Showcasing some features not found on modern rigs, this classic truck offers a look back in time.
This 1949 Kenworth CD-524 was originally used by General Petroleum to haul fuel for the Mobil Oil Co.
The Iowa 80 Museum purchased this truck in 1994 from the Motor Transport Museum in Campo, California. When it first arrived, the truck had straight pipes, and with a mechanical supercharger, there was nothing in the exhaust to quiet it down. When the driver’s foot is on the pedal, the sound is almost like a machine gun because every cylinder can be heard firing.
This Kenworth has a butterfly hood, but other than that, it doesn’t look much different than modern Kenworths. Buyers could still get a butterfly hood until 1979.
Another interesting feature is that the truck doesn’t have any front brakes. That’s because, at the time, many drivers believed the front wheels could lock up in slick conditions.
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A former military public affairs specialist, Cody Graves has a journalism career that has spanned radio, television and print. For the last ten years, he produced special sections for Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper. During his time in the U.S. Army Reserves, Cody served tours in El Salvador, Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his spare time, he plays guitar in a local band and spends time with his dogs, Lucy and Daisy.