How to pull your weight in PNG

Completing a quick swing around the South Pacific today is the story of a well-travelled White. Lou Cowan’s brother, Dave, owns Complete Auto Services Ltd in Lae, Papua New Guinea. He deals in all things big, heavy and mechanical. The truck is actually a White Road Boss with a Western Star bonnet - White of course being the predecessor of Western Star out of Canada (that’s why the bonnet fits). Dave found it's easier to tell people she’s a Western Star rather than go through all the talk about the bonnet, the White and the Western Star relationship etc. The engine is a 330hp Cummins, the transmission a 13-speed Roadranger (but geared very well), the crane rated at 10 tonne and the winch weighs in at 15 tonne.

Dave found the White in a Deals on Wheels magazine a couple of years ago when he was in Cairns. From his previous experience in the New Zealand Army he knew the capability of the salvage gear as it was similar (although bigger) to the army unit he had used previously. The 15 tonne rear winch was larger than the army unit as well. Dave has since done a recovery with the winch reduced down to a 4:1 ratio – all up a 60 tonne pull.

Dave thinks the White was operating out of Sydney in the Blue Mountains but he bought it through a dealer in Sydney. The dealer emailed him a series of photos and Dave rang the previous owner (the name still being on the door). Based on this conversation, the truck was bought sight unseen, loaded onto a ship and freighted to Lae. She was tidied up a bit - the name "Hercules" was retained - and has been putting in honest and reliable work ever since.