“FOR TODAY’S TRUCKER” AUGUST 2026 ® Magazine A LEGENDARY LOSS KUHNLE BROTHERS: 60 YEARS OF TRUCKIN! THE LATE BOB SPOONER... A UNIQUE TWIN-STEER 362 PETERBILT LOG HAULER & THREE COOL COAL BUCKETS A “BEHIND THE LENS” LOOK AT TRUCK PHOTOGRAPHER & ARTIST SONYA MESSIER
2 10-4 Magazine / August 2026
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6 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 18651 Valley Blvd, Unit B, Bloomington, CA 92316 Grand General Bumpers, Lights, Grills, Fenders, Stacks & More We Install What We Sell...
21 52 10 ® 28 FUN: Truckertoon 34 • WordSearch 41 • Red’s Rides 45 • Crossword 61 • NumberSearch 65 • Words To Live By 68 AUGUST 2026 CONTENTS VOLUME 33 ISSUE 12 COVER FEATURE Bob Spooner: A Legendary Loss for Trucking ................ 10 TECH-TIPS & TID-BITS Kuhnle Brothers Celebrates 60 Years of Truckin’ ............ 16 PERFORMANCE ZONE Every Day Presents a New Challenge ............................. 19 CLINT’S CREATIONS Andrew Bylicki Enjoys a Little “Couch Cruising” ............ 21 OUT OF THE ARCHIVES Another Old Gem from Bette Garber’s Collection .......... 23 TRUCK SHOW REPORT Rolling Through History in Springfield, MO .................... 24 SPECIAL FEATURE Willie Brown’s Unique Twin Steer Log Hauler ................. 28 THE VETERAN’S VIEW Live and Learn and Be a Good Student of Life ............... 42 HEALTH & HAPPINESS Dealing with Summer Insect Stings and Bites ................ 47 LIBERTY’S LANE Communication is Key to Maximizing Profits .................. 49 TRUCKAPEDIA Behind The Lens: Photographer Sonya Messier ............ 52 THE BOOKWORM SEZ... Scientists Who Were Ridiculed for Being Right .............. 57 TRUCK SHOW REPORT The Best of the Best at SuperRigs in Bristol, TN ............. 58 TRUCKER TALK These Truckers Literally “Roll Coal” Every Day ............... 62 POETRY IN MOTION What Exactly Does it Mean to Be “Old School” .............. 67
8 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 We at 10-4 Magazine® love to hear from our readers. If you have any comments, suggestions, gripes, questions, or just some information you would like to pass on to other readers (truckers just like you)... VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE: www.tenfourmagazine.com FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIALS: Search for Ten Four Magazine SEND US AN E-MAIL: info@tenfourmagazine.com WRITE TO US AT: 10-4 Magazine Post Office Box 639 Dunlap, CA 93621 CALL US ON THE PHONE: 559-338-2703 (9-5 PST) 10-4 MAGAZINE IS: Daniel J. Linss - OWNER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/MARKETING Jean Osugi - OWNER/TRUCK SHOW SUPPORT/HR Tim Sieben - OWNER/TFK MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT Shannon Linss - OFFICE MANAGER &DISTRIBUTION Eric Hill - MARKETING SALES MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT John Testa - SALES &DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Stephanie Haas - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Parker Linss - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/GAME CREATOR John Hambro -WEBSITE MANAGER Vic Vasselin - MONTHLY “TRUCKERTOON” ARTIST Ron Kelsey - PRINT &DIGITAL SALES/AZDISTRIBUTION Jonathan Townsel - CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTION Hugo Ruano - L.A. & L.B. HARBOR DISTRIBUTION Teresa Franco - LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRIBUTION Derek Bennett - HIGH DESERT DISTRIBUTION Julio “Junior” Tapia - INLAND EMPIRE DISTRIBUTION Terry Coombs - OR, WA & IDAHO DISTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, EDITORS &PHOTOGRAPHERS: Bruce Mallinson• John & Kim Jaikes • Eric Hill Dennis Mitchell • Stephanie Haas • Clint Moore Mark Harter • Liberty V Justice • K.M. Stanfield Troy Miller • Trevor Hardwick • Brandon Twale Ryan Rosetta • Miss Flatbed Red • Norma Hannigan Colin Kund • Oliver Wiesmann• Kasey Aslinger Terri “Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer • Chad Violet WEBSITE: SOCIALS: Magazine
Cover Feature: By Robb Mariani Angeles, CA. Not long after their meeting, Bob Illers helped Spooner obtain his Class A driver’s license. The phrase “helped Bob obtain his Class A license” was a bit of a euphemism. As Spooner told it, “Bob Illers went with me to the DMV, and he pretended to take the same test as me. I took my test into the booth, and he handed the papers to me under the partition on the other side – I made a 100 on that test!” In a twist of fate, Bob Illers’ trucking company was a hauler for Knott’s Berry Farm products. Spooner would soon begin his professional trucking career hauling jams and jelly for Knott’s Berry Farm, where he drove the stagecoach years earlier. While Spooner was working at Bob Illers’ trucking company, he was often tasked with picking up various maintenance parts for the fleet of Mack trucks they operated. At that time, the Los Angeles Mack dealership had nine new Peterbilt trucks on their lot. On one autumn day in 1960, Spooner was picking up some parts for Illers at the Mack dealer, and he went over to check out those new Peterbilt trucks that caught his eye. Bob did some inquiring while waiting for his parts and found out that a company called NJS had ordered the nine trucks for their chicken hauling operation. Bob Spooner fell in love with the Peterbilt trucks and told Bob Illers all about his affinity to own one of those Cummins powered Peterbilt 281s one day. Shortly thereafter, Bob Illers worked out a deal with Spooner and helped him finance a brand-new 1961 Peterbilt needle-nose in September of 1960 for the astounding price of just $15,700. Little did Bob know that he would drive that same 1961 Peterbilt for the next 60+ years and amass an astonishing 8 million+ mile career with that very same truck. The very first load that Bob hauled with his new Peterbilt was a load of Knott’s