Murihiku Haulage Ltd is a small four-truck operation with an extremely large presence, led by this imposing K200 Kenworth. 

These days the K200 Kenworth is a common sight on our roads, so to make one stand out in a crowd you need some help along the way.

Photo: The MHL K200 Kenworth.

Scott Hutton, owner of Murihiku Haulage Limited, explains how the company came about. “I was managing a farm and I had a livestock agent by the name of George Kelly standing beside me. We were watching a livestock truck unloading ewes and lambs and he turned to me and said, ‘ W hy don‘t you look at getting your own livestock unit?‘ So I sold my Mainfreight run and bought an ex-Gordon Scania and haven‘t looked back.”

Photo: A tribute to Scott‘s grandfather. 

Scott purchased the K200 Kenworth in 2017 through Steve Herring, Southpac Trucks‘ salesman in Christchurch. Scott says of Steve: “He‘s not just a salesman, he‘s a one-of-a kind guy and his passion for the Kenworth brand is something else.” The Kenworth was taken to Chris Stanley at Custom Truck and Chrome Limited in Auckland. Chris worked his magic and added some custom grille mesh with 10 grille bars, stainless step infills, LED light bars to the fuel tanks, and a stainless mudguard flare. Peterbilt bullet lights were added to the roof, along with an old school dovetail roof spoiler and mushroom cap intakes.

Photo: The old school offset Kenworth badge looks great in blue.

Jackson Enterprises in Pahiatua built the deck and 5-axle trailer, with Delta Stock Crates in Feilding adding the stock crates to the unit.

Last but not least the truck was given to Cliff Mannington at Truck Signs in Tauranga to add his special touches. Cliff created a tribute to Scott ‘s grandfather, Eddie Hutton, which adorns the driver‘s side of the Aerodyne sleeper. This is a man whom Scott considers a legend. Eddie drove cattle by horseback, with a team of dogs, from the Hutton holding paddocks in Edendale to the freezing works in Mataura and Balclutha.

Photo: The side of the cab shows exceptional work by both Chris Stanley and Cliff Mannington.

Cliff travelled to Dunedin to finish the job, adding his touches to the trailer.

The big Kenworth runs a Cummins e5 engine, pumping out 458kW (615hp) with an 18-speed Roadranger transmission.

Aside from its stock duties the Kenworth also had a season carting milk around the bottom half of the South Island, which often included a run from Ranfurly to Edendale.

Scott couldn‘t be happier with his truck and would like to thank everyone involved in making ‘Black Perception‘ one of the sharpest rigs in the country.