Custom Rigs

Craig Shannon's 2021 Peterbilt 389

The rig sports a 510-hp Paccar with an 18-speed Eaton. Shannon pulls various types of tank trailers hauling anything from chemicals to cement powder, fuel and, in the winter months, propane.

January 15, 2021

David Pyle's 2007 Peterbilt 379

The rig is powered by a 625-hp Cat C15 with an 18-speed Eaton and 3:55 rears. Custom paint and body work was done by Lone Star Truck and Body in Canyon, Texas. Numerous custom touches were added, along with a frame stretch to 300 inches.

January 12, 2021

Look back at Junior Elmore's classic 1970s rigs

Another blast from the past for Overdrive's 60th anniversary -- trucker-photographer Don Christner's discovery of the boneyard of retired small fleet owner Junior Elmore contains plenty diamonds in the rough.

January 11, 2021

Junior Elmore’s Marmon caught Christner's eye right off for a very simple reason: 'I’d never seen a Marmon cabover in the flesh before,' he wrote. 'Up close, it’s easy to see why a Marmon cabover was used in the movie 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' as the Autobot Optimus Prime. Elmore’s Marmon COE #31 HDT-BC-86 was Manufactured 03/1977 in Garland, Texas. This is a complete truck with no parts taken off. Still running when parked in 1999. A good honest work truck that’s nicely spec’d out.' Find more details, and history, via this link.

Jean-Eudes Bourque's 2018 Peterbilt 389

The rig sports a 510-hp Paccar engine with a 13-speed Eaton and 3:36 rears. Bourque started the customization by lowering the front end with an air ride kit, then installed a 20-inch Valley Chrome bumper with a 12-Gauge Customs lift bumper kit.

January 8, 2021

Michael Bratt’s 2012 Kenworth T660

The rig is powered by a Cummins ISX15 with an Eaton 10-speed. He primarily hauls over-dimensional vehicles and equipment on his 48-foot 2020 Fontaine Revolution step-deck with ramps.

January 5, 2021

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Overdrive Extra

2020 through the rearview: From hours reforms to rates chaos and stories from the road, unwinding a tumultuous 12 months

HOS reforms. How COVID changed drivers' day to day. Managing money amid the chaos. Stories of truckers weathering the storm. Rights on the road. Custom trucks.

December 30, 2020

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Germann Soeth’s 1976 Kenworth K100, in service after long retirement

Owner-operator Soeth spent three years in off-time working on this vintage K100, nearing working order in the nick of time when his main truck broke down.

December 30, 2020

Germann Trucking 1976 Kenworth K100

See the truck and meet the drivers that hauled the 2020 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Take a look back at the truck drivers who hauled the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and view some of its stops in Colorado on Overdrive today.

December 23, 2020

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Overdrive Radio

Back to the ‘Biggest Tailgate in Trucking’ — and Germann Soeth’s 1976 KW K100

The coproduction of Overdrive and Radiotopia brought the reality of working haulers to all audiences. Plus: Germann Soeth's restored 1976 Kenworth K100.

December 23, 2020

Also in the podcast: A taste of an interview I did with owner-operator Germann Soeth out of Frederick, Maryland, with mostly dump work and principally in a 1998 Kenworth W900 that was featured in past at OverdriveOnline.com When we caught back up with owner-operator Soeth in October, though, he was showing a 1976 vintage Kenworth cabover. He was, interestingly enough, getting ready to put it into service hauling loads after a long retirement, given a significant breakdown with his 1990s conventional. Find out how he took the rig from scrap yard to working order over the course of a few years here.

Jason Mooney’s 2020 Peterbilt 567 Heritage company tow truck

The rig is equipped with a Century 1135 rotator that is used for towing, recovery and lifting up to 35 tons. It’s powered by a 605-hp Cummins X15 Performance Series with an Eaton-Fuller 18-speed.

December 22, 2020

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Don Mueller’s 2020 Freightliner Coronado glider

The rig is powered by a 500-hp Detroit 60 Series with a 13-speed Eaton and 3:42 rears. It was built by Floyd’s Truck Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

December 18, 2020

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The 1982 Kenworth W900A of A.C. ‘Artie’ Daniel

A.C. 'Artie' Daniel talks about the 'most sought-after truck in the world' with his 1982 Kenworth W900A. Check out the video here on Overdrive.

