The classic “needle nose” Kenworths are of course icons, and instantly familiar. They trace their origins back to the 1940s, and were built until 1961, when the W900, with a wider fiberglass hood and larger cab replaced it. There’s lots of needle nose pictures out there on the web, but this is my favorite, as it really emphasizes its towering proportions and commanding presence.
This wrecker is unusual too, as it has a military-style cab, which only accentuates the look. It worked out of Winnemucca, Nevada; who knows how many dead trucks it’s hauled in its day.
Are those alloy wheels on the front?
Those look like chrome covers over steel wheels. Never seen that on a heavy truck before, but I’m not an expert in that department.
They are aluminum wheels with steal lock rings and the tire size is either 10.00×20 or 10.00×22 and UPS did this alot clear up into the 70s
Yes, Alcoa aluminum wheels were a popular choice on West Coast trucks going back to the early ’50s, if not earlier. Weight restrictions meant that many components were aluminum: wheels, cabs, various other components. And aluminum frames were also an option. Quite a lot of tanker trucks had aluminum frames. Expensive, but the additional weight it allowed them to carry paid that back over time.
I can’t tell for sure, but the rear wheels look to be aluminum too.
The front wheels are actually 3 pc.wheel. Aluminum wheel with 2 pc. Steel lock rings. Extremely rare and extremely
dangerous to repair. The rear wheels are steel tube type. Nice old needle nose.
I remember these wheels. Our garage had a special cage we had to use when inflating them. Never saw one blow, but mechanics swapped stories of how dangerous these wheels were.
Yes, aluminum split rims.
Those are aluminum Budd wheels. Probably 22″ rubber. The five hole were the standard for the day
I love the old Nevada license plates, with their bold strokes and simple design. HA0375 is a circa-1971 truck registration from Humboldt County, of which Winnemucca is the only incorporated city. The crumpled piece of yellow below the bumper is a motor carrier permit plate with a “74” sticker; these were required on ALL heavy vehicles that passed through the state until the end of the ’80s. Ordinarily I’d also expect to see some out-of-state plates and permit stickers on a vehicle of this size and era, but this truck probably never strayed far from home.
That’s one tough looking truck. I like the old 5 hole Alcoas, you still saw the odd truck with them in the ’70s even. Kenworth had a factory in Burnaby BC from the early ’60s to maybe 1990 ish, and they still built the needle nose configuration into the ’70s even with the fibreglass tilt hood and “new” cab.
They were popular with fleets who didn’t run big power (like a 350 Cummins…). Safeway, Canadian Pacific and Millar and Brown had lots of them grinding away in the mountains of BC, but I don’t recall ever seeing one in the States.
Looks like this old girl still works for a living!
The DOT I worked for switched to aluminum wheels, less maintenance then steel wheels, lighter and at the time, around 2014, the aluminum wheels were cheaper then steel wheels. One reason aluminum wheels weren’t used sooner was the perception we were wasting taxpayer money buy putting on fancy wheels.
Reminds me—around the nose—of the ’55 Peterbilt 281 used in “Duel”.
Hey, saying a Kenworth looks like a Peterbilt is like saying a Rolls Royce looks like a Mercedes 😀. Seriously, the Kenworth arched grille with an apex at the top vs the Peterbilt flat-topped grille, are two very distinct looks. To a truck guy at least. That style has continued to this day, although perhaps less noticeable on the aero-nose conventionals.
Hmm Peterbilts are rare here and instantly recognizable Kenworths are EBGO and retain the basic look of this needlenose though you cant reach the passengers window to roll it down from the drivers seat on newer models.
My Name Is: ORANGE CRUSH!
What a new find for me this Friday. That oh so tall and narrow grill looks more like a cathedral window to me. A window into the Assembly of Diesel Piston Heads.
Beautiful truck
Fount is to small.
Does anyone know where I can get a radiator for a 1961 Kenworth Needlenose?