Inside a Fully Fabricated 1955 Peterbilt

Jamie Johnson’s 1955 Needlenose Big Rig

We recently had the chance to catch up with Jamie Johnson of Rust2Rodz in Marshfield, Missouri, to shoot his 1950s Needlenose Peterbilt. Our editor, Tucker Harris, kept this one a surprise, so pulling up to Northeast Diesel Service of Springfield and seeing this Peterbilt covered in hand-rolled body panels had me very excited to get shooting.

Jamie was also kind enough to give us the full backstory of how he landed on this truck. Like a lot of us, Jamie’s obsession and love for a specific vehicle make, model, and year began when he was a kid. Growing up, his uncle owned a fleet of semi-trucks, mostly Peterbilts. The seed was planted then. Once he turned 16, he was given his first car on the promise that he would work to pay it off and was soon running around with his uncle to accrue the money for the car. As they cruised around the country hauling furniture, they found themselves catching the same 1950s Needlenose Peterbilt at the various truck stops. Jamie recalled seeing the truck at least seven or eight times, claiming he and his uncle would go on and on about how sweet that rig was. And it was just like that; the combo of his uncle’s fleet paired with that truck they saw so often influenced Jamie’s affinity for Peterbilts—especially Needlenosed Petes.

“The more work that goes into it, the more people can appreciate your work.”

Now, let’s fast forward a bit to when Jamie was having lunch recently with his good friend, Huck, who asked him what the next truck build was going to be. After tossing out a few ideas, he told Huck he would really love to do a small Peterbilt. Huck, being a hot rodder and builder himself, just so happened to know where a 50s Needlenose might be! The next day the two went over to an old combine salvage yard in Verona, Missouri, and sure enough, the fella who ran the place—Rooster—had a 1955 Needlenose Peterbilt that had been tucked away since the early 70s. The truck was a former logging truck out of Arkansas and had been sitting totally motionless for a very long time. It was exactly what Jamie was looking for.

Let’s get right into the exterior. All of those aluminum panels have been hand-shaped into the designs you see. Jamie did away with all of the original panels and opted for the path that required the utmost patience and skills. The hood, grille, sleeper, fenders, running boards, and door skins are all handmade. To save you some time, we did the counting for you—there are 3,394 bolts on the body panels of the truck. Jamie ended up making a template out of ¼-inch plate with 3/16-inch holes down it to speed up the process and ensure repairs are precise—God forbid that ever needs to happen.

We must extend the opportunity to appreciate the amount of love that went into this truck. Rarely do we run into something that has been completely hand-shaped, and man, this one does not disappoint. Even the entire back half of the frame has aluminum panels to continue the theme. Jamie actually custom-made the frame himself as well, using a mid-80s C30 front crossmember with 2×6 rectangle tubing that runs along the bottom for rigidity and curb appeal. For most people, making a custom frame would be the most difficult or tedious part, but for Jamie? He said it was his favorite part, as that’s what he enjoys doing the most. The frame sits on Ridetech air suspension with a rear four-link setup. As for wheels and tires, the 285/40/24 Atturos wrap some incredibly clean JK Motorsports 24-inch smoothies. I think this is the first semi we’ve shot on smoothie wheels, and I really hope it’s not the last.

Moving onto the interior and drivetrain, it’s clear that the attention to detail and effort did not stop at just the body panels. Four Bostrom low-back air-ride seats done by SEANAE Interiors out of Grovespring, Missouri, greet you upon entry, as well as beautiful wood flooring and even more hand-shaped aluminum panels. The shifters perfectly complement the sharp, squared edges found all over the cab. A 2002 Dodge 24V Cummins was thrown in, and Jamie made the custom motor and transmission mounts himself. Phantom Diesel, in Dunnegan, Missouri, threw on a custom 4- to 6-inch dual exhaust, 75 hp injectors, a BorgWarner turbo, and a P-pump from our good friends at Northeast Diesel Service, which is actually where we met up with Jamie and shot this rig!

Here’s a fun little fact about this motor. Once it was assembled, it had an oil blow-by problem. The folks at Northeast Diesel took a look at it, and it turned out all it needed was a different fitting in the pump (one that only cost $8), and it has been perfect ever since (thanks, Cooter). Sometimes all it takes is a fresh set of eyes to do a once-over, which could save you from wasting a weekend tearing down your motor.

Jamie shared some awesome insights that we think should be shared. “Always build to make YOU happy—not your friends,” he states. “If you have an idea, go with it!” Oftentimes, we get caught up in the buzz of social media and the opinions of others. Ignore it all. Social media truly doesn’t matter. Lock in and make yourself proud. Another gem of advice Jamie shared was simply, “Don’t rush it!”

So many people focus on instant dopamine hits and are willing to cut corners or go the cheaper route. While that works for plenty, if you want to really stand out and prove yourself and your shop, this is the level of work you must put out. You can catch this rig at shows in the central states, and I promise, it is well worth a look.