Large Cars and Big Trucks: The Glory Days of Big Iron

Some of the best memories in trucking come from a time when trucks didn’t all look alike, didn’t all run the same speed, and sure didn’t follow the same rules.

Back then, certain trucks had a reputation.

You’d spot them at night on the interstate, lit up like rolling Christmas trees, running hard, and making damned good time.

This is a look back at the “chicken trucks” — sometimes called rooster cruisers and how they evolved into “large cars” and why that scene existed.

Fast Nights on I-20 and I-40

In the early 1970’s, chicken trucks were a common sight on major runs like I-20 and I-40, mostly at night.

But these trucks weren’t your everyday freight haulers.

They were the trucks that other drivers noticed first. They were bright, loaded with style and they were movin’ on.

Over time, most of these trucks disappeared.

Regulation tightened, cheap freight squeezed the margins, and the old “run hard, turn more loads” plan stopped making sense.

Still, anyone who ran those roads back then remembers the glow of one of these trucks rolling up behind them. They were impossible to ignore.

Why “Chicken Trucks”?

Drivers of the day called them chicken trucks, some called them rooster cruisers.

The nickname came from the cargo: fresh and frozen chicken moving out of Arkansas and heading west.

The look of these rides was half the point.

Many of these trucks were “lit up” with 100 lights or more across truck and trailer. When one came at night, it wasn’t just headlights you saw….. it was a glowing outline of chrome and markers, a bright trail that made the truck impossible to miss.

And the vibe was different back then. These drivers weren’t creeping along. They were trying to cover ground and really haulin’ hard….. and they built their trucks to do exactly that.

Big Iron for Big Speeds

These trucks weren’t toys.

Long-hood Kenworths, big Petes, even Freightliners…… they were all built to run strong and run hard.

Under the hoods were some heavy hitters:

• The KT Cummins models
• The 3408 Cat
• The V12 Diesels

Some of these hot trucks could push near triple-digit speeds.

But why would they do this?

Simple. More loads meant more money. If a driver could run faster and turn more trips, the paycheck followed.

Back then, “fast” wasn’t just for fun. It was a business plan.

Open Roads and Paper Logs

It wasn’t only all about horsepower.

The whole system made it easier to run hard back then. Night runs were key, and enforcement was much lighter than it is today.

The scales were often closed at night, and there were few “bears” were on the roads.

Fewer stops, fewer slowdowns, more chances to keep the hammer down.

Paper logs gave drivers flexibility.

A driver could run multiple log books and still look legal, even if the miles said otherwise.

Now take note….that freedom came with risk. But it explains why the chicken truck era existed. When the obstacles were removed from the picture, those chasing money pushed a lot harder.

The CB Radios weren’t just for idle chit chat by the way.

The trucks of the day ran massive setups, partly for style but mostly for information. Drivers talked to their trucker buddies 60–70 miles ahead…… checking scales and on the look out for law enforcement.

I recall one driver’s big radio drew enough juice from the mic to dim all his trailer lights at night. Well he fixed that in a hurry….. he added a second alternator to fix it. That was how crazy powerful these radios were!

Speed mattered. Information mattered.

And those Big Radios made both possible.

From Chicken Trucks to Large Cars

Over time, chicken trucks evolved…..the frames were stretched, trucks got bigger, and the “large car” era took shape.

“ What’s a Large Car?”

A Large Car is basically a well kept big truck…. like from back in the days of the KT Cummins engines and long hoods.

Big Bunks and Long Frames

Drivers living on the road longer needed comfort.

Big bunks became standard.

And the extra weight? It didn’t matter. Many drivers weren’t eager to roll across the scale.

The trucks that evolved were long, low and cool…. built for the road and the trucker living in them.

Legends, Chrome, and Trucking Humour

This era produced some legendary names of well know long time truck drivers: Jeff England, Charley Bates and James Gant.

Truck drivers in those days would often gather at stops that catered to their habits. Lots of chrome shops popped up alongside fuel stops, selling chrome, bling and repairs to keep those trucks rolling.

Some well-known stops and shops included:

• Walcott, IA
• Bosselman’s, Grand Island, NE
• The ‘Triple T’ in Tucson

In those days, California was a pretty big hotspot for tricked out trucks.

Wheeler Ridge and Bakersfield often hosted these rigs that were waiting on produce loads.

It was well known that some drivers blew an entire paycheck on chrome. And then turned around and did it again the next week.

Just ask an old hand about large cars and the answers you’ll get will sound like old trucker stories….. until you realize they’re true.

“When Big Trucks Are Changing Gears, Large Cars Are Changing Counties.“

“Big Trucks Go As Fast As They Can, But Large Cars Go As Fast As They Want.”

These weren’t just jokes. This was a snapshot of the attitude behind these incredible trucks.

The End of the Glory Days

By the late 1990’s, the math started to catch up.

Freight rates slid while costs rose, especially fuel.

Drivers parked their trucks, retired, or completely changed their business plan.

Running hard and wide open became harder to keep alive.

Where Are The Large Cars Today?

There are still some large cars around today on the road. But mostly you’ll see them at truck shows.

There’s the Mid-America Truck Show, The Great American Truck Show and the small town BEST truck show around, The Clifford Truck Show.

See our Schedule for the Truck Show Agenda for the Current Year.

Trucking today has plenty of excitement with all the new equipment, some real improvements and technology helping in countless ways.

But nothing hits like the old days of big trucks and large cars.

Back then, big hoods and horsepower ruled.

Fuel costs didn’t dictate every move, and trucks carried style born of pride, not factory spec sheets.

Drivers ran hard, looked cool doing it, and many made good money along the way.

Leaving a Mark

The chicken truck and large car eras thrived because drivers had freedom, iron, and a were highly motivated by money to run hard.

Even today, those old trucker stories stick…. of trucks that were loud, fast, and full of personality.