The Oxford Dictionary describes symmetrical as ‘the quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other‘. This Kenworth T909 and Roadmaster B-train operated by Main Line Distribution Limited is exactly that.

Photo: The Main Line Distribution Kenworth certainly has presence on the road.

The Chapman family name is no stranger to the pages of New Zealand Trucking magazine; an immaculate Kenworth W900L operating under the Chapman Onion Exports banner won the magazine‘s ‘Top Truck‘ title in June 2007. Main Line Distribution Ltd was formed by husband and wife duo Brenhan and Susanna Chapman in 2018 as a transport provider servicing the produce sector and industries complementary to it. Utilising their own truck fleet primarily, with other suitable operators used when necessary. The company derives its name from the first initial of each of Brenhan‘s three sons: Micah, Logan and Damon. Both business partners have two decades‘ experience in the trucking industry, encompassing operations in both New Zealand and the United States, and this unquestionably shows in the set-up and presentation of their equipment on the road.

This month‘s New Zealand Trucking magazine Top Truck was conceived following a conversation between Brenhan and Adam McIntosh, a friend and salesman for Southpac Trucks. Brenhan mentioned he was looking for a suitable classic Kenworth conventional to rebuild as a project truck; instead he reckons he was upsold a T909. Adam‘s sale pitch went along the lines that if a new truck were to be purchased and set up the Chapman way, when its working days were over it would still be a worthy classic, a proposal in which Brenhan saw some merit. In late 2017 the Kenworth arrived in New Zealand, and was taken to the operation‘s Te Poi workshop where company engineer and master craftsman Richard Wastney set to work. A full front-to-back customisation project began, with the intended outcome to create a unit that portrayed a clean uncluttered appearance, as close to symmetrical in terms of body fixtures as it could be. The Kenworth FUPS bumper had a stainless lip fabricated then fitted to the underside of it, and twin stainless 7-inch vertical exhausts and Vortox style air cleaners were also added. Both rectangular diesel tanks were end-for-ended, hiding the in-built steps and still allowing the tanks to be easily filled without the filler cap needing to be re-engineered.

Photo: Clean lines and symmetrical body fixtures were one of the project‘s principal intentions.

The T909 was speced with a 36-inch Kenworth Aero II sleeper box complete with Daylight Doors. The grab handles around the outside of the sleeper doors were not required, so Richard removed them prior to folding up and fitting side skirts to the rear of the sleeper box. A fifth wheel and chassis plating were added, and the incredibly tidy fitment of the rear mudguards took place, resulting in no external guard poles or bracketry being exposed. Richard made up the truck‘s rear bumper, which mirrors those on the Roadmaster 6-axle HPMV B-train, itself custombuilt to go behind the Kenworth. Built by John and Hayden Lilley of Roadmaster‘s hightensile division, the trailer was designed to fit the maximum amount of produce-filled field bins possible, while still being capable of 34 standard pallets.

The lead trailer has an internal measurement of 7.5 metres, while the rear is 10 metres in length. Both have BPW axles and air-bag suspensions fitted, and the entire unit has both disc brakes and Alcoa Dura- Bright wheels. With 400 litres of diesel in the tank and the driver in the cab the combination has a very respectable tare of 19,360kg. New Zealand‘s first road-going Cummins ISX EGR engine was fitted to the Chapman W900L; their involvement with EGR engines continues with a new 458kW (615hp) Cummins ISX 15 EGR fitted to the T909. Brenhan‘s choice of engine was largely based around the non DEF requirement, and to date performance, fuel economy and engine braking have proved to be first-rate.

Photo: Joe Williams has driven the T909 since it went on the road.

An Eaton-Fuller RTLO-20918B transmission sits in front of 4.1:1 ratio Meritor RT46-160GP rear axles while the rear suspension is a Kenworth Air Glide 400, chosen over the Air Glide 460 due to its ride tower height, helping the entire unit achieve the low and sleek American look. Darryn Caulfield of Caulfield Signs marked out the stripe pattern on the Kenworth that was then applied by Fleet Image in Te Awamutu, while the trailer graphics are the handiwork of Truck Signs from Mt Manganui.

Joe Williams drives the Kenworth, which works largely between the Waikato and Pukekohe moving produce, although when that work is down the truck can be seen carrying any manner of general freight anywhere in the country for Main Line Distribution‘s clientele. The Kenworth also spends some time in front of a 3-axle low-bed shifting the Chapman family‘s agricultural machinery between growing operations. Final word must go to Brenhan. When questioned why he went to the extent he did to customise the Kenworth, his reply was concise and simple – “I enjoy a good project, and I like Kenworths.”