1925 Kenworth Die-Cast Wrecker By Ertl Collectibles (1/34 Scale)

The Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas (or scale models) of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum.

Ertl has been producing farm toy replicas since 1945. For over 60 years, the company has produced farm toys for industry brands such as: John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, and AGCO. Ertl has also, on different occasions, acquired the licenses to produce die-cast vehicles and figurines as well as model kits for Looney Tunes, Garfield, Thomas the Tank Engine, Tugs (TV series), Theodore Tugboat, Super Mario Bros. DC Comics, and Star Wars. In 1999, Ertl was purchased by Racing Champions. Ertl is currently a brand under the RC2 Corporation umbrella.

Kenworth Trucks, Inc. is an American-based truck manufacturer. Founded in 1923 as the successor company to Gerlinger Motors, Kenworth specializes in production of heavy-duty (Class 8) and medium-duty (Class 5-7) commercial vehicles. Headquartered in Seattle suburb Kirkland, Washington, Kenworth has been a wholly owned subsidiary of PACCAR since 1945, operating alongside sister company (and marketplace rival) Peterbilt Motors.

Kenworth marked several firsts in truck production; alongside the first truck produced with a standard diesel-fuel engine, the company introduced a raised-roof sleeper cab, and the first heavy-duty truck with an aerodynamically optimized body design. The Kenworth W900 has been produced continuously since 1961, serving as one of the longest production runs of any vehicles in automotive history.

Kenworth traces it's roots to the 1912 founding of Gerlinger Motors in Portland, Oregon; the company was a car and truck dealership owned by brothers George T. Gerlinger and Louis Gerlinger, Jr. In 1914, the brothers expanded into vehicle manufacturing, marketing a truck named the Gersix. Deriving it's name from it's inline six-cylinder engine (one of the first trucks equipped with the type), the Gersix was framed in structural steel, intended for commercial use.

While the first vehicle was completed largely as a side project, the heavy-duty construction of the Gersix found itself in demand by loggers through the Northwest. In 1916, Gerlinger Motors relocated from Portland to Tacoma, Washington, leasing a building from Seattle businessman Edgar K. Worthington.

In 1917, Gerlinger Motors filed for bankruptcy and was placed for sale, with E.K. Worthington acquiring the company with business partner Captain Frederick Kent. To emphasize it's connection to truck manufacturing, the company was renamed Gersix Motor Company. In 1919, Captain Kent retired, with his son Harry Kent replacing him as partner in the company.

In 1922, Gersix produced 53 trucks in its final year located at its factory on Fairview Avenue at Valley Street. Following continued strong demand of the model line, the company found itself with $60,000 to reincorporate and relocate its headquarters.

Under the new name, the company moved to 506 Mercer Street and later to 1263 Mercer Street. Trucks and motor coaches were assembled in individual bays rather than on a conventional assembly line.

In January 1923, Gersix Motor Company was reincorporated as the Kenworth Motor Truck Company, combining the names of partners Kent and Worthington. Kenworth relocated within Seattle to 506 Mercer Street (later 1263 Mercer Street). In contrast to car manufacturers, Kenworth abstained from assembly lines, instead constructing vehicles in individual bays. The company also introduced a practice of building vehicles to customer specification (a practice still offered by Kenworth today).

In 1926, Kenworth expanded it's product line, introducing its first bus. In 1927, production was increased from two vehicles a week to three; the same year, manufacturing began in Canada (to avoid import taxes).

In 1929, E.K. Worthington retired, with Harry Kent becoming company president. In another change, to accommodate increased demand, Kenworth relocated to a larger factory within Seattle.

The onset of the Great Depression hit the company hard; initially in good financial health, a substantial decline in new vehicles and a high rate of vehicle loan defaults forced the company to adapt. In 1932, Kenworth produced it's first fire truck; adapted from it's commercial truck, Kenworth fire engines were among the heaviest-duty fire apparatus of the time.

In 1933, diesel engines became standard equipment, replacing gasoline engines entirely; at the time, diesel fuel cost 1⁄3 the price of gasoline. In another design innovation, Kenworth introduced the first factory-produced sleeper cab.

