For over 30 years, Harry Muhlschlegel's life has revolved around trucks. By day, it's how he has made a living. He began as an owner-operator in the 1970s, then started and grew a trucking company, sold that and founded another. Evenings and weekends, vintage trucks are his hobby. He owns about a dozen he has restored, fueled by his love for the classic age of trucking. "I grew up with what I call the highway pioneers, the first guys who were going across the country in the 50s," says Muhlschlegel, who lives in Westampton, N.J.

With diesel in his blood, Muhlschlegel was an owner-operator for 12 years. In 1981 he started Jevic Transportation out of his house, driving the company's one truck. Soon, Muhlschlegel had grown the company to 1,100 tractors and 2,000 trailers. In 1989, he sold the company to Yellow Corp., and it became a subsidiary of the public company SCS Transportation.

Unable to remain idle, Muhlschlegel started a second trucking company, New Century Transportation Inc. Today, the company has 400 trucks running the country.

Muhlschlegel also restores and shows classic trucks, from a 1958 Mack to a 1986 Peterbilt with a 20-inch extended hood.

"You really have to take your hat off to these early truckers, when you see how they worked," Muhlschlegel says. "They had no conveniences, no air conditioning or power steering. When you think about the size of the sleepers today, it's hard to believe what these early guys went through."

Muhlschlegel's pride is a 1957 Kenworth W900. He bought it from another trucking enthusiast, Bob Keiser, who was loyal to Kenworth throughout his 47-year owner-operator career. Keiser bought the Ô57 in 1968 and drove it for 10 years, replacing the engine three times. He ended up buying other Kenworths for work, but kept the '57 in a heated shop.

"It was such a good truck," says Nebraska-based Keiser. About five years ago he finally decided to give it up.

Muhlschlegel spent two years restoring the '57 to its original condition; recently he invited Keiser to see his former prized truck. "What Harry did was tremendous," Keiser says. "Seeing it brought back memories."