“IT IS WHAT IT IS!”
THE LATEST PROJECT FROM CLINT MOORE
This month’s “creation” was built for Bill Kieler of Peru, Nebraska. Bill is a no-nonsense kind of guy that has been trucking for most of his life. He says what he means and he means what he says. His latest rig was a compromise between efficiency and coolness - although he wanted to buy an aerodynamic truck for the fuel mileage, Clint convinced Bill that he could get him the mileage he was looking for, but keep him in a truck that he loved - and he was right!
After graduating from high school in 1980, Bill joined the Marines. Four years later, he came home and started trucking. His first job was hauling grain locally in a straight truck. Not long after that, he found himself in a tractor, pulling all sorts of trailers and loads. Then, one day he met Todd Staples and started working for him, running grain from Missouri to Canada. Later, Bill bought Todd’s truck and the haul, and has been doing it ever since.
Bill’s first truck was a Red 1996 Peterbilt 379 Ext. Hood with a standup sleeper (Todd’s old truck). In 2000, Bill bought a new Peterbilt 379 from another salesman at K.C. Peterbilt. In 2005, he met Clint and the two hit it off. Bill ordered another new Peterbilt 379 Ext. Hood with a 270” wheelbase and a 550 Cat, painted Radiant Fire with Black fenders. Clint talked Bill into ordering it with a keyless remote, which turned out to be his favorite thing on the truck.
Bill drove that 2005 for over 700,000 miles without hardly any problems, and when it came time to order another one, he called Clint. Bill told Clint that he was thinking about ordering a Pete 386 with dual pipes mounted up front, for better fuel mileage, but Clint talked him out of it asking, “If you died in it, would you be happy?” Besides, Clint was convinced that he could put together a 389 that got better mileage.
Clint ordered Bill a 2010 Pete 389 with a 63” HR, a Red Pearl paint job with Black fenders, and, of course, a keyless remote. After the truck arrived, the guys added a boltless visor, 11 bullet lights, wide ride seats (slid back five inches for more leg room), and stainless Hogebuilt fenders mounted with Clint’s hidden brackets. They also powdercoated the fuel tanks and installed a rear light bar that Bill had purchased at his favorite chrome shop (Graybill’s in Rockport, MO).
After making just a few minor changes to the gearing and configuration, this new truck is getting up to one mpg better than his last one. He gets to have his cake, and eat it, too! Bill also bought a new 2010 Timpte hopper trailer with a split tub and close tandems to pull behind it.
Bill’s dad Bud is a different kind of grain hauler - he has been a Barge Pilot for as long as Bill can remember. Bud has hauled grain on just about every major river in America, but is now semi-retired. Bill likes to joke about how his dad hauls grain like him - just a few more tons.
Bill’s new Peterbilt may not be the “latest and greatest” thing out there, but it looks good and runs even better. And with a no-nonsense guy like Bill Kieler, that is what’s most important. As he himself would put it, “It is what it is!”
~ If you would like Clint Moore to order and/or build you a new custom truck, contact him at Kansas City Peterbilt via e-mail at clintmoore@kcpete.com or call him at (913) 441-2888. You can also visit his website at www.custombuiltfor.com and check out pictures of other custom trucks he has built.