In 1935, the Motor Carrier Act was passed, introducing new size and weight regulations for the trucking industry in the United States; to comply with the legislation, Kenworth underwent an extensive redesign of it's truck line. To match weight regulations, the new trucks received aluminum cabs and axle hubs; four-spring suspension was introduced, with torsion bars for the rear axles. In 1936, Kenworth introduced the Model 516, it's first cabover (COE) truck; the tandem-axle 346 was introduced for 1937. In 1937, Harry Kent died, with Philip Johnson becoming company president.

In 1939, Kenworth introduced its 500-series trucks, which would form the basis of it's commercial truck line into the mid-1950's. By the end of the 1930's, demand for trucks began to recover, with Kenworth producing 226 trucks in 1940.

Following the onset of World War II, Kenworth converted to war production, supplying the Army with 4-ton 6x6 M-1 recovery vehicles. In 1943, the company became a supplier for Boeing, manufacturing components for the B-17 and B-29 bombers. To maintain it's government contracts, Kenworth commenced production of the M-1 wrecker at a temporary facility in Yakima, Washington. In total, the company would supply the Army with 1,930 wreckers by the end of World War II; to accommodate the extensive increase in production, Kenworth introduced an assembly line to produce the vehicle.

In 1944, company president Phil Johnson died, leaving ownership split between his wife, and the surviving wife of Harry Kent and another company director. Uninterested in owning the company, all three initially planned to offer their ownership to company employees (but financing for the offer was never completed). In 1945, ownership of the company changed as Pacific Car and Foundry Company negotiated it's purchase of Kenworth as a wholly owned subsidiary. By the end of 1946, Kenworth relocated again, following the purchase of a former Fisher Body factory by Pacific Car and Foundry; this would house all Kenworth manufacturing under a single roof.

In 1948, Kenworth redesigned the cab of it's COE product line, later nicknamed the "Bull-nose" 500-series.

By 1950, Kenworth had grown outside the Pacific Northwest, marketing vehicles across the western half of the United States and across nearly 30 countries worldwide. In 1951, the company received an order for 1,700 Model 853s from ARAMCO in the Middle East. The Model 801 was introduced as an earth-moving dump truck, adopting one of the first cab-beside-engine configurations.

In 1955, Kenworth began the redesign of its COE product line, launching the CSE (Cab-Surrounding-Engine); in line with the Bull-nose, the CSE shared it's underpinnings with the 500-series trucks and did not have a tilting cab.

In 1956, Pacific Car and Foundry revised it's ownership of Kenworth, changing it from an independent subsidiary to a division. The same year, the 900-series was introduced with an all-new "drop-frame" chassis, with the CSE cabover replaced by the K-series COE (derived from the 900 series). In 1957, Kenworth ended bus production, selling the rights to it's product line.

In 1958, Kenworth became a sister company to Peterbilt, as the latter company was acquired by Pacific Car and Foundry. In 1959, the company further expanded it's sales base, establishing facilities in Mexico.

For 1961 production, Kenworth underwent a substantial revision of it's commercial truck line, debuting the W900 and the K900 (later renamed the K100); the W and K model prefixes are derived from company founders Worthington and Kent. The W900 debuted the first complete redesign of the Kenworth conventional cab since 1939 with a standard tilting hood. Similar in appearance to the previous K500, the K900/K100 received a taller cab and the doors of the W900.

To meet increased demand for the new product lines, Kenworth opened a new assembly facility in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1964. From 1964 to 1966, Kenworth nearly doubled it's yearly truck sales. In 1968, the company established Kenworth Australia; in place of importation and conversion, right-hand drive trucks were produced and developed in Melbourne, Australia.

During the 1970's, the company underwent further expansion, adding an all-new facility in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1974. Kenworth added two new product lines in 1972, adding the C500 6x6 severe-service conventional and the Hustler low-cab COE (developed jointly with Peterbilt and produced in Canada). The same year, parent company Pacific Car and Foundry adopted it's current name PACCAR.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the company, annual Kenworth sales exceeded 10,000 for the first time for 1973.

