To the unobservant eye, all semi-trucks are the same massive machines that barrel down the highways. But upon closer ...

The giveaway is the distinctive flat front cab-over-engine design present on both Optimus' alternate mode and the real truck.

The truck itself is a cab-over — short for Cab Over Engine (COE), a style seen making local deliveries worldwide. He starts with the ladder frame chassis, which is constructed using an extruded ...