DECEMBER 2008 OLD TIME TRUCKS
Kutzler’s Kool Kabover
By John & Shirley Sponholtz
The first owner of this 1977 International Transtar II Model 4070B was the Carnation Can Company. They ran the truck in all forty-eight states for many years, hauling the materials for making cans as well as completed cans between various plant locations. The truck was wrecked in 1985 and then restored by the company in 1986. Later that same year, the truck was purchased by Robert Kutzler of Kutzler Express in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Robert drove the truck regularly until 1995. After that, the red and white rig was only used occasionally as a spare truck and the rest of the time it just sat in a garage. Last year Frank Kutzler and David Buffham got the truck running again (David had been driving a similar truck for Schneider National so he was very familiar with the model). David now works for Kutzler Express and gets to drive the old Transtar to shows and other fun trucking events. This classic cabover is powered by a 290 Cummins diesel engine hooked to a 10-speed transmission and 3:70 rears. The trailer is a 1978 Trailmobile dry van. Kutzler Express was founded in 1982, continuing a trucking legacy originally begun in 1928. Kutzler’s primary areas of operation are the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Today, the company, which owns about 130 trucks, hauls some general freight but mostly focuses on food products and household goods.