Big Iron Transport’s latest piece of big iron, a 2020 Kenworth W900L and 2020 MAC with a QuickDraw, is nothing short of a jaw-dropping combo. Based out of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Big Iron Transport’s new truck fits right in with the area it is from – A.K.A. “the 717” – which is famous for being the home of many big rides.
Big Iron Transport, founded in 2015 by Joe Hertel, a disabled Army veteran, is no stranger to building world class rides. He operates a 2018 W900L and a 2018 MAC flatbed which earned “Best of Show Limited Mileage Combo” at the 2018 Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, KY. Joe’s first truck, a 2006 Viper Red W900L, along with his blue 2018 W900L and a 2019 blue and silver W900L, are the other trucks that make up the Big Iron fleet.
The 2018 W900L mentioned earlier was the first glider Big Iron Transport purchased and built. After winning such a prestigious award at MATS in 2018, Joe and his nephew, Chase Ocker, decided to build another incredible combination. After MATS 2018, Chase was bit by the bug and knew the next build would be his pride and joy to drive and show. After the show, Joe put his truck to work immediately. Not many people believe trucks of this caliber work every day, but Big Iron Transport makes sure these trucks earn their keep. The company operates four curtain-side trailers, which allows them to safely haul almost anything that can fit on a flatbed.
The truck featured here has been sprayed with a neutral charcoal color including the fuel tanks, frame and fenders. The motor and other accents were painted burnt orange. The truck, interior panels, fan and fan shroud, air-to-air pieces, steering wheel, speaker covers, and trailer were painted by Kloppy’s Custom Painting out of Bethel, PA. Kloppy’s also smoothed the inside of the hood and painted it to match the exterior striping scheme – even the backside of the bumper has been painted! Kloppy’s also painted the frame of the 2020 MAC trailer to match the truck, even going a step further and including a quarter-inch stripe of burnt orange down each side of the trailer. Richard Klopp, owner of Kloppy’s Custom Painting, also installed anti-corrosion bars on the truck and the trailer. You can get more information about these bars at www.corrosioninnovations.com.
One of Lanita Repair’s mechanics, Chris Frederick, painted the C15 CAT before installing it. Jeff Nolt of SpareTimeFab did all the vinyl and pinstriping on the truck (yes, the inside of the hood is pinstriped), while Randy Martin, owner of SpareTimeFab, did all the interior work, including the insane Sony sound system. SpareTimeFab also installed two 32” TVs, extra interior lighting, button-tuck panels, and re-covered the couch. The stainless pieces were installed by Car Craft Truck Works in Staten Island, NY. Lanita Repair assembled and installed the driveline, as well as multiple other pieces on the truck. The C15 has a twin turbo setup on it and the truck is putting down 800-hp to the ground. The motor has a marine cam, shaved pistons, larger injectors and a big tune. Rounding out the drivetrain is an 18-speed Eaton transmission and 3.36 rears.
Chase chose the color combo and every other detail that went into the truck. “As far as the colors go, I chose this custom paint because I wanted it to be different than anything I had ever seen. I didn’t want something that someone else has.” The burnt orange paint has a very fine metallic in it, and when the light hits it just right, the color really pops. The charcoal has some flake in it as well. “I wanted the truck to look mean but also have a smooth flow to it,” said Chase. “The amount of time and dedication in this business, to have a show truck like this to run around in every day, is definitely rewarding. It brings to reality what you’re working for and shows that hard work really does pay off.”
It is not often that a 22-year-old gets to drive a truck of this caliber, but Chase is very thankful. He is also thankful to work beside his uncle Joe Hertel (owner of Big Iron Transport) every day. Chase is blessed to be surrounded by some of the best in the business – his uncle Joe and aunt Melissa (who helps with every aspect of the business), the people at Lanita Specialized, Lanita Repair and everyone else involved with making this dream truck a reality.
This rig was scheduled to make its debut, like so many others, at the 2020 MATS truck show in Louisville, KY but as most of you already know, due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis, the show was cancelled just two weeks prior to its scheduled opening. Wanting to get this cool truck in front of as many people as possible, we decided to feature it here and give it the big debut it deserved, because when it comes to big rides, there aren’t many trucks that can top Big Iron’s newest piece of big iron!
