This is one tough-looking truck. Prior to the tilt cab era, “bullnose” COEs (Cab Over Engine) Were almost ubiquitous for that format. There was just enough of a “hood” to allow access to the front of the engine compartment, to access the radiator, oil, belts, air compressor, etc. Kenworth’s bullnose COE came out in 1949, and by 1958, its cab dies were worn out and the format was becoming obsolete. Since 1958 was the year quad headlights became legal, they were installed on this final year of these trucks, which is how this one is dated.
Here’s another one on the go. The single headlights were of course what all the rest of the years of these had.
One more for good measure.
This shot presumably is of the first one, or one of the first ones, from 1949. The chassis, doors and a few other elements were shared with the conventional KW trucks.
The “Bullnose” was replaced by the K100, which featured a modern tilt cab and would go on to have a long life.
Nice find! And I love the dual sleepers.
Unfortunately, I cannot find a picture of the 1930’s White Truck innovation of a sliding frame rail (subframe) for the engine such that a cabover could be easily serviced. It facilitated the problem of repairing this design. Love the photos and the history!
That bullnose has a face only a mother could love 😉
Cool old trucks. I used to see these on the road during the 60’s. Reminded me of this old video of this retired truck driver named Mr. David, who was taking his old gal for one last drive after selling her.
Thanks. Nice to see a 4+4 transmission in (proper) use. Great shifting there.
Wish he would explain the shifting while he was doing it for us novices
There’s two four speed transmissions. He starts by putting the front one into first gear as well as the rear one, and starts off, very slowly. He then shifts the rear transmission (without using the clutch ever; note that his left foot doesn’t move) through its four gears. First is left forward, second is left down, third is right down, and fourth is right forward.
Then he has to shift both transmissions at the same time, putting the front box into second, and the rear box into second. He doesn’t use first on the rear box except when starting out, as that gear would overlap the gear he just came out of.
He goes through 2nd to 4th on the rear box, and then shifts both boxes again, this time to third in the front box and then 2nd – 4th on the rear box.
He never gets into fourth on the front box, as that would require being on the highway (he even says so at about 12 minutes). But if he was, the sequence would start over in fourth gear. Even though this combination technically has 16 gears, in reality they’re not all used in sequence, as there’s some overlap.
Note that all the shifts are without using the clutch, including the double downshifts, when he has to rev the engine some, even twice, it appears, to first downshift the front box and then again to downshift the rear box. As it is the gears do clash a bit once or twice. That’s pretty normal.
It’s quite the dance of the hands and the throttle foot.
Thank you for the explanation. I was curious about just how that worked when I watched this video the first time, particularly the arm-through-the-steering-wheel maneuver that Kaf mentions below. It’s a pleasure to see how an experienced driver handled the shifting on one of these.
Shift main box once and brownie 4 times then Shift main box and start over with brownie.
My dad once tried to explain to me about having to hook his elbow in the steering wheel while shifting an old twin stick Mack truck–I had no idea what he was talking about until seeing this video.
I grew up on a 1953 KW non sleeper cab bullnose. Many great memories riding with my Dad. Truck retired with several million miles-4 different engines and transmissions. Great memories.
Story was the Bullnose came about from the request of a California trucking company for a cabover type truck with a cab sturdy enough to be placed on the shop floor with no supports or bracing. Remember in those days while the engine was accessed by removing the floor in most cabovers, engine replacement often necessitated removing the cab completely. Those early cabs (often wood-framed and fragile) needed to be supported from their mounting points when off the truck which usually required jack stands or saw horses. They were difficult to remove without damage as well. The Bullnose cab could sit right on its fender skirts thanks to heavy steel construction, in fact the sleeper cabs weighed close to 2000 lbs.. Despite its excess weight the Bullnose was popular and quickly replaced the eariler ‘Roundnose’ model.
Highly outstanding story ,many historians claim the Corbett was the engineering master of the coe,developed for WW2 ????
Even though dual (quad?) headlights were offered in 1958?I would guess that single lights were still available. Certainly the later K100, as well as the Peterbilt 282/352, were offered with single or dual lights. Though usually only very thrifty fleet buyers stuck with singles, often matched with single drive axles.
That’s pretty cool I seen that jessup truck back in the ’80s happened to be in salt lake for some reason and my grandpa had a 50s model diamond t bullnose and three kenworths that had sheep droms on them thank God for photo albums
Pretty awesome trucks
The Mack B52 is my fave
The GMC ASTRO 95 was the one that iwas always leary about
GMC ASTRO 95 was one you could almost read your own license plate from drivers seat. It was my first over the road truck delivering Poly Pipe
We’ll never see this beautiful and awesome profession like the old days. Just as the good truck stops. Best food and meeting places for the drivers. I love driving (45 yrs). Retired and just had to back to work. Awesome job, love it.
GMC Astro we used to call them a two story fish bowl
When i bought my 1st truck back in 1990 it was a 15 speed transmission. What made it a 15 speed, it had 5 low reduction gears and 10 high gears. I wish I could find me a 4 by 4 transmission !!!
Yeah start looking for a football Pete now it may take you a little while to find one
I think this is the most beautiful COE truck of the 1950s. Amazing vehicle!