Travels of an unemployed West Wyalong blog editor - Part One - NOW WITH WORDS!

Above: Pat Morris took me to see this Beddy soon after we moved up here. I haven't seen a lot of S-types - the Big Bedford - in my time but they've always been of interest. Many disappeared when the TK arrived on the scene. In the great scheme of things, the TK's engine access trumped the R, S and the earlier C ...and it didn't even have a tilt-cab! I've since found a potential buyer for this truck so hopefully she'll be going to a very understanding home. Below: the Groat family who own the Mack E on the front page of ACC also have this old Gardner-engined Atkinson. She was used as a paddock harvest truck up to a couple of years ago and, as you can see from the radiator shot, she still has the Silver Knight badge. It is there, honest! The owner commented that she smoked a lot when cold but I told him that was a standard Gardner thing and it's a joy to behold!

Above: another Groat truck is this 1976 TK. I'm calling it a TK as I can't remember the official designation. An ex-railways truck, she now serves as the fuel bowser. Would make an interesting truck to restore. Imagine all the friends you could take with you! Below: one of four Thornycrofts seen on the day we went to see the LAD Albion below, this one is cheaply available with the cabs and other parts we found below. Just drop me a line as I'd like to pass them on to a home that has the time to restore them.

Above: this funky Austin had a very interesting rear bogie set up. I just wish I had taken a good photo of it! Below: also included with these Thornycroft cabs was a chassis, radiator grille and another engine.
The LAD Albions (white and yellow), the Austins and the Fordson V8 above were all found on the same property. The Fordson photo took a few goes with a fun backdrop of backlit clouds. This was the best of the lot. The original words for this post disappeared when I originally wrote them. Have only now had the time and inclination to write them all over again!

Happy New Year

Hello, remember me? I'm your friendly old truck nut who has been a bit lazy of late. Can't believe the most recent entry (after this one) is October. Time flies when you're, err, not doing much!

I apologise for the quiet ACC of late. To be honest, I lost interest in old trucks in general. No, the passion didn't die - I still got excited seeing things on the side of the road - it just got buried under a few other interests and responsibilities. I've been pretty frustrated with my work situation, or lack thereof, but things are looking up in that respect. However finding several trucks in the local area that are 'target' projects for me and knowing they are relatively cheap but being unable to do anything about it has been very annoying and I basically threw my hands up in the air and thought "why bother?" So I took a step back from the 'industry' and looked elsewhere. What I have missed, though, is the down-to-earth people who get about the old truck world. Therefore expect phone calls or emails from me (if you can't wait, contact me!) in the near future as I endeavour to catch up with everyone.

I won't say we're back to business as usual yet - however I would like to thank Andrew Blacklock and Pat Morris for continually banging old gear at me to keep me 'on the hook' - but I spoke to Mal Wotherspoon this morning (he of the bright green Commer) and he has some great news which I'll hold until his photos arrive. Tomorrow, though, I'll give you a photo essay of what my travels have revealed over the past few months. There's a fine selection of everything from old rope shovels to hard-working White prime-movers.

To those who have popped in here hoping for new posts and not finding any, I apologise, the wait is over! Thanks for hanging around.

Andy

HCVC takes off in South Australia

In the great scheme of things the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club (South Australia) hasn't been around for very long with 2009 being their first year for club events. Their recent Hills of Adelaide run was an outstanding success. How to keep such a high standard of event? A display at Port Adelaide will help. Throw in a bus trip and dinner the night before and you've got all the trappings of a good HCVC event.

With a club membership of about 50 already, the dinner was a marked success with roughly 30 people attending for the trip on the Obhan bus. On the Sunday, September 20, only 10 trucks were displayed but this was to be expected with hay season well underway. Having said that, the attending trucks, as you can see, were excellent.

Above: some superb restorations are coming out of SA these days. Good to see older restos, like Dave Kent's well-travelled Commer and the Austin's Morris Commercial, waving the flag too.

