Owner-operator Austin Smith with his 2000 Peterbilt 379.The American Truck Historical Society Heart of Dixie Chapter’s annual Trucks on the Lake truck show brought out newer and older trucks alike this year. The show was held Oct. 6 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.
Owner-operator Austin Smith, from Oneonta, Alabama, brought his 2000 Peterbilt 379 out to the show. Smith bought the truck from his father when he turned 21 and uses it to haul automotive machinery. It has a C15 Cat engine and an 18-speed transmission. Everything on the truck is original, including the engine, the paint job, and the interior.
“These older trucks, they’re made to fix. They’re not made to go and just throw away. They’re not throwaway trucks. It’s not like a pickup where you go and buy one and get rid of it every year,” Smith said. “They’re just rebuildable. Everything on it you can fix. They just last forever.”
His favorite thing about the truck is how smoothly it rides and cruises.
“It rides like a Cadillac. You can sit a cup on the floorboard and it won’t ever move. It’s a smooth-riding truck,” Smith said.
Smith says he doesn’t think he’ll ever buy a new truck.
“Some of these trucks here (at the truck show) are 30 or 40 years old and they just last forever. They hold up. New trucks nowadays, they don’t seem to do that,” Smith said.
You can check out other trucks, both old and new, from the truck show in the gallery below.
Rich Buckley's 1966 Peterbilt 281.
ADS Transport Inc.'s 2000 Peterbilt 379.
Tony Martin's 1978 Peterbilt 359.
Anthony Fox's Rubber Duck truck, from the movie "Convoy," was on site at the show. The Rubber Duck truck is a 1970 Mack RS700.
Andrew Praytor's 2013 Kenworth W900.
Patrick Harris' 1980 Kenworth W900.
Robert and Dianne McMahan's 1973 Peterbilt Classic.
Jake Taylor's 1995 Peterbilt 379.
C.A.R. Transport's Peterbilt auto hauler. C.A.R. Transport is based out of Burleson, Texas.
Lamar Fox's 1976 Kenworth wrecker. Fox operates Lamar Fox Trucking out of Rome, Georgia.
Chris Lint's 1997 Peterbilt 379.
Mike Adams' 1981 Kenworth W900A.
Lee Hogan's 2018 Peterbilt 389.
Kevin Wever's 1988 Peterbilt 377.
Freight Zone's 2002 Peterbilt 379.
Freight Zone's 2015 Peterbilt 379.
Freight Zone's 2015 Peterbilt 389.
Joey Needham's 2001 Peterbilt 379.
Rusty Moss, who operates M.A.G. Trucking, brought his 2000 Peterbilt 379 to the show.
Rusty Moss' 2000 Peterbilt 379.
Owner-operator Austin Smith hauls automotive machinery with his 2000 Peterbilt 379.
Phillip Claton designed this truck, called the Nitro Express, for Priority Transportation. It's a 2005 Peterbilt with an Ultra sleeper and 2007 Great Dane trailer.
Austin Smith's 2000 Peterbilt 379.
Jessie Thompkins decorated their 2000 Peterbilt 379 with Big Al, the mascot of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Jessie Thompkins' 2000 Peterbilt 379.
Kenny Wilson's 1980 Freightliner FLC.