For 1976, Kenworth launched a flagship customization series, the VIT (Very Important Trucker) with a high level of interior features; distinguished by it's skylight windows, the Aerodyne sleeper cab was the first factory-produced sleeper cab with stand-up headroom (for both the W900 and K100). To commemorate the American Bicentennial, the VIT series was introduced in a limited-edition series of 50 (with each truck named after a state).

In 1982 and 1984, respectively, the W900 and K100 underwent their most substantial revisions, becoming the W900B and K100E. While visually distinguished by the adoption of rectangular headlamps, the updates were centered around upgrading fuel economy, road handling, and reliability.

In 1985, the Kenworth T600 was released by the company; in contrast to the W900, the T600 was designed with a set-back front axle and a sloped hoodline. While the latter initially proved controversial, the combination improved aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, and maneuverability. Intended as an expansion of the Kenworth model line, the success of the T600 would lead to the introductions of similar designs from multiple American truck manufacturers. In 1986, the T800 was introduced, adapting the sloped hoodline and set-back front axle for a heavy-duty chassis; the shorter-hood T400 was introduced in 1988 as a regional-haul tractor.

In 1987, Kenworth introduced the Mid-Ranger COE, it's first medium-duty truck. Shared with Peterbilt, the Brazilian-produced Mid-Ranger was derived from the MAN G90 (a wide-body version of the Volkswagen LT). In 1992, the Mid-Ranger became the K300, as PACCAR shifted production to Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec.

In 1993, Kenworth opened it's facility in Renton, Washington, as it's third United States assembly plant.

In 1994, the T300 was introduced as the first Kenworth medium-duty conventional truck, adapting the T600 to a lower-GVWR Class 7 weight rating. The Aerocab sleeper was introduced, integrating the Aerodyne II sleeper cab and the drivers' cab as a single unit.

In 1996, Kenworth introduced the T2000 as it's next-generation aerodynamic conventional. While not directly replacing the T600 and W900, the T2000 was a completely new design (the first from Kenworth since 1961). The first "wide-body" Kenworth conventional, the model shared it's cab with Peterbilt, distinguished by it's bumper-mounted headlamps.

In 1998, parent company PACCAR purchased British truck manufacturer Leyland Trucks, two years after Dutch manufacturer DAF Trucks (the two had been merged as Leyland DAF from 1987 to 1993). Within PACCAR, DAF would develop COE trucks for Kenworth and Peterbilt.

In 2000, Kenworth redesigned it's medium-duty COE range, with the K300 replacing the MAN-sourced design with a DAF 45 (Leyland Roadrunner) cab. Following declining demand for Class 8 cabovers, the K100E was quietly phased out after 2000 production in North America; Kenworth Australia continuing production of the model line.

In 2006, the company released the K500, the largest COE ever produced by the company. Developed primarily for off-highway applications, the K500 combined the chassis of the heavy-duty C500 and the COE cab of the DAF XF; all examples produced from 2006 to 2020 were sold for export.

In 2008, Kenworth underwent a modernization of it's model line. The T600 underwent a substantial revision to it's aerodynamics, becoming the T660. The medium-duty T300 was replaced by the Class 5-7 T170/T270/T370 model family. The low-cab COE made it's return, based on the DAF LF. Initially marketed as the K260/K360, the model line was renamed the K270/K370 for 2013.

For 2011 production, the T700 replaced the T2000, adopting a larger grille and fender-mounted headlamps. For 2013 production, the T680 was introduced as the third-generation aerodynamic Kenworth conventional, serving as a single replacement for the narrow-body T660 and the wide-body T700. The T700 was discontinued in 2014 while the T660 was discontinued in 2017 (32 years after the introduction of the T600). Sharing the same cab as the T680, the T880 was introduced as the first wide-body Kenworth for vocational applications, alongside the W900S and the T800 model family.

In 2018, the W990 was introduced as the flagship conventional of the Kenworth model line. Sharing the wide-body cab of the T680 and T880, the W990 is the longest-hood conventional ever produced by Kenworth. As of current production, the W900 remains part of the Kenworth model line (six decades after it's introduction).

