Exclusive! ‘DYNAMITE’- Cornwill’s new SAR Legend.

In-depth

25 Nov

When the Cornwill Brothers announce the addition of a new truck to their fleet, the trucking fraternity stands up and takes notice!

From their Kenworth K124 ‘The Penthouse’, through their 409SAR and T408, “Shipping Steel’ and of course the multi-award winning T908, ‘Paradise’ which will be my future hearse because who wouldn’t want to be taken away to Paradise, Troy, Wayne and Rick Cornwill present working trucks in concourse condition – not only at truck shows but through their working days.

Someone once asked Doug Parsons, one of the original committee members at Castlemaine Truck Show how to judge the trucks on display. He promptly told them, “Go look at the Cornwill’s trucks and there is the yardstick.”

**‘Penthouse’, the boys classic K124 is undergoing a ground up restoration**

Now a new Cornwill truck has entered the fray – being put on public display for the first time this weekend at the Castlemaine Truck Show.

As I am (sadly) unable to attend the show for the first time in 18 years, the guys generously sent me some photos of ‘Dynamite’ and had a quick chat over the phone, giving Truckin With Kermie the first exclusive look at possibly the best SAR Legend produced to date.

As any Kenworth aficionado will know, the company has not released the SAR Legends in chronological order – perhaps someone can explain why – and so the Cornwill’s truck is No 59 although the company has produced many more than that to this date.

‘Dynamite’ was delivered to the boys at the end of December last year but of course that was only the start of the magic that was about to be bestowed upon it.

The truck – which will become Troy’s daily drive sports six fuel tanks because he wanted it to be the same length as ‘Paradise’. Of course, with CATs no longer available it runs a Cummins but, as Rick commented, “At least it’s the old school creamy yellow that Cummins used to do, so I suppose that’s the nearest we can get to the CAT yellow.”

Interestingly the boys had always wanted an original SAR but found the cab too narrow – so the K124 was bought instead.

The artwork on the truck – as with all of them – has been done by Hayden from YBIFX in Bendigo and, at Troy’s request, displays an old style Tachygraph on the rear of the cab – harking back to the ‘70’s. The Tachygraph sits in front of sticks of dynamite and the background is completed by the Melbourne skyline – creating a somewhat darker scene than those adorning the other trucks. Overall it looks bloody superb!

The lines and scrolls have been done by TFI – a long term partner in tricking up Cornwill trucks.

The truck bears Troy Cornwill’s footprint all over: Apart from dreaming up the montage on the cab he has designed everything on the truck, making templates of everything and having others do what he couldn’t himself. There’s little that hasn’t been attacked in one form or another, be it the dash, the old fans harking back to pre-aircon days, the visors are also reminiscent of a bygone era as are the 70’s style armrests. And of course there’s the Cornwill signature flooring – this time giving a marble effect. So whilst the SAR it a brand new truck, it sports a real retro vibe.

Rick estimates that Troy and Wayne have each put in at least 300 hours each over just the past four months to get the truck ready for Castlemaine.

The cab also features the names of Troy’s children, Zac, Laana and Rocco as well as a picture of Grandpa, Les Mortlock who passed away in 2021 aged 99. The Cornwill’s have kept Les’ memory alive in the old canvas tent they set up at Castlemaine every year and the truck bears further testament to the fondness with which they regard their Pa.

It is 29 years since Wayne, Troy and Rick Cornwill first appeared at Castlemaine with The Penthouse, and they’ve been winning awards and wowing crowds with their creations since then.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that ‘Dynamite’ will continue the tradition on both fronts. While I can’t be there this year, if ‘Dynamite’ doesn’t win at least two awards at Castlemaine this weekend I’ll walk around the showgrounds naked next year. Committee and Judges take note, because NO-ONE will want to see that.

Congratulations to the Cornwill boys on yet another masterpiece and I look forward to an in-depth video with you at Koroit on the Australia Day weekend.