Peter Built a Kenworth

Peter Coronis, owner and the operator of CCS Roadside Truck Repair calls Raymond, New Hampshire home, but his hot rodding bones were formed cruising the streets of Winchester, Massachusetts in various vehicles including a big block VW Bug, several T-buckets also powered by the large block Rat. He’s also played on the water with various drag boats, and later did some mud racing with a supercharged alcohol Hemi spinning a foursome of paddle tires.

Not one to sit still for very long, here is Pete’s latest creation, reduced in size but much quicker than when the 1974 Kenworth was originally built. “ This one I wanted to build it as we did in the ‘60s – no ultra-polished chrome or billet anything. Pete said, “I found this cab in a Hollis New Hampshire junk yard, hauled it home in the back of my pickup and that was the beginning”.

The cab was narrowed 18 inches and chopped 8 inches. Pete also fabbed the firewall, floor and reworked the fiberglass roof, so this little rod rides just like you see it, 3 inches above the grass. A 2-inch X 3-inch rectangular steel frame is the foundation utilizing a 4 link coil-over suspended 8.5 inch Chevy 10 bolt rear end using a 3:42 gearset to turn a pair of 35” tall tires. In the “different is better” theme,

Pete mounted the radiator and trans cooler aft of the cab to unclutter the engine space. A driveshaft built by North Shore Axle connects things to a turbo 400/2500 stall speed transmission massaged by Kirk Waterhouse.

Take my word for it, this thing can really set one back in the seat with a huge grin on your face. 

There’s no doubt, this is a driver. Pete has logged nearly 25,000 miles in the 3 seasons since rolling his hot rod out.

For the first 2 years, power was provided by a mild 350 cu. in. small block fed by a single 4 barrel carb. With that combo, the rod ran a constant 11.3 second, 118 mph laps at New England Dragway.

Like many during the pandemic, Pete was very busy in his shop where the game was stepped up considerably in the form of a fuel-injected supercharged 355 cu. in. engine. “This is my first blown small block effort and my first that I’ve divorced from the carburetor magneto combo. I’m learning to tune the Holley Super Sniper system with a laptop, it’s a tough curve but well worth it. This car is running super and is very reliable” Pete explained.

Usually, Pete builds his own engines, but this time Mike St. George in Pittsfield, New Hampshire assembled the potent small block. Under the dual throttle bodies is a BDS 6-71 huffer, aluminum Liberty heads and a Hyper Spark distributor touches off the fuel. Exhaust gasses are passed through a set of Schoenfield headers and in true truck fashion, a pair of dual 5” chrome stacks grace the rear of the cab.

Pete had some help in the paint department with Steve Morris’s talents on the color matching and old-school pinstripes were laid down by Bill Holbrook.

This 1974 Kenworth was at one time in Bentley Warren’s fleet and was transformed into its current state of cool with Bentley’s knowledge and blessing.

We all know nothing is free, so when a ride in this little hot rod was offered, I couldn’t refuse a quick spin. Take my word for it, this thing can really set one back in the seat with a huge grin on your face.

Dream it, build it, and by all means drive it.

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