1958 Kenworth

[vision386]

I didn't see much "Mackwise" on my recent trip out west,but came across this KW that I thought would be of interest. This truck was sitting behind the Volvo dealer in Great Falls, MT it is a 1958 with (what I was told) a 262 Cummins and a married 4X4 trans. what I found most interesting was the belt drive,and the back rear is live,the forward rear is belt driven!

Really nice shape,except the interior and dry-rotted tires and "Butchie Big Rigger Bumper".

Youngster working at the shop even offrered to start it up,after 2 full cans of either(yeah really),it fired over! I cringed while they were cranking the starter! but it did light,in a blaze of fuel smelling blue smoke!

Someone bought it as a project,but gave up on it,been sitting about 5 years,was suprized the asking price is 5K! neat old truck for sure!

Mark

[NY-B61]

Thanks for a great set of pictures! It's fun to see truck technology as it evolved and progressed, I hope your two-can ether buzz has worn off by now.

Belts. What an unusual way to transfer torque. I wonder if they were constantly live or if there was a centrifugal clutch, button or hand lever that could be activated when 'the going got tough' and another set of drive wheels were needed. I'm not really imagining a roto-tiller or Lawn Boy here, but there has to be a reason for such an unusual drive arrangement.

[vision386]

Not knowing much about the belt drive set-up,my best guess is it was "live" all the time,looked to me like just a toothed sprocket just like a bicycle,i didn't see anything that would suggest any way to turn it on or off other than taking the belt off? maybe someone here knows for sure?.....................................Mark

[NY-B61]

Good point. I wasn't picturing a toothed belt when I saw the pics but rather a "V"'d one. I had guessed activation would be caused by something that would create tension on the belt when extra wheels were needed. Sliding front axle?

[carlotpilot]

these things were common all over the country in late 50s early 60s va -carolina ran bunches of them however thats a first i have seen on a kw

[carlotpilot]

try changing an inside flat in the snow and yes they were live all the time

[NY-B61]

So I wonder if the arrangement was meant to deal with snow instead of muddy logging roads. That KW sure doesn't look like something you'd see in a forest or oil field.

[mrsmackpaul]

dunno about snow wrong I live in the wrong part of the world but I remember log trucks working in slop used to have them and they worked ok a lot better than you might think I remember seeing the belt driven wheels spinning in the mud

transpec in Australia sold them dunno if that was an Aussie company or what the story was

Paul

[Green Dash]

Nice find! I think that bumper hurts the value more so than the dry-rotted tires.

I thought KW made the Bullnose all through the 50's but the newest I could find was a '58 and then '59 K100's. Maybe this is one of the first.

[carlotpilot]

i have changed at least 50 of these things in all kinds of weather . my first public job was at a truck stop went to school and worked 4 to 12 pumping fuel cleaning wind shields and changing tires that was over 50 years ago too change an inside flat you had to take both out side tires off pull the two pulleys and the belt off at the same time then fix or change the inside one replace it then put the whole mess back together then line up the out side wheels so that you had no wobble do it all while the driver was bitching at you to hurry up cause he was late and do it all with hand tools pay was$ 6.00 a shift

[vision386]

Jim, I agree with you,about the bullnose years,but I looked at the data plate inside the door and it indeed said date of manufacture was Sept. 1958,i was told by one of the guys at this shop that 58' was also the first year for the "tombstone" shaped grille surround,so I'm thinking maybe an early production model? I know the new model year cars are always introduced in Sept.................................Mark

[gearhead204]

a lot of spud trucks in the Columbia basin had this arrangement they would take a f800 or c 60 size truck and then add a belt drive tag I have only seen rear tag conversions then add a 20 ft. bed to haul spuds or beets. Nice find Mark, I wonder if that could have been a factory install? and yes the man cave coffee table on the front of that thing needs to be back in the man cave!