Berry Farm jams and jellies. Bob ran “the Grapevine” – that The term “legend” gets thrown around a lot these days, but one man – Bob Spooner – was the true definition of the word. Bob trucked for almost 65 years, and 63 of those years were in the same truck – his first one – a 1961 Peterbilt 281 with a butterfly hood. Over those 60+ years, he accrued over eight million miles, hauled countless loads, and made many friends along the way. I am honored to have been a friend to Mr. Bob Spooner, a trucking legend, in every sense of the word. Sadly, we lost Bob earlier this year, so this feature was done as a tribute to this amazing trucker. The world will never again see the likes of a man like Bob Spooner. Robert Milton Spooner was born in Mobile, Alabama on November 5th, 1941, to parents, Robert and Frances. Bob grew up in the 1940s and early 50s. As a rambunctious child, after Bob’s parents divorced, it made a big impact on him. Bob ran away from home on several occasions in his early youth, including hopping trains and heading West. His mother, Frances, declared Bob a wanderlust (foreshadowing as if his mother knew something Bob didn’t). Bob’s rebellious nature would be better described as determined more than a troublemaker. As a teen, Bob found work in Southern California at an amusement park called Knott’s Berry Farm. Knott’s began as a roadside stand that sold fresh berries and later became famous for serving chicken dinners. As its popularity grew, the founders added a ghost town to keep their patrons entertained. It officially became a theme park in 1947. Bob’s early driving career actually began at the ghost town, where he would drive parkgoers around Knott’s Berry Farm on an authentic stagecoach. By the time Bob turned 17, he had signed up for the US Marines for a two-year duty after getting an ultimatum from a California judge (he lied about his age in order to join). Once Bob was a Marine, he became a Motor Vehicle Operator (MOS 3531). An MVO was responsible for inspecting, operating, and maintaining medium and heavy vehicles, which included the 2.5-ton 6x6 trucks (predominantly the GMC CCKW of that era). Bob’s role was to transport troops and supplies and maintain the trucks that he operated. It seemed that his mother’s words were manifesting, as young Spooner didn’t know that driving serious trucks would become his destiny. Fresh out of the Marines in 1959 when he was only 19 years old and equipped with truck driving experience, Bob met a man named Bob Illers, who owned a trucking company near Los 10 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 A LEGENDARY LOSS
10-4 Magazine / August 2026 11 infamous 40-mile corridor that climbed from Castaic, CA (just north of Los Angeles), over the Tejon Pass, and then dropped into California’s Central Valley floor just south of Bakersfield. Bob traveled what he called “the old road” – formerly the Ridge Route, which was a two-lane road that included a challenging group of tight curves and switchbacks. In the late 1950s, construction began on the new I-5 Interstate, which replaced the “old road” or Ridge Route. I-5 was part of the Highway Act, signed by Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, which constructed the National Interstate System from coast-to-coast. Running a short linehaul from Los Angeles to Bakersfield three times per week, Bob was on a salary from Bob Illers at that time – he made about $80 per load. Bob ran that route for about a year until he was able to pay Bob Illers back for his down payment loan on his Peterbilt, but what Bob was really looking forward to was running over the road (OTR). He found work as a contract hauler for LA-based Neptune Van Lines, which was located on Washington Street, near the LA Mack dealer. He got his first OTR trip with Neptune Van Lines when he ran from LA to New Rochelle, NY. At that time, Bob was running a 38’ van trailer (made by Brown Trailer). It was around that time that Bob had a battle to obtain his own authority. Beating out the large van line companies like Allied, Mayflower, and Red Ball, Bob eventually got his own authority. Always a man of conviction, after multiple cross-country runs, Bob soon secured a deal to haul for Picker X-Ray, IBM, and Xerox. He made two trips per month hauling from Binghamton, NY to San Jose, CA. Bob fell in love with being an independent trucker and the freedom, lifestyle, and financial stability it offered him. By this point, Bob knew that he would spend the rest of his life being a trucker. During that time, in the early to mid-1960s, Bob’s Peterbilt was a stock day cab with a single drive and twin stick transmission. Bob added a drome-plate to his chassis and would actually sleep outside with a sleeping bag on the frame of his Peterbilt! If you suggested to any of today’s truckers that they should sleep in a sleeping bag on the frame rails of their truck, I’d surmise that you’d be looking at a lot of blank expressions, if not attacked for the suggestion of such a thing. In 1965, Bob came across an opportunity to purchase a wrecked Allied Van Lines truck. He bought the wrecked truck and went to work on the first renovations or iterations of his ‘61 Pete. After stretching the chassis and adding a third axle, he installed a very civilized 36” sleeper box. Bob also commissioned the artistic talents of his mother, Frances, when he asked her to paint his radiator shutters with an eye-catching picture of Yosemite Sam, a popular cartoon character