December 16, 2020

The Caterpillar-powered rig was purchased from a previous owner who ran a small fleet among other businesses and used this as his personal truck over many years.

Trenton Hershey’s 2000 Kenworth W900

The rig, which has around 1.3 million miles, is powered by a 6NZ Cat C15 with an Eaton-Fuller 10-speed and 3:90 rears. The truck mostly pulls a tanker hauling sludge and waste water from city holding tanks to farms.

December 15, 2020

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Jason Rehkopf’s 2019 Kenworth W900 heavy-duty tow truck

The truck features a 35-ton rotator and is powered by a 525-hp Cummins with an 18-speed.

December 11, 2020

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Miniature Pete 379 replica, WeePete, and 8-year-old future trucker steal spotlight

8-year-old Remington "Rooster" Davis takes pride in his "WeePete," a replica of his dad's 1994 Peterbilt 379. See how Brandon Davis built the replica here.

December 9, 2020

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Ryan Mahens’ 2000 International 9400i

The rig is powered by a 12.7-liter Detroit with an Eaton 10-speed. It’s painted White Pearl and sports 8-inch stacks, custom grille, rear light bar, all LED lights, an aluminum fifth wheel, a TriPac APU and more.

December 8, 2020

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J&L Contracting’s 2013 Peterbilt 389 glider

“Back in Black” retooled for heavy hauling

December 6, 2020

Back in Black 2013 Peterbilt 389 glider

Freddo Rivera’s 2015 Kenworth T880 dump

The truck sports a Cummins ISX with a custom turbo, manifold and computer tune. It’s backed by an 18-speed with 4:10 Meritor rears.

December 4, 2020

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The trucker cap in teacher Amy Watson’s selfie from the day she was tested for COVID-19 later inspired her choice of “long-haulers” to describe COVID survivors with persistent symptoms. “My school’s mascot is a squirrel,” she said, which she finds appropriate, given that her pre-school students, with their short bursts of activity, are “very squirrel-like.”

Trucking’s bit part in the 'COVID long-haulers’ name

A teacher's trucker cap provides inspiration for her to borrow trucking's "long-hauler" designation for COVID-19 survivors who discover they're facing an indefinite period of further suffering.

Small-fleet owner Jesse McGinness was going for originality with the look of this 2021 Peterbilt 389, spec'ing the black Alcoa rims from the factory. After his maiden voyage in a Class 8 tractor years ago, in a Peterbilt 379, he fell in love with the classic square-hood series. He plans to modify the stacks, the grille and more to all-black finish -- committing sacrilege, says the operator who took him on that first 379 run. McGinness'll maintain plenty in chrome/stainless accents, not to worry. The flattop with lift-axle is powered by the X15 Cummins at 605 hp, with an 18-speed transmission. 'I wanted this truck to be a truck that I thought was cool,' McGinness said, in addition to doing the tough over-dimensional/heavy hauling he'll require of it.

'WTF' stresses service for long-term success

The glider market grew from a few hundred sales a year in 2010 to upwards of 10,000 as recently as 2017. Gliders sported pre-emissions-regs engines -- no exhaust gas recirculation or selective catalytic reduction components and, thus, no need for DEF. With simpler technology and refurbished engines, the products were much cheaper than new trucks with new engines, making them attractive buys for small-business truckers.

Glider kit market hits fatal nosedive with latest emissions regs

Fuel Fueling Truck Stop

After weakened demand in 2020, diesel prices jump back to pre-pandemic levels

Junior Elmore’s Marmon caught Christner's eye right off for a very simple reason: 'I’d never seen a Marmon cabover in the flesh before,' he wrote. 'Up close, it’s easy to see why a Marmon cabover was used in the movie 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' as the Autobot Optimus Prime. Elmore’s Marmon COE #31 HDT-BC-86 was Manufactured 03/1977 in Garland, Texas. This is a complete truck with no parts taken off. Still running when parked in 1999. A good honest work truck that’s nicely spec’d out.' Find more details, and history, via this link.

Look back at Junior Elmore's classic 1970s rigs

Beware: Human smugglers luring truckers along the border

More episodes »

The Business Manual for Owner-Operators

Overdrive editors and ATBS present the industry’s best manual for prospective and committed owner-operators. You’ll find exceptional depth on many issues in the 2021 edition of Partners in Business.

Partners in Business Issue Cover