1977 Kenworth W900A
EVERY NUT, BOLT, and PART was removed, replaced or refinished, and then reinstalled.
Restored down to the frame and then actually both rails were replaced! Now a 265 wheelbase
We have the 60+ page original build sheet from Kenworth documenting this 350hp Cummins engine to be original engine which has also been rebuilt.
We have a complete item by item parts list that went into this build.
Drive anywhere, turn key now.
In 2008, the owner of an automotive body shop was in Evansville, Indiana for the weekend and saw this old KW sitting for sale at an International dealership and decided to buy it and build it for his son, who thought he might like to get into trucking. The owner who traded it in was a farmer who used it as a spare truck and it was always parked inside, so the 30-year-old classic was still in pretty good shape. Being a “car guy” and a gear-head, he wanted to fix it up and give it a nice new paint job, but he had no experience working on big trucks and his paint booths were not big enough to accommodate such a large vehicle, so he took it to the local Kenworth dealer to be customized. After almost a year, not much had been accomplished on the project, so he pulled the truck out of there and began looking for another builder to tackle the project.
Not knowing much about the world of big rig building, he got on his computer and found several builders, which eventually led him to Rod Pickett of Pickett Custom Trucks in Marysville, WA. Initially, Rod was just going to clean everything up, add a few custom touches and paint it, but once the truck arrived at his shop, he realized that he was going to have to replace the frame rails, so the “fix it up” job quickly became a full frame-up restoration. During the rebuild, Rod took on the daunting task of relocating himself (and his shop) to Arizona, which slowed the project down a bit, as well (he even used the unfinished truck to pull a loaded trailer down during the move). After all was said and done, the build took four years to complete.
The rig is a classic 1977 Kenworth W900A powered by the documented and original 350 Cummins engine (it has been rebuilt) and a 13-speed transmission. With 1.2 million miles under its belt, the daycab truck originally had a 214-inch wheelbase, but Rod stretched it out to 265 inches when he installed the new rails, and then added air-ride to the front. Finding a 36-inch sleeper in Eugene, Oregon, Rod re-skinned the entire bunk before mounting it on the truck (he also re-skinned the cab, and in the process shaved the door handles and added remote-activated poppers). Access to the sleeper is provided by a “crawl-through” opening in the back of the cab that features a window that can be rolled up or down with a hand crank.
After doing some mechanical work to the motor, everything under the hood was either replaced, cleaned-up, painted or chromed. The orange and silver paint, along with the black tribal-flame breaker stripe, was mostly done by the folks at Casey’s Body Shop in Lake Stevens, WA. Once everything was in place, it was time to dress it up with all of the shiny stuff.
Wanting the rig to be eye-catching but not gaudy, they kept the accessories to a minimum. After installing a new grill and surround, Rod added new Valley Chrome bumpers (front and rear), new aluminum fuel tanks, custom boxes with stainless covers, and an eight-inch Dynaflex exhaust with Pickett elbows (yes, they were named after their original creator, Rod Pickett). The truck also got electric one-piece windows, one of Rod’s electric windshield wiper conversion kits, nine new cab lights, a stainless deck plate with a stainless connection box, and a visor built by Rod. Looking for some extra style, Rod drilled oversized holes in the wheels, mounted Hogebuilt stainless full fenders on custom hidden brackets, and then recovered the entire interior in black leather. Now, with everything complete, the head-turning Kenworth can still attract plenty of attention, but it doesn’t look like a circus.
We are selling all 3 Kenworth trucks and our amazing 1989 Talbert 35 ton SHOW trailer. They are all listed on ebay as of March 29th.
Feel free to call for more details: Scott Ales 407-257-5854
| Condition: | Used | VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | 157485S |
| Year: | 1977 | Engine Make: | Cummins |
| Make: | Kenworth | Engine Horsepower: | 350 |
| Model: | W900A | Fuel Type: | Diesel |
| Type: | Semi - Sleeper Conventional | Transmission Type: | Manual |
| Class: | Class 8 (33,001 lbs. or more) | Transmission Speeds: | 13 speed |
| Vehicle Title: | Clear | Power Options: | Air Conditioning, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats |
| Number of Axles: | Tandem | Suspension Type: | Air |