Murray Langford, who sent these great pics in, also drove in the 'Classic' Bay to Birdwood Run. This event attracted "50 or so" commercials ranging from ute to heavy bangers. Here's just a small selection. Driving my own truck in a Bay to Birdwood is one of my goals. I think I need to add an HCVC SA run or three to that list. Well done those men and women!

Top: the most stunning Inter AA ever? I think so! Above: tidy G88. Good to see older Volvos attracting as much attention as their English and American cousins.

Above: nice Dodge. Looks like she's just been retired or still works with an appreciative owner. Below: Commer CB prime mover. Phwoar.

Old Thunder Guts retires

In September I received another welcome email from Mike Houghton. He said he'd just been with his wife to check out an AEC Marshall that was still working on a farm a couple of hours away. Peter Vincent, of yellow Octopus fame (see below), had bought the truck and asked Mike to go over her. As you can see from the photos, Mike found her very scruffy and well named - "Old Thunder Guts". How did she get this name? "Well, the muffler is very small and right behind the driver's ear and she does thunder", said Mike.

Above: note the muffler and exhaust. Mmm, noisy...

Mike reported the good news to Peter and they arranged to collect the AEC on Thursday, October 1 before checking her over on the Friday prior to an early start on Saturday morning for a 9am arrival in Gore for the start of the Southern Classic Commercials tour of Southland.

At the time, Mike said, "None of the other guys know that Vic is coming or that the Marshall will be there." It stands to reason that you can imagine their immense surprise at seeing the Marshall turn up. More on this and other wonderful Kiwi trucks on the run shortly.

What a magic, magic machine. She looks rough but if she can do the Southland run after a day's TLC...

On the road to Auckland - with Peter and Vic

First of all, thanks to Mike Houghton for initially sending this email through waaaaaay back in May. Thanks also to Peter Vincent for permission to use his photos here.

Peter had bought a 20-foot box in Auckland and needed to pick it up. Taking along fellow Leyland nut Vic Draper (he of Hypo Hippo fame - loves LADs, must be a good bloke), they hit the road in what must be the best-travelled Octopus in the world (the yellow Ergo cab in the photos). On the way they stopped off at a number of interesting places. Perhaps the most interesting of all was Alf Williamson's yard which was found to be full of Crusaders and Ergo-cabbed AECs among others.

Top: Octopus, Alf, Vic and Crusader. Above: it's all there...and in good company.

Mike adds: "Alf's father, Stan, is a legend over here. He ran a fleet of 50-plus Crusaders on logs and drove a restored one on the Long Lap. Not bad for an 82 year old!!"

"Alf just loves GMs", said Peter.

Alf is doing a ground-up rebuild of an Ergomatic Mammoth Major 6. Peter continues: "It will have a GM 6-71 which it had been re-powered with before Alf purchased it."

Above: very early days in the rebuild of the GM-powered Mammoth Major 6.

Regardless of the engine (I know some of you will be most excited!), this sounds like it will be an impressive bit of gear once she's on the road.

I'll take this opportunity to also thank Mike, Peter and Vic for their efforts in getting/keeping a significant number of LAD and Ergo-cabbed trucks active. You all know my link to these 'style' of trucks, so to see them on the road in this part of the world really warms the heart.

You can tell Vic and Peter are good mates!

As Found - 1938 Inter D-series

Jim Hawkes reports that this 1938 International D-series truck is quietly resting on a farm near Bathurst and is still does an occasional day’s work carrying firewood and performing other farm duties.

It has a strong local history. As can be seen from the sign-writing she used to belong to Bourke’s Transport of Bathurst (still operating) and is surviving well in the dry climate. One day she will be available for restoration but for the moment she continues to be a necessary part of the farm’s working equipment.

