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By Dominic Teahan
This show stopping Kenworth T908 has just been put on the road for H. J. and A. R. Lingman Logging Limited and is contracted to Smartt Transport of Rotorua. Dressed up with spectacular paint and artwork, chrome and stainless it's hard to believe that this truck spends most of it's life 'off-highway' on private roads and out of sight from public view. As it spends most of it's time in the forests of the Central Plateau it does give the chance for many other logging operators to admire this spectacular ride.
Although only five weeks on the road it's important to emphasis that this truck is a true working truck. Pulling another 4 axle trailer complete with 3m wide bolsters the double combination hauls loads in excess of 120 tonne and with a gross weight of up to 160 tonne. Owner Henry points out that although technically the truck is purely 'off-highway' a lot of the roads in the Kaingaroa forest, where it spends much
of it's time, are in fact sealed and are as good as the State Highways thus justifying the eXtreme presentation of the Kenworth.
Henry's brother Elliot who drives a Freightliner Argosy for Lingmans, played a big part in designing the set-up of the unit. The paint scheme was designed with a cartoon like scene and because Elliot wanted a "girl" theme on the bonnet he chose "Poison Ivy". The sign writing on the door came from the movie 'Iron Man' and the 'bat' on the sleeper was an idea that came from the latest Batman movie. The entire unit has been airbrushed and for protection the unit has been clear coated twice. Elliot also added the huge exhausts and the extra bars on the big grille of the bonnet. Most of the other stainless accessories and modifications were done by Malcolm Cab Solutions of Rotorua.
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