12 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 of the day. Bob claimed, “He was my Saturday morning hero.” Yosemite Sam eventually became synonymous with Spooner and his Peterbilt for decades to come. Bob described the addition of his 36” sleeper, saying, “It was like being in hog heaven.” Bob then added, “It sort of spoiled me.” At that time, Bob Spooner’s Peterbilt, with its signature yellow paint and Yosemite Sam on the bow, were becoming well known around the trucking circles. Now fully invested in his professional driving career, people began to notice Bob. If “you are what you drive” then Bob Spooner took another step into him becoming a legendary American trucker in an era where very few pioneers existed. Bob had an excellent reputation that was growing with each year. Once Bob’s Peterbilt was customized to his then liking, he went right back to working the truck. When Bob showed up at Neptune Van Lines with his newly modified rig, which in the mid-1960’s was a head-turning Peterbilt, for certain, according to Spooner, “The company’s owner, Henry Kiershenbaughm, didn’t know who the hell I was – he didn’t recognize my truck!” Over the next few decades, Bob’s Pete would become his obsession. In early 1967, Bob was hired for a covert government haul. After the tragedy of the Apollo One launchpad fire that took the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, the burnt space capsule needed to be hauled to some select Military bases, and Bob Spooner was the truck driver chosen to perform the task. It would become the first of many classified hauls and other high-profile moves done by Bob Spooner. Each of those hauls was another step, leaving behind a trail of footprints – or tire tracks – that nobody else could follow. Bob was blazing a methodical path to becoming legendary without him even knowing it. Running his new-look truck for the rest of the 1960s as a twin-screw with a single bunk, Bob’s Peterbilt was originally powered by an N-Series Cummins (a Super 250), but Cummins had issues with the NH-250 series. Bob said the early 250s would break head bolts in the cold and his had given him some problems, so he replaced the 250 with a Cummins 335. He then replaced his original transmission, which was a 5+4, with a 13-speed. Bob ran this setup for many years. By the time 1970 arrived, Bob found himself in Indiana at Double Eagle, where he decided to spoil himself even further by replacing his 36” bunk for an unheard of 70” sleeper. According to Bob, his then new 70” sleeper was only the third one Double Eagle ever built. Bob recalled that he paid $5,000 for this sleeper. Adjusted to toady’s inflation, that would be about $43,000 now. With the addition of his fancy 70” sleeper, Bob took another huge leap in building his legendary status. Rolling into the 1970s with his signature yellow paint, humongous walk-in sleeper, and Yosemite Sam metaphorically shooting up the US Interstates as he led the way, Bob’s rig made the vast majority of truckers practically drool when they were passed by Bob in the Monfort lane or saw him cruise up to the fuel island in his striking Peterbilt with “SPOONER” painted in script on the doors. Bob was really starting to gain his stellar reputation as a great American trucker, and Spooner wasn’t hard to miss out on the highways and interstates. Becoming good friends with Mike Parkhurst, the editor and founder of Overdrive Magazine, Parkhurst was a trucker before he decided to become “The Voice of the American Trucker.” Overdrive was founded in 1961, the same year that Bob hit the road in his Peterbilt. Over the years, Bob was featured in Overdrive, as well as several other trucking publications. Bob treated everyone with respect and instantly won people over with his kind southern gentleman style. I think the term “never met a stranger” might have been coined after meeting Bob Spooner out on the highways and truck stops across the USA. Throughout the 70s, Bob thrived. Rolling as an independent trucker with a hot rod rig, diesel fuel was averaging about $.36 per gallon, and Spooner was running the lower 48, picking and choosing whatever he decided to haul. By the mid-70s, Bob was running a 475 Cummins with twin turbos, and his rig would perform as good as it looked. About this time, Bob began hauling for the trade show business and became the exclusive contract hauler for Snap On Tools and their endless expo displays. Further testament to Bob was that Snap On relationship lasted over 40 years! During that same time, Bob also hauled and set up the displays for Suzuki. Now, with a fleet of Peterbilt trucks, Spooner hauled all the giant inflatable displays that Suzuki used for their expos. His professional operations with major brands eventually led him into hauling for the music and entertainment side of trucking, and Bob did several tours with top artists like Merle Haggard, Stevie Wonder, and Waylon Jennings, to name a few. Each artist raved about Spooner, further galvanizing his “legendary” status. Near the end of the decade in 1979, Bob went back to Double Eagle and replaced his 70” sleeper with a monster 110” condo sleeper with a generator, shower, toilet, TV, refrigerator and all the creature comforts of home. Bob was always one step ahead on outfitting his 1961 Peterbilt to not only stay relevant, but to thumb the eyes of any other independent truckers on style points alone. Overdrive featured Bob’s new sleeper after it was completed. As Spooner headed into the 1980s, his rig was state-of-the-art but still retained much of its original 1961 charm – and Yosemite Sam was still eating bugs. During the early 80s, Bob was chosen to haul another government contract haul, and it involved space, just not in the form of a manned spacecraft like when he hauled the Apollo One capsule. Bob hauled the “Star Wars” anti-missile satellite defense system to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California! Bob said the space-weapon was 30’ long and 9’ high. That haul involved the military pulling Bob’s truck up a hill via cables in order to position the cargo for unload. Spooner hauled many high security loads for the military over his illustrious driving career.
