True Colours Shining Through: Jason Galea’s Kenworth T950

Words: Ian Lee · Photography: Ian Lee

Operator Jason Galea has wanted a T950 since childhood and took the opportunity to buy one, customise it and paint it in company colours.

Some people wear their heart on their sleeves, or in the case of the trucking industry, have their favourite truck brand tattooed on their arm. It takes true passion to undertake such an effort, but anyone who knows Jason Galea of J & J Freighters, knows his truck of choice.

From the first time he skipped school to ride in a Kenworth T950, he knew exactly the sort of truck he would have when he grew up. Jason hasn’t grown up, but he still has his ‘dream truck’, and what a truck it is.

With a childhood spent around commercial vehicles it only seemed a matter of time before Jason got into the trucking game. Starting out driving a two tonne tipper, he worked his way up through the licence ratings, eventually working up to being able to purchase his own truck.

J & J Freighters was created with the second J being for Jason’s wife, Jackie Galea. It took a few years of early starts and hard work, but when the chance came up to purchase a T950, Jason jumped it. A rather pedestrian looking truck to begin with, the need to paint the truck in company colours gave Jason a reason to get the truck looking professional, to suit his company image but also give the T950 the Galea touch.

Taken back to a bare chassis, the truck was brought back to life in a new light and six years later still looks neat enough to pass for a recently rebuilt rig.

At the front end sits a Bar Up front bar, blind mounted for a mirror finish. Stainless steel wheel flares are mounted on the hood, along with stainless elephant ears to cover the air intake piping. To give a custom look, the grilledenser has been given a stainless mesh cover, while still retaining the factory Kenworth grille bars. The hood mounted turn signals have been ditched, in their place sits a set of LED indicators from The Chrome Shop.

If the 3406E engine is looking rather fresh, it is because the power plant was treated to a rebuild less than 40000kms ago. Not bad considering it’s the engine’s first major rebuild at 1.2 million kilometres.

Once again, not one to do things by halves the engine was given the full works, the block tunnel bored and decked. The crank has been trued, and everything replaced that needed it, and then some. On reassembly, additional parts like hoses were replaced and bracketry painted to ensure a neat look all round.

The engine breathes in through 16 inch air cleaners, and exhales through a seven inch exhaust system, double strapped on the cab to cope with the weight of the massive stacks.

With splashes of aluminium and stainless all through the truck, it is easy to see why this truck stands out. Chrome infills on the rear suspension pedestals are inscribed with the Kenworth bug, flanked on both sides by stainless Lelox guards.

At the rear of the truck sits a fully customised lightbar, something you won’t see on any other truck, and rounding off the custom aspects of the build.

All this customisation is on a truck which has worked hard day in and day out. It is testament to the amount of care Jason and his drivers’ put into the upkeep of the T950 that this six year old paint job should still gleam once the road dust is washed away.

A dream come true, the J & J T950 is a truck that would make you wear your heart on your sleeve. Or tattoo on your arm, whatever your taste.

Rear Vision: where are they now?

Do you know where this truck is today, or have an update on its story? We would love to hear from its owners, drivers or anyone who helped build it.