[nasty51ford]

Winn Dixie ran these belt drives down here in Florida all the way up into the early "80"'s on GMC snub nose 9500's with 'Screamin Demon 238 "Green Leakers". I like this old Kitty Whopper, but so farrrrrrrrrr awaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy ..............................................

[Green Dash]

Jim, I agree with you,about the bullnose years,but I looked at the data plate inside the door and it indeed said date of manufacture was Sept. 1958,i was told by one of the guys at this shop that 58' was also the first year for the "tombstone" shaped grille surround,so I'm thinking maybe an early production model? I know the new model year cars are always introduced in Sept.................................Mark

It's definitely one of the first K100's to roll of the line. The '72 my Dad drove had a build date of 9/71. KW sure got a lot of miles out of parts of the design. I wouldn't be surprised if all the windshield glass fit every model that had the four piece setup.

The doors might also fit in the openings of a much newer model, although the hardware wouldn't match.

[Brocky]

Wrangler Blue Jeans out of Greenville SC ran those belt drives on their early 60's Diamond T 921's

[mackdaddy]

that is not a K-100 as it was not introduced until 1963. This is the KW that Mack used as a copy to make the G model. Same doors except Mack lowered the handle and note the hinged door under the drivers window. These are fairly rare and use the numbering system much like the kw conventionals did at that time. A friend of mine has one he bought near new and drove it his entire working career. He also owned a few G models and knows every detail that both trucks shared. He had it at the Pleasanton ATHS show and it was the only one there.

[Freightrain]

At first glance, I thought it was a Cruiseliner, with those single headlights. Does also have many "G" looks to it also(no wonder).

What suspension is it? Does the rubber band make it have that cantilever set up added to what was there as a single axle? I've seen other belt drive trucks, but never paid enough attention. This one looks unique.

[mowerman]

wow cool rig,,,nice for someone...bob

[Phase 1]

Jim, I agree with you,about the bullnose years,but I looked at the data plate inside the door and it indeed said date of manufacture was Sept. 1958,i was told by one of the guys at this shop that 58' was also the first year for the "tombstone" shaped grille surround,so I'm thinking maybe an early production model? I know the new model year cars are always introduced in Sept.................................Mark

The build date of Sept. 1958 would likely make it a 1959 model year. That build date for that model could make it worth something more. It might be the earliest example of that model left. It would be worth checking into to see where it falls in numbers of the first ones built.

[Green Dash]

that is not a K-100 as it was not introduced until 1963. This is the KW that Mack used as a copy to make the G model. Same doors except Mack lowered the handle and note the hinged door under the drivers window. These are fairly rare and use the numbering system much like the kw conventionals did at that time. A friend of mine has one he bought near new and drove it his entire working career. He also owned a few G models and knows every detail that both trucks shared. He had it at the Pleasanton ATHS show and it was the only one there.

Do you know the model number for this one? I have see all of this style referred to as a K100 but then again, conventionals prior to the W900B often mistakenly referred to as W900A's.

[NY-B61]

It's amazing how much knowledge and interesting history can result from a set of photos. Thanks again, Mark, for posting them. I learn something new every time I log in to BMT.

[vision386]

Jim, the data plate inside the door said it was a 500 series (521 Model to be exact)the I.D plate also said number of axles (2) I wish now I'd taken a picture of it as well,not at all sure on the suspension,but my guess is Kenworth Torsion Bar? maybe Page&Page?...................................Mark

[Superdog]

It's quite obvious the G model Mack was by far superior.

[mackdaddy]

Mark

that makes sense it is a 520 series like others I have seen. I believe 1 is a single drive and a 3 is a tandem.?? The KW engineer that designed this truck went to work for Mack. The aluminum door frame extrusion and doors themselves were made by Budd for KW But KW never made a deal to keep Budd from selling them to others and so this guy knew it and designed the G model around it. Even the foot step was very similar. One difference is that KW didn't need a pole in the middle of the cab to keep the roof from flopping in the wind.