10-4 Magazine / August 2026 13 In 1988, Bob and his first wife were caught in a tornado in Arkansas while hauling Richard Petty’s race car to the SEMA convention. At the time they were caught in the tornado, Bob was still running his 110” sleeper. According to Bob, all 18 of his truck’s wheels were “off the ground” and he did three full revolutions before the truck was blown over into a muddy field. Bob’s wife was in the sleeper at the time and was thrown about. She escaped injury because she was padded by all the clothes that fell out of the large closet! Fortunately, Bob and his wife were not even scratched after being through a tornado, but his Peterbilt didn’t fare so well. Richard Petty’s display car also came out unscathed. Bob’s sleeper took the brunt of the damage. After the tornado incident, Bob went home, removed the damaged sleeper, and then put his drome-plate back on (yes, the same one he used to camp out on in the early 60s when he had no sleeper at all). He had another cab already painted, replaced anything broken, and within four days he was headed to the SEMA show with the Petty display. While Bob was at that SEMA show he ordered another sleeper from his friends at Double Eagle. That 120” sleeper would be the last one he installed, and it became the last iteration of his now famous Peterbilt. In the early 1990s, Bob hauled for the Medtronic Corporation that specialized in the mobile medical field. That contract lasted about four years. Bob hired other drivers to work on the Medtronic hauls. Each Medtronic rig had a 310” wheelbase, and the custom trailers they pulled were mobile operating rooms, equipped with specialty diagnostic equipment, and even a rolling morgue. The money he made from the Medtronic gig was excellent, but Bob wasn’t running his signature rig on those runs and soon decided that he needed to get back in his ‘61 Peterbilt, which was being upgraded during that time. After that, he began running a step-deck trailer, and went into select specialty hauling. In 2007, Bob installed an N14 Cummins, mated to an 18-speed, and that driveline configuration would be Bob’s final one. In 2011, when I was in the Los Angeles area filming an episode of American Trucker, I was out at George Sack’s place. While I was there, I took a photo of what I thought might have been the original “Jesus micro-bus” from the movie Convoy. In 2020, I found a photo of the bus, and then immediately called George and asked if he still had that bus? He told me that he did. I called Brad Wike immediately and asked if he wanted to partner with me on saving that Jesus bus from the film, and he was all-in. I called George back and negotiated a price, and then Brad called Bob Spooner, because there was nobody on the planet that we wanted to move our Jesus bus from California to North Carolina, other than Bob Spooner! Brad had hired Bob to haul dozens of classic trucks out of California over a 20-year period, with most of them coming from Courtland Truck Works, so he was the obvious choice for the haul. After setting dates with Spooner for the pick-up and delivery, all roads led to Spooner, Trucker, Brad, me, and the Jesus bus for a glorious and spiritual reunion. We intercepted Bob at a truck stop outside of Charlotte and spent four days with him once we got to Brad’s place. I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with Bob and his best friend, Trucker (his dog). During those several days, I sat down with Bob and conducted several interviews with him about his astonishing career on the road in his 1961 Peterbilt. I have a Bob Spooner documentary that is in the final stages of editing. It captures Bob like never before or ever again, in his own words, so stay tuned for more information about when and where that documentary will drop. After Bob delivered the Jesus bus, I stayed in contact with him after he left Brad’s place.
14 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 In the summer of 2021, I worked on a project with Bob centered around the Winton automobile. In 1903, on a $50 bet, Horatio Nelson Jackson drove his Winton from California to New York. It was the first transcontinental trip in a car. Bob Spooner and I were going to make the transcontinental reprisal a TV event, as Bob was going to be hauling the Winton House Car (the first RV ever built in 1913), along with many other historical vehicles, from Vallejo, California to Times Square in New York. I was excited to be working on that project with Bob but, as often is the case, some of the production partners backed out – foolishly, I might add. I recognized the significance of what Bob was doing, so I was planning to call it “The Last Haul: A First Becomes A Last.” This tour was going to be Bob’s final run, marking his retirement from his 60+ years of trucking. About two years later, on December 25th, 2023, Bob would make his last highway trip. He had retired, unceremoniously, sold his truck, and was traveling in his pickup truck when he got caught up in a crash on a snow-filled stretch of I-80 in Nebraska. A non-domicile “CDL” holder from a tropical climate wiped out next to Bob, and even though Bob had traveled over eight million miles and navigated safely for over six decades, the circumstances were beyond his control. This was Bob’s last chapter, on a road that he had traveled countless times, and for countless miles. After a long and fruitless struggle to recover, Bob Spooner died on March 13, 2026. Bob Spooner is now an American Trucking Legend. We’ll never see another like him. He is the proverbial mold that has been broken. In life, our memories are all we end up with. It is said that nobody is ever truly forgotten until the last person stops mentioning their name. In Bob’s case, he’ll never be forgotten, because a piece of the road is echoing his name right now, and that road goes on forever. n
