Gary 'Two Hat's Richards (the man who looks after product promotion and management for Volvo and Mack down-under) has sent me this cover shot from Bulldog Bulletin, a fine publication from 1972..."Hi Brian, seeing the Kiwi Ford D Series still hard at work prompted me to scan this 1972 article from our Mack PR publication."
"The headboards on the livestock crates are real gems," says Gary who adds: "...and some interesting sheep hauling stats!! Rod Simmonds might be able to add to the Reeves story...Incidentally, our NZ Mack dealer has a restored F model - one of the first in the country so it may well be this truck. Murray - can you add any details on this customer or truck? Regards Gary..." Now click through here for more...
Meanwhile Murray has come back to say: "Hi Gary, yes the truck on the mag cover is in fact the truck that has been restored which was owned by Maramara products being operated double shift carting wood chip product and travelling 600 miles a day back in 1972. This was the first Mack to be sold in NZ and the second truck which our founder also sold as the first truck was sold to Reeves Transport carting livestock. I can supply photo's of the truck today if of any interest and it is restored in the original colour and condition. Regards, Murray Sowerby." Welll I'd like some Murray for the blog!
Wow ha ha haven't seen these in a very long time. Thanks for posting!
Justin Davis
Freight Quote
My Dad sold these first three Resin cab FR600 st one to Reeves and live stock work and two where added to the Graham Manson fleet dragging the pictured tri axle self steering wood chip bins. The Manson Macks 237 Maxidyne 6 speed's ran 24 /7 with very much improved resaults from the brand X being used but both had 13 speed Roadies fiited later. These where made in Brisbane hense the resin cab and delvier though our shops at the time, Ron Carpender was dealing with the US company at the same time and ended up as the New Zealand dealer
Ron with his setting of Mack USA in place (as you will find in the Leader story ) was in a the front running as Mack USA where looking to lose contact with the Anderson run Mack Aust so by providing Rons "Motor truck Distrubuters" with product from the states thus shut down the "other dealer" being supplied from Brisbane factory.
Thus is history made New Zealand had US made Mack product...
Looking at that Manson Mack Notice the air intake grill on the cab top ..this provided the clean front of cab intake drawn from the centre of the two cab skins to the air filter, issues over come this system and both cabs converted to stacks intake up the rear.
Close inspection also shows an eerly cab as it has resin doors later made from steel locally, hence to mirror brace lower mount fixed to the bottom door edge..I will get to a post photo's of a later 1972 cab belonging to Gary (not two hat Gary) under restoration.
The cabs made by a local company also provided driver housing for Foden/ Atkinson/ ERF/ Leader and my own Baby T3046GM Atki.... the first tilt cab Atki in the world.
Hi Rayjay, I thought these were FR-785 Macks with 237 Maxidynes...
- Rob