Kenworth models

[cossett]

Hi all,

Just wondering does anyone know how Kenworth and Peterbilt comes up with the model numbers and what they mean ?

Cheers Cossett

[Sergey]

I know that K100 named in the name of Harry Kent and W900 - in the name of Edgar Worthington. As you know, these people are founders of KenWorth brand.

[mackinac359]

In the 'old days' K series was for COE and W series was Conventional. The T-series debuted with the T600 and carried through to the T800.

For Peterbilt, the number series has been used since the early days but has changed over time.

300 series were tandem drive and 200 series were single drive.

Conventionals were odd numbered, for example: 359, 351, 353, 387, 349. The exceptions being 358, 348, 346.

COE's were even numbered, for example: 352, 362, 372, the exceptions being the 351COE.

The tandem/single drive: 359/289, 358/288, 351/281, 352/282 ended in the late 70s.

Today the numbering is like this:

389 long hood aluminum

388 medium hood aluminum

387 aero

386 aero with traditional cab

384 aero short hood with traditional cab

367 Vocational with traditional cab - available in SBFA, SFFA and HeavyHaul versions

365 Vocational shorter hood with traditional cab, available SBFA, SFFA

325 Class 5/6 with traditional cab

330,335, 340 - Class 6 with tradtional cab

337 and 348 Class 7 and "baby 8" vocational

In the 80 and 90s, the numbering included:

385 short hood aero fiberglass, also a 120" was available after 377 was dropped in '00)

379 long hood aluminum

379 standard hood aluminum

378 fiberglass highway (available in SBFA also)(used the 357 hood)

377 aero (available SFFA also)

376 SFFA short hood single axle (looked like a short hood 377)

375 SFFA short hood (looked like a short hood 377)

372 Aero COE

362 COE

357 short and long hoods, vocational, also SBFA and HeavyHaul available

330 short fiberglass class 6/7.

Typically, the highest number was the highway truck, 359, 379, 389.

Note that the 325 is the smallest and 348 the biggest version of the "baby" series.

367 is a bigger than 365.

377 bigger than 376 and 375.

As time goes on, the replacement for a model:

359 became 379.

379 became 389.

377 became 387.

352 became 362.

357 became 367.

378 and 379-119 standard hood became 388.

Clear as mud, isn't it?

Tim

[Tony Bryan]

Cossett

If you are talking KW in Australia and it's model designations then try and find this book called Kenworth-Making History, it's the story of Kenworth in Australia, ISBN # 0646447297, you may find a copy on evil bay if you are lucky, it may have all the information you need

[cossett]

Thanks Tim,

Your a wealth of knowledge and info

and

Tony will keep a eye on evil bay for that book

Thanks all cheers Cossett