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Trucks on Display

 

Below is a sampling of the many trucks on display in our Trucking Hall of Fame® Exhibit Hall. Check out our app for more information, photos, and an audio recording for each truck.  Click here to download.

1949 Kenworth CD-524


Engine Type:
Cummins NHRS 275 Horsepower with Supercharger

Transmission Type:
Spicer 5 x 3 Speed

Truck Information:
General Petroleum originally used this 1949 Kenworth CD-524 to haul fuel for Mobil Oil Company. Iowa 80 purchased the truck in 1994 from Motor Transport Museum in Campo, California. Everything on the truck is original, including the fuel tanks. This truck had straight pipes on it when we first got it. With a mechanical supercharger, there was nothing in the exhaust to quiet it down. When you have your foot to the pedal, the sound is almost like a machine gun; you hear every cylinder firing. The Kenworth CD-524 has a butterfly hood, but other than that it doesn't look much different than today's W-900s. Until 1974 you could still order a Kenworth with a butterfly hood and needle nose. The only reason they changed was because the engines increased horsepower and needed more cooling. This truck doesn't have any front brakes. That’s because at the time, many drivers believed the front wheels would lock up in slick conditions. When trucks were sold with front brakes, it was very common for people back then to remove them because they truly believed it was safer without them. Now we know that isn't true because when you brake hard, the weight transfers forward and you need front brakes. Top Speed: 72 MPH



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