.
- Mask truck and spray all exposed metal surfaces with a metal etching primer.
- Sand, complete any remaining body work, and primer.
- Sand and prep for paint.
- Paint complete: Including all door jambs, exterior of rear roll-up door, inside liftgate opening, etc.
- Unmask and reassemble.
