Dressed to Impress: Dane Ballinger’s Klos-built K200

Words by Chris Smith. Photography by Robbie Rose.

Dane Ballinger’s 2013 Kenworth K200 Big Cab Aerodyne is certainly “Dressed to Impress” with customisation work and classic touches thanks to the team at Klos Custom Trucks.

Bathurst boy Dane Ballinger’s commitment to transport can’t be denied and he says from an early age he sought to take every possible opportunity to be in the cab of a truck.

“My uncle Erwin Vitnell had trucks and I used to be with him whenever I had the chance, that is until I started working at Dawsons on weekends and school holidays when I was about 12,” he explains.

Back then Dane started out washing the trucks, a job that gave him his start working in the transport industry.

He tells Australian Custom Trucks that he continued to work for Dawsons after leaving school and after a few years he decided to go into business for himself as an owner driver. He credits his business success as one of his greatest achievements.

Ten years on Dane and his wife Danielle own Ballinger Transport, hauling furniture and general freight across Australia.

As well as being proud of his business he is also extremely proud of his latest truck “Dressed to Impress 2”. A Kenworth K200 customised by Klos Custom Trucks. “Dressed to Impress 2” is his fifth Kenworth and the third which has had the Klos treatment.

It’s not hard to notice that the K200 is well taken care of and being created by the boys at Klos and for a new truck it has a classic look and a timeless appeal.

The Klos brothers with their team carried out all of the custom work on the K200 and Justin Klos did the additional artwork on the truck with traditional sign-writing and scroll work.

The detail is impeccable with such customisation as a fully customised side step and the polished deck plates.

The dual exhaust with 7″ pipes complement the stainless steel tank trims and tank wraps with the sleeper wing trims. Making the K200 look refined…not over the top but enough customisation to turn heads in appreciation with its Klos made visor, cab step infill and taillight bar trims.

Further modifications that Dane had done to the truck before putting it out on the road were

The Gullwing bullbar from Mr Bullbar in Wagga Wagga protecting the pride and joy on those long trips away.

The extras continue with a Jost air slide turn table and keeping the cab cool for resting is a CustomAir sleeper air conditioning system.

He says he really liked the look of the K200 when it was first released obviously the extra customisation adds a further enhancement to the look.

He says he prefers to customise his trucks before they even hit the road because, as you’d know, you never seem to get the time when they are working and earning.

Being one of two trucks in his fleet he takes particular pride in keeping his rigs looking pristine.

“Danielle would say I spend too much time working on the trucks, most Saturdays are spent in the yard working on them,” he confesses.

He believes that running equipment of a high standard is a definite positive for his business image.

“I think it can only have a good impact on your business running gear like this, but whether it does or not it doesn’t matter to me, I just love the industry and love the trucks to look good,” he admits.

But looks aren’t everything he admits, “Driver comfort and being happy to go to work and spend as much time in the truck as we do is important.”

Dane is one of those blokes that will always enjoy the industry and with more than a decade under his belt he still loves it but admits his priorities have changed as his family have grown.

“I love the trucks and anything to do with them and I still love the interstate lifestyle,” he proudly admits.

“Now we have children leaving Danielle, Matilda, Sam (twins) and Georgie at home for the week makes the job harder,” he says.

He reckons the job has changed in the time he has been behind the wheel and says there have been many positive changes however, some negative as well but the good always seems to outweigh the bad.

BOX ITEMS:

Truck Specs

Make: Kenworth

Model: K200

Sleeper: Big Cab Aerodyne

Engine: Cummins SCR

HP: 550hp

Torque: 1850 ft lb

Transmission: 18 speed Roadranger

MODIFICATIONS:

Chrome work: Klos Custom Trucks

Paint: Kenworth factory and artwork traditional sign-writing and scroll work by Justin Klos

Bullbar: Mr Bullbar – Gullwing Bullbar

Aircon: Customair

Further Modifications:

Ss grill mesh and bars

Klos visor

Ss tank trims

Ss tank wraps

Cab step infill

Ss sleeper wing trims

Aerodyne roof lights

Polished deck plates

Center mount drive guards

Ss Air line box

Dual exhaust and 7″ pipes

Taillight bar trims