Thursday, March 30, 2017

Junction Vintage Machinery Expo (American and Australian Trucks)

Last weekend the Hawkes Bay Vintage Machinery Club held their second Expo on the property of John and Jo Ashworth, about half-way between Dannevirke and Waipukurau. My first post is of some of the American and Australian trucks that attended.
Not often you see a Ruggles. They were built in the US and Canada in the early 20s.

1964 International AB130.
These and the smaller wellside models with single rear tyres were quite popular in the 60s and 70s.

These earlier models were also popular.
The coupe type cab was an Australian adaption of the original American cab.

This 1947 Chevrolet Thriftmaster is typical of the many American light trucks that worked hard for farmers and tradesmen on New Zealand roads in the 40s, 50s and 60s before British light trucks became the preferred vehicle.
This is not to say the American trucks were inferior, but trading within the Commonwealth had a financial advantage over imports from the US.

1968 International F1800D Loadstar.
These were a popular truck in many parts of the world and were one of the models built by International in England during the late 60s. The power plant is a 6 cylinder, 2 stroke Detroit of the 53 series.

1997 Ford Louisville is an Australian adaption of a popular American model.

International's Australian division built many trucks for Australia and New Zealand with fully  Australia designed cabs which bared no resemblance to any of their American models.
This example from the T-line series is a 1981 TF2670.

One entrant had hired this 2015 Kenworth K200 to get his exhibits to the Expo.

Another used this Kenwort T650.

That big square grille could only be a Mack Superliner.

Nice old 70s Canadian built Kenworth.

Ford Model T...

...and a 1929 Chevy.

Very impressively painted Kenworth.

One of the predecessors to the T-line in the Australian range was the 3070.
Usually powered by the Cummins 903cid V8.

The R series Mack was a truck that worked hard on New Zealand roads in all sorts of duties, but particularly in the logging industry.

Superbly restored Kenworth logger.

Australian Leader and similar looking Mack F series.
Tiny sleeper was added to give more room in the cab for paper work when it was a working truck..

Gleeson's Ford V8 looking like it's just turned up with a load of household goods from the 1940s.

Another very smart Mack Superliner.

Freightliner Argosy was also there to transport an exhibitor's machines.


This 1947 International K6F was the manufacturer's smallest tandem drive model at that time.....
....with the interior just as lovingly restored as the exterior and typical of American trucks of that era, it is petrol powered.
This truck was my pick of the whole show.
.

No comments: