Green Kenworth A-model Interior & Front Suspension

6:58

36:15

648.1K views

At 6:58 in

Ole School: A Former NASCAR Hauler’s Custom Semi Truck Collection!

Watch on YouTube

What happens here

Darrell then moves back to the green 1979 Kenworth A-model, highlighting its interior features such as tilt/telescopic steering and air-ride leather seats, which he points out are from Petty Enterprises race car haulers. He explains that older A-models had the seat against the back of the cab, so he cut out the back of the cab and installed a Peterbilt 'unitized' sleeper to allow the seats to slide back and recline, creating much more space and comfort. He also describes replacing all the glass, rubber, and molding, and upgrading to power windows. On the front suspension, he mentions replacing air bags with a double-shock system, a trick learned from his race car hauling days, noting that air bags cause the truck to 'wander'.

Goal: Showcase interior comfort modifications and improved front suspension.

Tools and materials

1953 Car Headlights — Custom headlight conversion
Air-Ride Leather Seats Petty Enterprises — Improved comfort, sourced from Petty Enterprises
Brass Fittings — Used for air lines, preferred over quick-disconnects
Custom Double Shocks — Replaced air bags for better front suspension
Green Kenworth A-model Truck Kenworth — The subject of the interior and suspension tour
Peterbilt 'Unitized' Sleeper Peterbilt — Integrated into the cab for more interior space
Tilt/Telescopic Steering Column — Enhanced driver comfort and adjustability

What they say

(2,496 characters)

Hide

power. This one here I put all new This has got tilt steering in it. It's got tilt It's got tilt steering and all that. Freedom seats. That's new new OEM pure leather. >> Oh yeah, it is. >> Look at what's on them. Peterbilt logo. >> Did that come out of one of their haulers? >> The King came to me. I worked for them for 7 years. >> Really? >> Yeah. And I've cut the cab out, put the big hole in it, cut the sleeper out. These A models was kind of you couldn't the seat was against the back of the cab. Well, I cut that and put a Peterbilt unit mount in it and we could slide the seats back. And you tilt the seats back past the back of the cab with a big hole in it. >> This thing's awesome. >> This this is this is the stock one that come in. This is a 79 model. Y'all restored this truck, put on new glass, all new rubbers, all new moldings, and put the tilt steering in it, put the big motor. It had a Cummins in it. And I pulled it out. It's got aluminum frame rails. See how thick they are? >> Aluminum frame rails? >> Yeah. They're not steel, aluminum. >> Wow, is it built that way? >> Yeah. Aluminum was very popular until about '83. >> I didn't know that. >> Yeah. Uh my '53 is aluminum, and my '77 is aluminum. >> That seems freaking awesome. What a hog. >> See, I I won't run I don't like air shocks on I mean I mean airbags on the front. I run I learned this lesson with race cars. We run double shocks. A lot of guys puts air put airbags on the front. And airbags the truck don't drive as good with airbags. It wants to wander a little bit with you. So, I just run four shocks. They come from the factory with with one shock each side. And I just put double shocks on them cuz that's what we had years and years ago in race car. We run two shocks on each position. >> So, this is a '79 model truck. What year model is the engine? >> I believe it's an '07 or '08. Now, that we we put a brand new W9L radiator in it and a brand new W9L air-to-air on it. Both of these trucks we we put all new plastic air line in the frame rails, got rid of all the old wire braided old rotted line that was old. Because I'm a I work them. >> Yeah, I got those plastic push-lock air lines in my '96 Newell, and they leak. You fix them, and then like next >> Yeah, you just hear something hissing everywhere all the time. >> I like the old brass fitting. That you tighten up.…

Auto-generated from the video audio.