In an industry where reliability is important, few companies have built a reputation as great as Kuhnle Brothers of Newbury, Ohio. As the company celebrates its 60th anniversary, it marks not only six decades in business, but also six decades of dedication to customers, drivers, and the transportation industry. From its early beginnings as a small family-run operation, Kuhnle Brothers grew through hard work, determination, and a commitment to doing things the right way. And that’s pretty cool. Starting with just a handful of trucks in 1966 outside of Cleveland, Ohio as a flatbed and bulk hauler, Kuhnle eventually migrated to mostly liquid and dry bulk hauling. Since then, they have grown the fleet to over 150 power units and over 600 trailers. Still owned by the Kuhnle family, the outfit has grown into an operation that now covers all 49 states and Canada. With over 200 employees operating out of three terminals, Newbury, Ohio is the main headquarters, while locations in Mansfield, Ohio and Lakeville, New York can be accessed by their drivers for small repairs and parking. On June 5, 2026, I was invited by our friend Heidi Benjamin to attend a private event at Kuhnle’s Newbury, Ohio facility to celebrate this monumental occasion. The event was attended by the Kuhnle family and many of the drivers, Tech-Tips & Tid-Bits: By Brandon Twale along with their families, and featured a great lunch from Blazin’ Bill’s BBQ. After a fairly in depth tour of the shop with Kim Kuhnle, I was impressed at the level of detail that the Kuhnle crew put into maintaining their fleet. With an in-house accessory shop and several bays dedicated to servicing and customizing the trucks, they keep them looking good. Kuhnle’s pristine and well cared for rigs, painted in that signature dark green color, are a popular sight on highways across the country and have even been featured several times in 10-4 Magazine, including the coveted cover feature, in the November 2016 edition. The trucking industry has changed a lot in the last 60 years. Equipment has become more advanced, regulations have become more complex, and customer expectations continue to rise. Through every challenge and every period of growth, Kuhnle Brothers has adapted while staying true to the values that helped establish their success when they started – safety, service, and integrity. Today, the company’s fleet serves a wide range of customers across multiple industries, transporting products that help keep businesses and communities running. Behind every load is a team of experienced professionals, from drivers and dispatchers to mechanics and office personnel, all working together to keep the high standards Kuhnle is known for. 16 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 One of the most remarkable aspects of Kuhnle Brothers’ story is its people. Many employees have spent decades with the company, creating a culture that feels more like family than a workplace. For example, Kuhnle driver Roger Kral, who 10-4 Magazine featured in 2021, has been employed at the company for more than 50 years and has accumulated over 5 million accident free miles. That sense of loyalty and pride has helped the company build lasting relationships, not only with its workforce, but also with generations of customers. Reaching a 60-year anniversary is no small feat for any business, especially in trucking. It represents thousands of employees, millions of miles traveled, and countless challenges overcome all along the way. More importantly, it reflects a company that has consistently earned the trust of those who depend on it every day. As Kuhnle looks toward the future, its foundation remains as strong as ever, and they’re excited to expand even more with their 2021 acquisition of Kuhnle Motorsports Park, formerly known as Thompson Drag Raceway. TRUCKIN’ FOR 60 YEARS
10-4 Magazine / August 2026 17 The historic track is Ohio’s oldest continuously running 1/4-mile dragstrip, and now, with the Kuhnle Brothers name behind it, continues to operate today. The NHRA sanctioned track hosts a wide variety of events such as bracket racing, nostalgia shows, grudge nights, and of course one of our personal favorites, uphill semi drag races. Each year they coordinate two uphill semi drag race events featuring loaded and bobtail classes – one in June, the Semi Stampede, and the second in September, Unc’s Fall Brawl. The incredible success of their events is just another reminder of the dedication they put into each endeavor under the Kuhnle Brothers name. While both technology and truck transportation continue to evolve, the company’s commitment to dependable service and professional excellence remains unchanged. Sixty years after its journey began, Kuhnle continues to move forward with the same devotion that built its longstanding legacy. It’s a story of perseverance, growth, and a family-owned company that has become one of the most respected names in bulk and liquid hauling. Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to the success of Kuhnle Brothers over the past six decades. The first 60 years have been impressive – and the road ahead looks just as promising. n
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10-4 Magazine / August 2026 19 The Performance Zone: By Bruce Mallinson I belong to a Big Cam and N-14 Cummins group on Facebook, and there are a lot of good questions from owners of these engines. Surprisingly, many of the members give very good answers to the people asking for help. It is encouraging to see so many experienced mechanics and owner operators willing to share their knowledge. However, when the questions get very technical, that’s when you should call Brian Moan at Pittsburgh Power Inc. Brian has 38 years of experience working on Big Cam and N-14 Cummins engines. He has spent his entire career at Pittsburgh Power as both a mechanic and shop foreman. Many times, throughout the day, Brian and I discuss problems with these engines, so there is very little guesswork. Between the two of us, we’ve seen just about every failure imaginable. When someone calls looking for an answer, they are getting advice backed by decades of hands-on experience. Of course, good advice is only part of the equation. We also have the parts in stock, including fuel pumps and injectors built by Pat Sharp, who has been building Cummins fuel systems for 42 years. Like Brian, Pat has spent his entire career here at Pittsburgh Power. It’s becoming harder to find people who have dedicated their entire working lives to one specialty, and that experience shows in the quality of their work. Currently, we are helping a John Deere dealer repower an 8970 articulated tractor with a 19-liter K Series Cummins engine. The original engine was a 14-liter Big Cam Cummins producing 430 horsepower. The K Series Cummins will produce over 700 horsepower and an additional 810 lb-ft of torque. Once this repower is complete, this 8970 John Deere will be able to pull larger implements at greater speeds while making the operator’s job much easier. This is by no means a simple or easy conversion. Fortunately, the mechanic I’m working with is an older gentleman who has many years of experience working on farm tractors. He understands that every custom project has challenges, and he has the “I can” attitude that seems to be disappearing today. It’s always a pleasure to work with people who have knowledge, experience, and the