THE FAMOUS “EL TURBO” 1949 PETE

Few rigs have captured the imagination, the hearts, and the attention of both truckers and the motoring public as much as El Turbo - the famous 1949 Peterbilt (pictured on left) owned by Gene and Hilda Smith of Gridley, California. A Cummins Big Cam 400 and a 13-speed transmission, backed by a 4-speed “progressive” tranny, gets this metallic green dream machine down the highways. During its heyday, El Turbo was a common sight, delivering food products up and down California. Currently, El Turbo is enjoying “the good life” appearing at a host of truck shows, and was recently featured at the national truck show held in Reno this year, put on by the American Truck Historical Society. El Turbo has been featured on posters, coffee mugs, baseball hats, silk embroidered jackets and wrist watches. No other Peterbilt has ever been featured in so many trucking magazines, both nationally and internationally. This rig has also appeared in an assortment of truck books, including my first book, American Semi Trucks, on page 76 (in color). Happy holidays to you all out there!