Kenworth K-100 Grey Ghosts

way back in those dark ages when I drove what ever my big brother was paid to pilot there seemed to be lots of "Rocket Freight". He did stints off and on with Brown & Mitchell out of Footscray, so I got to drive ex Ansett cab over KW's with 8v71 and 15 speed OD RR's.

I seem to recall we often carried a couple of tons full to the gills of Potato Chips for PDF or "Air Freight" for Ansetts (AFE)... even then the odd Grey Ghost or Ipec or Jet or Kwikasair or Rex would round us up... but the legendary speeds may have dropped by then. (late 1970's)

Swishy... anyone got any snaps of a Brown & Mitchell KW with pantec, I would like to complete big brothers collection.

yes alright this is one of afe's that may well have gone to B&M..... its a narrow pan... some of the trucks had sleeper cabs

(Borrowed from the aussie bangers site a warren noakes photo)

Sarge :-X

something i found in my old truck & bus mags from 1972.

All

I've got some memory of those times too.

The 120/130kph was for real. But they were obviously of a different 'spec' to the KW spec sheet shown here (above).

An 8V71 @ 2100rpm with a direct drive RR and 4.44 ratio diffs would be flat out making 100kph (60mph). The 903 Cummins @ 2600rpm would be a fair bit quicker.

From memory - to get a spot over 100kph with a 2100rpm engine and a direct transmission - you needed 4.11 ratio diffs.

The Comet Grey Ghosts didnt make it to Nth Qld in those days. The Brisbane to Townsville run was subcontracted to Ron Turner (Turners Transport of Townsville). He ran a couple of single drive F86 Volvo body trucks (Lucar Pans) that did 72mph.

He then got a couple of tandem drive White Road Commanders that would do 78mph (by the speedo - tacho graph actually). They were 8V71 GM's with RTOO 913 transmissions and (I think) 3.7X diff ratios.

Brisbane to Townsville including 'drops' from Rockhamton north was 12 hrs. A big load was only about 5 ton.

The Whites were eventually shorterned and converted to prime movers. The diffs were changed to 4.11 ratio and that brought the road speed back to around 110kph.

The Dodges I remember were the 'paper trucks' that ran north out of Brisbane. 318 V 8 petrols (I think) with hot cams and big carbys. And a 44 gallon drum hanging off both sides as fuel tanks. They had 'half hight' pans fitted. And yes - they could march along fairly well.

While most trucks were running the old 'bull light' at the time - the Dodge guys had the biggest and best driving lights avail. Because they reckoned they could out run the beam of the bull light.

Tenex (later Ipec) came on the scene with medium bonneted MAN's with high pans (funiture van style juggers). One bloke they had driving - would round you up and then give it a flick and pick the drive tyres off the ground (one at a time) as he come back on the the correct side of the road.

They had a subbie on their Mt Isa run - who ran a UD that was good for 80plus MPH.

And dont forget the Greyhound buses with the 8V92T's that were running at the same time. I think they were good for 130kph too.

All exciting stuff when you consider the narrow strips of tar and the single lane bridges that was called HWY 1. Over taking meant one set of wheels off in the dirt sholder and then the 6" lip to jump to get back on the tar.

Oldfulla :-X

Cleveland freightlines "Mack Munchers" wernt slouch's either in the 70's running across the paddock.
Few of them rounded up by the coppers in WA at 80mph +.
They used to do the last 600 km run from Kalgoorlie to Perth at night and didnt back off going through the small towns along the way.
I can still remember seeing three of them up each others ginger flat out going through the little town of Tammin where I grew up.
Pretty cool thing to see when your a young fella but pretty stupid also.


Basil

A few words I've pirated @
-: KENWORTH-'S' Model Truck Appreciation Society :-
@
www.kws900.com



Cya

[ch9787]

Hey Swishy, where did you pirate that page of the book from ?

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

GuddayM8

Th@'z gratitude 4 U


Here I sign U up as a member of the
-: KENWORTH-'S' Model Truck Appreciation Society :-
@ Gr8 xpense to the management
n U dont even check out the web page

LOL

tiz the last page of 4
I have on the website under the headin
Information in Print
The Kenworth Story
Me thinks tiz about the 'KW came in waves'

Go have a read

n then U can sumerize it 4 uz all
LOL

Cya

[ch9787]

Thanks Swishy, next question, what book are those pages from ?

Who is Craig Rossely and where's his collection hiding ?

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

That book is called " First Custom Built Trucks for Australia - The Kenworth and Ed Cameron story" . I have been chasing it for a while and just got hold of a copy from Plough books in Geelong.
It is good reading, even including one chapter from some old fella called "Swishy".

That book is called " First Custom Built Trucks for Australia - The Kenworth and Ed Cameron story" . I have been chasing it for a while and just got hold of a copy from Plough books in Geelong.
It is good reading, even including one chapter from some old fella called "Swishy".

Hi Atkipete, I've gone through that book once again, and can not see any pages the same as what's on Swishy's site, it just aint in that book.

Come on Swishy, spill the beans, what's the name of that book those pages were robbed from ?

regards greenie