Ronnie King’s ’94 Pete looks like a ripe banana, but it’s no softy when it comes to getting the job done

by Todd Dills

Independent owner-operator Ronnie King, of Jamestown, Tenn., bought Ripe-N-Ready from a junkyard “about six years ago,” he says.

The 1994 Peterbilt 379’s currently pristine condition, netting him a couple 2010 truck show placing finishes, is the product of the resulting years’ worth of hard work, conducted piecemeal at his own shop in large part.

Owner-operator King, with his own authority hauling refrigerated and general freight South, tomatoes and other produce back north, has put all manner of mods into it, from changing out the 425-hp C model Caterpillar mechanical engine to its current 475-hp Cat 3406E, to outfitting the truck with a 13-speed Eaton Fuller two-stick tranny.

“I changed the suspension from air leaf, and put Talladega fiberglass fenders on it,” he says, “stripped the hood and bunk and replaced them, adding 30 inches all told to the frame.” The stand-up sleeper he fitted on he then cut to a flattop.

“It’s an ongoing project,” he says.

In October, he changed up the door design, going from vent-glass on the old doors to the one-piece window in the style of later-model Peterbilts, not reflected in these pictures from April. “I moved the windows from the doors to the cab, like in the 2005 model 379s.”

Ronnie King puts a shine on Ripe 'N' Ready's stainless trim.

When it was painted bright yellow years ago, he says, his wife gave him the impetus for the 1994 Peterbilt’s name. “She said it looked like a ripe banana, and I better be getting ready to work,” he says.

She was talking about a different kind of work, for sure, but King plans to keep making mods to the Pete going forward. “Once you get started on it, you want to just keep going,” he says.

More particulars

Rear end: 3:58 Rockwell

Tires: 24.5 low-profile

Interior mods:

• Hardwood floors
• stainless overhead console from RigSkirts
• custom wooden cabinets in the bunk
• various chrome accents

2010 Truck show performance

• 2nd, Show Class Tractor, Nashville Chrome and Class truck Show
• 1st, Working Bobtail, Custom Rigs Pride & Polish Wildwood, Fla.
• 3rd, Interior Cab Only, Custom Rigs Pride & Polish Wildwood, Fla.
• 2nd, Custom Paint Bobtail, Custom Rigs Pride & Polish Wildwood, Fla.
• 1st, Lights Bobtail, Custom Rigs Pride & Polish Wildwood, Fla.