For 2021 production, Kenworth introduced three model lines of electric vehicles, with the K270E, K370E, and T680E powered by battery-electric powertrains. In 2021, Kenworth launched the T680 FECV with a 10 vehicle demonstration fleet in California. The T680 FCEV is powered with a Toyota hydrogen fuel cell, has six hydrogen tanks and a driving range over 300 miles (480 km) at a full load weight of 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg).

The headquarters for Kenworth Australia is located in Bayswater, Victoria where all Australian models are assembled. The first Kenworth model in Australia was the KWS925, imported fully built in 1962. Soon later, Kenworths were imported in complete knock-down kits and assembled in Preston, Victoria. Australian built Kenworth models are also exported to nearby RHD markets in New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.

The "T" range includes the bonneted conventional models and the "C" for heavy haulage, mining, off-road and road train use, and the "K" range covers the cab over models. As of July 2020 the only models that do not have Twin-Steer configurations are T410 SAR, T610 SAR, T900, C510, C540.

Kenworth Australia started building the new range of trucks tying in their 2008 release with the model range being the '08 Series'. This includes the following conventional (bonneted) models; in approximate order of smallest to largest: the T358/A, T408SAR, T408, T608, T658, T908 and C508. The only cab over truck built was the K108, which was very popular in the B-Double market segment owing to it's shorter length.

In the early 2000's, Kenworth introduced to Mexico the T604, based on the Australian T604 with a few modifications, mostly in the hood.

Kenworth currently has manufacturing plants in Chillicothe, Ohio; Renton, Washington; Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada; Bayswater, Victoria, Australia (Kenworth Australia); and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

In addition, bus production was a mainstay at Kenworth during the early years of company history; at one time, buses were it's most lucrative form of business. When the company was still known as Gerlinger Motor Car Works, their first two full-chassis vehicles were school buses based on the Gersix truck chassis.

After the boon of school bus production, and to focus more on truck production due to a rising number of heavy duty truck orders, all bus production was shifted from Kenworth over to Pacific Car and Foundry in the middle of 1956. After some final cleanup, PC&F wound up completely outstanding orders for the Pacific School Coach in early 1957. Shortly afterwards, PC&F sold all rights, tooling, and equipment to school bus manufacturer Gillig Bros. of Hayward, California.

Following the acquisition, multiple features of the Model T/CT were integrated into the Gillig Transit Coach line of school buses; the model line was produced until 1982.

Kenworth's role in the transit and school bus industry has largely been forgotten. This is likely due to a number of factors including Kenworth's current status as a leading manufacturer of Class 8 heavy-duty semi trucks, and the fact that hardly any examples of Kenworth-built buses exist today (with exception of a few surviving model CT-73 "Pacific School Coach" buses and one remaining "Bruck").

In light of that fact, and having been a major builder of transit and school buses, interest in the history and preservation of the Pacific School Coach (as well as Kenworth's involvement in the transit and bus industry as a whole) has increased in recent years, especially in the Pacific Northwest where Kenworth's buses were most commonly found. The Gillig Transit Coach / Pacific School Coach Online Museum, a website focusing on preserving Gillig's line of earlier-built school buses, was expanded shortly after it's 2001 launch to include the history of the Kenworth-Pacific School Coach. It has since expanded even further to include the entire history of Kenworth's involvement in the public transportation industry, as well as their local dominance in the school bus industry throughout the 1950's.

In 2006, at the American Truck Historical Society's 11th Annual Truck Show at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton, WA, a historical society dedicated to preserving the Gillig Transit Coach and Kenworth-Pacific School Coach was officially dedicated.

The brand claims to maintain an image of high quality, it has won five of six JD Power Awards in 2005, and was a clear sweep in the 2007 J.D. Power Awards for Heavy Duty Truck Product Satisfaction.

***Please look at the attached photos for size and condition. Photos are part of the description representing the condition report and can be used for authentication prior to the sale date. We urge bidder's to view all attached photos in detail. All items are sold "AS IS". Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

Notes: Please inspect all photos carefully before bidding. Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

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Vincenza Marsullo | (860) 997-3332 | fil14fy@gmail.com

Pickup Details

Private Residence

Torrington, CT 06790

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Sunday, 7/25, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

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