Freightliner Cabover Cab-Over-Engine heavy duty restored semi truck

Freightliner cab-over-engine (COE) semi-trucks feature a flat-front design where the cab sits directly above the engine and steering axle.

History and Evolution

• Origins: Founded in 1929 by Leland James of Consolidated Freightways in Portland, Oregon, Freightliner built lightweight aluminum-intensive cabovers to maximize payloads in steep mountain terrain.

• Distribution: In 1951, Freightliner partnered with the White Motor Company to market and sell the trucks nationally.

• Milestones: Early models included the "bubble-nose" WF800 in 1949, tilt-cabs introduced in 1958, and the high-horsepower Powerliner in 1973.

• Decline: Popularity peaked when federal tractor-trailer length limits restricted total rig lengths to 65 feet, making COEs ideal for maximizing trailer size. By the early 1980s, relaxed length laws favored conventional long-hood trucks, and models like the classic FLB series were eventually phased out in the U.S. by the late 1990s and early 2000s.