determination to figure things out instead of saying something can’t be done. Another project I’m involved with is helping an owner operator, who is mechanically inclined, rebuild his BXS ACERT Caterpillar into either a 6NZ configuration or a single-turbo BXS. Either option will be more economical while still being an excellent Caterpillar engine. I enjoy helping people like this because they’re willing to learn, ask questions, and do the work themselves. There is a lot of satisfaction in bringing one of these engines back to life. On the marine side, I’m helping install a FASS Fuel System on a 20 kilowatt Onan generator in a boat. Mechanics who complain about working on semi-trucks should spend a day working on boats. Boats will wear out your legs, your back, and your stomach. There is a lot of climbing, crawling, squatting, and laying under decks where there is very little room to work. What might be a simple repair on a truck, often becomes a major project on a boat, simply because of the limited amount of access to what needs to be fixed. EVERY DAY PRESENTS A NEW CHALLENGE! An easier marine job I helped with last week was installing a rebuilt set of injector nozzles in a Ford Lehman six-cylinder diesel engine in a trawler boat. This naturally aspirated engine, with no turbocharger, produces about 120 horsepower and pushes the boat to a top speed of around 8 knots. It isn’t fast, but these engines have earned an outstanding reputation for reliability, and that’s exactly what trawler owners are looking for. The next marine project we will be working on is a Kubota 75-horsepower turbocharged sailboat engine that has a severe soot problem. Like most diesel engines, excessive soot is usually telling you something. Finding the root cause is the challenge, and that’s what makes this kind of work enjoyable. Every engine has a story, and it’s our job to figure out what it’s trying to tell us. Whether it’s helping someone with an older Big Cam Cummins, re-powering a John Deere tractor, rebuilding a Caterpillar engine, or troubleshooting marine diesels, every project is different. That’s one of the things I still enjoy after all these years of doing this job. Every day presents a new challenge, and every challenge is another opportunity to learn something new. Experience still matters, and there are no substitutes for solving problems with your own hands. To learn more about all our available products and services, visit us in Saxonburg, PA, call (724) 360-4080, or go to www.pittsburghpower.com anytime. We are always here to help! n
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Clint’s Creations: By Clint Moore bug at an early age, like so many of us, being around Uncle Donald, farming, cattle and trucks. When Andrew graduated in 2007 and got his CDL at 18 years old, there were no other options, as trucking was all he wanted to do. His first driving job was running to Boston and pedaling products to convenience stores. He did that for four years and then switched companies and started pulling a low boy and end dump. In 2017, he found a 1997 KW W900L with an Aero II sleeper in a local guy’s barn that had been sitting for a while. Purchasing the wrecked truck, he and his friends worked on it for two years, getting it ready to work. In 2019, Andrew filed for his authority and began running reefer loads. He kept the Kenworth until he got the new one pictured here. His girlfriend Taylor drives a sweet 567 Peterbilt with a smaller flattop for her job, and one day he was home and decided to go to work with her. When Andrew got in the This month’s creation was built for Andrew Bylicki (37) of Ludlow, MA. His significant other for the past eight years is Taylor O’Brien – she also drives, but for someone else. They met while driving for the same company, became friends, and eventually just decided to get together. Andrew said, “It is so nice, because she gets the trucking thing, because she is in it, too.” And, speaking of his Peterbilt seen here, Andrew couldn’t be more excited about how nice his new 589 drives. Unlike some of our friends, Andrew grew up a little different. He didn’t have a great relationship with his parents, but he was blessed to have his friend Brian, and Brian’s father took him and helped show him the ropes. He calls him “Uncle Donald” aka Donald Roberts. He started trucking in the mid-70s in a Brockway, and then in the 80s he incorporated as Ludlow Excavating Services, which he still operates today. Andrew caught the trucking 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 21 new cab, he was like, “Maybe I need a new 589!” Because it is such a small world, a local guy he knew gave him my number and recommended at least calling me. When he called, being like-minded, we hit it right off, and he ordered what you see here. Both Andrew and I really liked how this one turned out, so we thought it would be nice to share it with all of you. The truck is a 2027 Peterbilt 589 with a 72” HR sleeper, painted Legendary Teal Effect with a simple black frame. Powered by a 565-hp Cummins X15 with 2050 torque, an 18-speed, a car-hauler front axle with factory air ride steer, and full locking diffs, the truck also has disc brakes all around. Inside, the new Peterbilt features a top of the line Platinum interior package with all the goodies. When the truck showed up, Mike was in charge of making it look right. He started by adding a visor from 4 State Trucks, steer axle dumps, handmade cab and COUCH CRUISER sleeper skirts from Storm at ONE 11 Weld Shop, along with old school M1 lights down the sides. Jimmy laid the paint on the tanks, DEF cover, and air cleaner bands, then Mike wired up some mirror, marker and turn signal lights. Mike also installed two load lights in the back of the sleeper, which are no longer an option from the factory, along with a flush-mount Merritt deck plate and Hogebuilt half fenders on I-29 brackets. Once he got the truck home, Andrew wanted to add some final touches, including some pinstriping by Jason Clark of Clark’s Kustom Paint, located in Heath, MA, which really topped the truck off. People can say what they want about the new 589 Peterbilts, but Andrew said, “Getting out of my old 1997 Kenworth W900L with a small sleeper opening and getting into this new 589 was awesome. It’s like driving a couch, because it is so quiet, comfortable and smooth.” I’ve heard the 589 called a lot of things, but “Couch Cruiser” is not one of them! If you are in the market to buy a new truck and want to experience the quiet and comfortable ride of a new 589 for yourself, call or visit me at KC Peterbilt or get in touch with your Geis Dealer Group sales representative today!! n
