Old school, new school: Raygal’s two T900s
· Chris Smith
From the Australian Custom Trucks archive.
Western Sydney’s Raygal Landscapes created two show-quality Kenworth T900s with very different starting points: a 1992 truck rebuilt from the rails up and a limited-edition 2017 T900 Legend specified for everyday tipper work.
The new-school old truck
Ray Galea and his wife Cathy established Raygal Landscapes in 1996. As the business and fleet grew, Ray’s long-held ambition to own a T900 remained. He even bought a stainless drop visor before he had found the truck to wear it.
A suitable 1992 T900 was eventually located at auction. What began as a quick repaint became a four-year ground-up project named BADRAY.
The truck was stripped to its chassis rails. Cab panels were removed and key sections—including the firewall and floor pan—were remade in stainless steel. The original CAT 3406C had already covered about 3.2 million kilometres, so a lower-kilometre C15 ACERT was fitted, painted metallic gold and surrounded by ceramic-coated components, braided lines and polished hardware.
Inside, an oak floor was paired with a custom off-white buttoned interior. A substantial audio system completed the cab. Outside, the Raygal team fabricated much of the bracketry and deck work in-house, while an illuminated BARUP bumper, custom exhaust and stainless detailing finished the build.
The old-school new truck
The second truck, RGT900, began as a limited-edition T900 Legend ordered after the model appeared at the 2017 Brisbane Truck Show. Raygal chose a tipper-length configuration and planned from the outset for the truck to earn its keep.
Driver Matt Vella used it to haul from the quarry at Hartley across Sydney. Its tipper-and-dog combination balanced presentation with daily function.
The factory heritage cues were enhanced with hand-applied pinstriping, stainless tank trims, visor and lighting hardware, Hogebuilt guards and custom sleeper skirts. The flat roof and clear-wrapped bins allowed the truck’s lines and original Legend colour scheme to remain the focus.
One truck brought a 1992 T900 into the modern era; the other gave a new truck the character of its predecessor. Together they captured the practical skill, family involvement and attention to detail behind the Raygal fleet.