Pat Morris gets the Cummins going ... now for the Detroit

AEC Monarch comes 'home'

Andrew Blacklock and Paul Campbell, Scammell Routeman Mk II and Leyland Leopard owners respectively, bought this Monarch at auction in early May. Not seen for more than a decade, the AEC was previously owned by Smith's Transport - well-known beer haulers in the Newcastle area and former owners of AB's Scammell. Many of you may remember AB's coverage of the Scammell's last working day a couple of years ago.

The guys got the Monarch home the following week with Jeffrey Smith doing the honours of returning the truck to her rightful place alongside AB's Scammell in Smith's yard. The trip was not without a couple of minor headaches though. When they first tried to start it they discovered someone had snapped off the fuel return line at the auction viewing. Paul got that fixed and fitted a new set of batteries while AB bled it up. She fired up and ran well with most of the lights working and all electrics looking happy.

Once on the road the Monarch was singing along until just short of the shed when the fuel filter and lift pump gauze blocked. A clean, a nbew filter and a temporary fuel tank got her back 'home'. Over the next week, Paul and AB gave her a general tidy up in time for her to take her place in the Smith's line-up (with the Scammell, Albion and Leyland Reiver) at the Hunter Valley Truck Muster.

Above: Smith's for Service. The AEC among friends.

Since then the guys, both Hunter Valley Classic Commercial Vehicle Club members, have been chipping away at the AEC as time permits. Earlier this month they managed a good clean-up of the chassis and underbody and are over the moon with Hamilton Chrome's re-chroming efforts on the truck's front wheel dress rings (the photo says it all - stunning).

As mentioned above, the Smith's fleet is well known in the Newcastle area. Soon after the truck returned to its former home, Darrell Smith, now in his eighties, arrived home holiday and was asked to open the roller door while the family watched. He was very surprised and pleased to see the AEC on the other side of the door and could not believe that it had all been kept a secret for over a month!

Dubbo Truck and Vintage Tractor Show 2010

Just in case you haven't heard, after a year off, the Golden Oldies are back with a show for 2010. Set-up (and other events) is Friday, August 6 with the show running over the weekend at the excellent Dubbo Showgrounds. If you have any questions, give Ed Eminson a ring - 0419 632 853.

If you are headed to the Alice Springs Reunion as well, secure yards with ramps will be available to store your truck/s between shows. This might save you a bit of time - pre-positioning if you will!

See you there.

We're back ... sort of!

Hi all

Well, the move to West Wyalong has been interesting so far. West Wyalong? Jodi has got a job up here on the local mine and since she felt it was time to get her boots dirty again, we thought "why not". We're currently in the company transit house waiting for our house to have new carpets laid. It's dragging on a bit as we were supposed to be in last Wednesday (our stuff is currently in a container in Wagga and I'm working on three pairs of undies...) and now it's starting to look like we won't be in till this coming Wednesday. Jodi had been hoping to be settled before starting work but it looks like I'll be doing the unpacking.

On the job front for me, I'm hoping to get back on to driving trucks on the mine or anything else I can find. Apparently, the local sampling lab is looking for people so that'll be something different.

WW is a great little town. We're a bit hamstrung exploring at the moment as we can't leave the dogs anywhere but there's plenty of road trips ahead of us. Have already caught up with Pat Morris and seen the progress he's making with his projects. Look out Dubbo Golden Oldies 2010! With Pat's permission I'll hopefully feature some of his projects on here.

My trucks are back in Melbourne with the project Bedford ML hopefully sold (but not moving for a while). I'll be on the look out for something up here but we'll see. Got a few things to sort out first and lots of gas-bagging to do with Pat.

Found an awesome Inter AA120 three-axle tipper next to the Bridgestone here in town (shop also happens to be the locksmith as we discovered yesterday after locking ourselves out). Have pics on the phone so will get those up eventually.

Today is just a test in the new house to see if the net is connected etc. I probably won't be hooked up permanently till next week.

Until then,

Andy