22 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 AUGUST 13-15 • QUINCY, IL
10-4 Magazine / August 2026 23 This month we feature a show truck that was owned and operated by Bette’s good friend and 10-4 Magazine’s “Trucker Talk” columnist, Kim Jaikes (Kim Grimm back then). This beautiful light blue metallic 1999 Kenworth W900L named “Illusion” was powered by a 550 CAT mated to a Eaton-Fuller 13-speed pushing power to 3.55 geared rears on 22.5 tall rubber. The Kenworth rode on a 270” wheelbase and was equipped with an 86” Studio sleeper. The interior sported a full Diamond Tued VIT package, with custom parts from Rockwood, along with custom wood floors and cabinets by Kim’s brother, Paul Wiley. Pulling a matching 2001 Utility reefer, this truck ran the west coast and back and had over two million miles on it when Kim sold it in 2009 (it was also featured on the cover of our November 2005 edition). OUT OF THE ARCHIVES With Bette Garber “Illusion” OVER 75 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE! Slover Cherry Citrus 10 15 14770 SLOVER AVENUE • FONTANA, CA 92335 909-357-9227 • WWW.EIGHTPOINTTRAILER.COM 75 GREAT DANE PARTS & SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE UNDER ONE ROOF - OURS! GIVE US A CALL! EXPERT TRAILER REPAIR • FABRICATION • FULL PARTS DEPARTMENT
Truck Show Report: By Kasey Aslinger The American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) National Convention and Truck Show had been an event on my husband Terry’s bucket list ever since we started showing trucks. When we became friends with Geo and Patricia Cuellar, along with Megan and Jonathan Kraak, they began sharing photos of their adventures from the event. What once sounded a bit of a bore suddenly became much more appealing to me, as well. And since this year’s show, held June 4-6, 2026, was only four hours from our house in Springfield, Missouri, we decided to finally go for it! Of course, with loads to haul and our youngest daughter’s birthday party scheduled for the same weekend, it looked like we were going to miss it yet again. But life has a funny way of throwing curve balls. Apparently, one of 10-4’s other contributors was scheduled to attend the show and cover it for the magazine, but he injured his back just a few days prior to leaving. When my editor Dan messaged me asking if I knew anyone who could lend a hand, I happily volunteered and made plans to head out early the next morning for a day date with Terry at the show. Once in Springfield, the moment I stepped out of my car, I was met with stifling heat and humidity, almost what I imagine standing inside an air fryer would feel like. But mixed in with the heat were the sounds of engines revving, laughter, and the lively rhythms of the Spanish music genre known as “cumbia” floating through the air. Rows and rows of beautiful trucks were already lined up, and more continued rolling in throughout the day. The first row I walked through was filled with vibrant red, yellow, and blue trucks that had traveled all the way from Mexico! Their paint gleamed in the sun, as their owners put the finishing touches on them, before the temperatures climbed even higher. For the first time in ATHS history, Tracto Clásicos, a group of 43 trucks, traveled 1,113 miles from Allende, Nuevo León, Mexico, to join all of us in Springfield, Missouri. Most of the participants were already members of ATHS when they arrived, with even more signing up during the registration process. They were very excited to be invited and to spend time with people who appreciate old trucks just as much as they do. There was a language barrier, but somehow it was worked through. I suppose old trucks can be talked about and understood in any language – now it’s been proven. I quickly learned there truly is something for everyone at this show. With over 500 trucks at the event, from beautifully restored antiques to a new 2027 model on display, the variety was incredible. Between all the trucks and all the vendors and the displays, there weren’t just hundreds of things to see – there were thousands. It’s always a pleasure getting to catch up with our friend Marty from OOIDA. He greets everyone with a smile, is incredibly knowledgeable, and this year he had the newest truck on the grounds – a 2027 model. He walked us through all its new technology and features. I’ll admit, though, some of today’s technology is a little intimidating. The screen in my new Expedition recently went completely black, and I couldn’t even adjust the heat in the back seat until I pulled over and restarted the car. Now trucks are replacing mirrors and blind-spot mirrors with cameras. It makes you wonder – what happens if those screens go black while you’re driving in five lanes of traffic? How do you safely get where you’re going? It’s certainly something to think about. While wandering the grounds, we were lucky enough to run into our buddy, trucking photographer, industry icon, and fellow truck enthusiast, Chris Fiffie. Chris told us the ATHS show was one he’d always wanted to attend, and once he finally did, he was hooked. He’s been back every year since. Hearing someone as well-traveled and respected as Chris speak so highly of the event says a lot about what makes this show special. We also got to meet Mike Ploch from Connecticut. Mike brought his beautiful 1951 Duplex, complete with antique tilt-out windows, to the show. Antique trucks are truly a family affair for the Plochs, who operate cattle farms in both Connecticut and Oklahoma. Mike’s daughter, Johanna, manages the Oklahoma operation, where she preloads trailers in North Texas and Oklahoma before meeting the Connecticut crew halfway to exchange loads. 24 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 ROLLING THROUGH HISTORY
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26 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 Terry’s favorite truck at the show was tucked away inside one of the buildings – a perfectly restored carnival truck covered in intricate carvings and hand-painted artwork. It resonated with him because of our own family’s history of owning a steam swing carousel from that same era. Many people had never seen a carnival transport truck before, let alone one filled with beautifully carved carousel animals. Since I only spent one full day at the show, I left wishing I’d had more time. I could have spent an entire week listening to the stories behind these trucks. That’s what I took away from ATHS – it’s not about what you own, it’s about how you found it, the people you met along the way, and the memories you made getting there. If you’ve never attended the ATHS National Convention, put it on your calendar, because it’s like rolling through history – literally. Join the fun June 10-12, 2027, at the Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center in Salem, Oregon. I have a feeling that once you go, you’ll finally understand why so many people return year after year. n
Special Feature: By Ryan Rosetta Some trucks are made famous by their work, others by the stories they carry, and some by the miles they travel on the open roads – or in this case, the logging roads. For Willie Brown out of Dayton, Oregon, his unique 2003 Peterbilt 362 twin steer is a little bit of all three. At first glance, this cabover stands out from today’s long-hooded conventionals, but this truck isn’t your ordinary 362. Behind the cab sits a custom setup designed specifically for hauling some of the Pacific Northwest’s biggest timber products (from 32-foot logs to 110-foot poles). Powered by a 12.7 Detroit Diesel Series 60 with about 500 horsepower, backed with an Eaton 18-speed, this Peterbilt is built to handle whatever the job throws at it. Why a twin steer? Well, Willie said he chose this truck because of the price at first, he wasn’t looking for a twin steer, but he was looking for a short cab cabover, so when he saw this twin steer truck, he thought, “Why wouldn’t it work?” At that point, nobody else he knew had done it, so he tried it! In the end, the dual front axles allow Willie to haul more weight and maneuver better than a single steer axle setup. Having spent over 35 years in the trucking industry, Willie’s experience shows in the little details of his truck. The truck originally started its life as a 4-axle with a liquid nitrogen tank before being transformed into the log and pole hauling machine it is today. To be turned into a log truck, Willie had to add a few things such as a lift axle, stinger, logging bunk, headache rack, frame decking, and multiple custom modifications to make it perfect for his daily work. Paired with a specifically modified Peerless log jeep from Canada and a custom-built trailer section from Pederson Log Trailers in Bellingham, Washington, this combo is perfectly built to haul long timber throughout the Pacific Northwest. The truck itself has a little bit of history. Willie purchased the truck at a dealer in Covington, Tennessee, after it went through a Ritchie Bros. auction. When he originally bought the truck, it only had 186,000 miles and roughly about 4,500 hours on the engine, and much of that time was idle time because of the liquid nitrogen tank on the back. So, this twin steer cabover truck had a pretty easy life before beginning its second career as a log truck. Like many trucks, this Peterbilt has evolved over time. Following a bad accident where the truck rolled over, Willie replaced the cab guard and cab, mixing parts from both the original cab and a donor replacement cab he bought (an old hay truck that was owned by Nick Nimmo Hay out of Galt, CA). The instrument cluster from the hay truck cab found a new home in the log truck cab, while the interior was upgraded from a basic blue and gray trim with no upper console to a gray velvet with an upper console. Though he searched for a tilt 28 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 steering column during the rebuilding process, finding one proved to be very difficult, so the truck ended up with another non-tilting column out of an older Peterbilt 362. During the rebuild, the truck also went from white to red. Sitting on a 280-inch wheelbase and rolling on 22.5-inch rubber, the truck has a unique suspension setup that you don’t see every day. In the front, the twin steer axle setup, which Willie describes as basically a trailer’s suspension, uses an equalizer. This equalizer is between the front and back steer axles, and like a trailer, the DOT cannot single one steer axle out, they have to weigh both as a group, like dual-axle drive tires. A Peterbilt AirTrac suspension in the back gives the truck a smooth ride while hauling those heavy loads. The truck originally came with 4.88 rear gears, but Willie changed them to 4.33 rears to better suit his log-hauling needs. The truck’s dual stacks give it a balanced look, but only the passenger side is functional. It’s a simple detail that adds to the truck’s personality and goes to show that even a hard-working log truck can have a little bit of style. A UNIQUE LOGGER
10-4 Magazine / August 2026 29 Today, Willie operates under the name GWD8 – which stands for God, Willie, Daphne (his wife of 20 years), and the 8 stands for eight acres of land at his home in Dayton, Oregon. The saying under his logo “GOD’S Got This” was supposed to go on the truck when he first got it, but it never did. So, after the truck was wrecked and then rebuilt, he got it dedicated at their church and then finally put it on the door. His wife told him he couldn’t drive it until the phrase was put on it, so he made sure to get it done this time. Regarding his faith, Willie said, “Without God I wouldn’t even have this truck. As a Seventh Day Adventist, I am a Christian all week, not just for a few hours, and that’s how I try to run my business. Not only is my truck different, but I am, too!” While many of the other companies around Willie are always expanding and trying to grow their fleets, he prefers to keep it small – just one truck, one driver, and a commitment to doing the job right. The work itself requires skill, patience, and attention to detail. While hauling logs most of the time, Willie also moves poles. Pole hauling isn’t like general freight – every load is different in its own way. Depending on the length of the pole, Willie adjusts the trailer by moving the reach and making sure the bunks are in the right position to safely transport everything from short logs to poles that are over 100 feet long. Growing up around trucking helped shape Willie’s future. Both his brother and sister were in the industry long before Willie found himself behind the wheel of a truck. His opportunity came when a man named Ken Montgomery was putting together a Powerliner with a flatbed, powered by a V12 Detroit, that needed a driver. Ken was told about Willie by a mutual friend, and what began as a small opportunity quickly became a lifelong career. Over the years Willie has been in the trucking industry, he’s seen it change dramatically. Trucks have become way more sophisticated, the regulations have increased, and traffic has become a big issue. If you ask Willie what he dislikes most about his job, he will quickly say,
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