ATHS Echuca Truck Show

Australia has a proud record of keeping trucking history alive through groups such as the American Truck Historical Society, better known as ATHS.

ATHS stages three shows in Victoria: Lancefield in March, Echuca in September and Maffra in November.

It is a chance for members to admire each other’s trucks, show off their latest acquisition or simply catch up for a chat. There are no prizes for attending which is just as well because the preparation involved to win would leave less time for conversation.

Like much of the country, Echuca has been inundated with rain, turning most of the showgrounds into a quagmire and reducing the available space for parking. Still, they are an adept bunch at ATHS and the team managed to find spots for the continuing steam of truck arrivals.

Having attended ATHS meets for some 16 years, I know many of the trucks and the blokes who own them, but there have always been a few newbies and surprises along the way.

Whilst the name ‘American’ features in the ATHS name, the group welcomes trucks from other lands as long as they are historic.

One of those attracting much attention was John Fry and his Magirus-Deutz. I must confess that I knew nothing of the brand and eventually managed to drag John away from the throng of admirers to become enlightened.

“They were actually a fairly popular truck back in the 60s,” said John. “Quite a few came into the country and I believe Ansett had a fleet of them. They were a very powerful truck compared to the petrol powered alternatives of the time. My father drove one similar to this in that era and it’s been a long-held passion of mine to obtain one.

“I finally got to the stage of life where I could afford one and would have the time to restore it. That said, the restoration has been going on for 12 years and I still have the interior to complete. I’ve done much of the resto myself and was also able to call on others with the expertise and knowledge that I didn’t have when need be.

“The motor is an air cooled V8 producing around 265hp, although in Europe they also produced them with V12s. This is a bogey drive, air over hydraulic braking system which in itself makes the truck very unusual.

“Not designed for the Australian climate, when they first came out they had trouble with the heads cracking. I believe a guy in Melbourne came up with a system of machining their heads and putting in steel rings to help with the overheating.

"That said, working them hard to get to the top of a hill and then turning them off was a no-no. You would have to idle them for quite some time until they cooled down.

“From the name you can tell that the truck is German and was built in the town of Ulm. People mistake the emblem on the grill as a rocket ship but was in fact designed after the spire of the Cathedral in that city.

"Maybe it was to suggest that ‘God is with you’, and you need that sometimes driving these things. Iveco bought the company out in the early 1980s and that was the end of their run here. They were overpriced and the S model Kenworth had hit the market.

"Without denigrating Kenworth and Mack in any way, it’s good to preserve something very different. They are quite unique in this day and age.”

In 2015 Ron Graham traded his house in for a 1973 furniture trailer. Cutting 29 inches from the height and sloping the front end for better aerodynamics, he built himself a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen/dining area and a space at the rear to store his Suzuki. Removing the Suzuki gives him an entertainment/living area. “When I eventually finish it,” he said wryly.

In front of the trailer is Ron’s 1975 W921 S2 Kenworth. Originally Coutts Transport’s second truck, Ron bought it in 1992 and restored it along with swapping the 10 speed out for a 13 and air bagging the rear. “Because it was breaking all the dishes in the kitchen.”

Under the bonnet is the ubiquitous V6 71 Detroit which Ron says in the understatement of the year: “Makes a bit of noise.” Always single drive, the truck originally sat on a 144 inch wheelbase. Ron extended it to 180 inches to improve the ride and fitted a 1000-litre freshwater tank. Running off solar power he has no problem going off the grid.

Like many truckies there is no such thing as full retirement and Ron finds himself setting up the trailer near to where some part-time work may arise for a week, a month or more.
“Living life on the road is something I wish I’d done years before. I just love it. Now I just have to convince my Jen to retire and get out there with me.”

I thought Ronnie Graham’s truck was loud until I passed one Terry Nicholson from Kalkallo and his W model. Let’s just say that the noise and the black smoke emanating from the stacks was well and truly politically incorrect.

Years ago I interviewed a truckie who looked like he didn’t have two-bob to rub together, only to find out he had a fleet in the dozens and a collection of old trucks of around the same number. You can never judge a book by its cover.

Terry carts livestock in partnership with his father. “Yep, gotta cow crate and a couple of sheep crates,” he tells me. “Been doing it all my life, way back to the Newmarket days.”

He then mentions that he has another couple of trucks at home. There’s two Dodges with GMs in them, four W-models, a 1986 Aerodyne with a 15-speed overdrive and 400 Cummins, the 1972 W model sitting on the trailer of the W model and a couple of others not worth mentioning apparently… “Oh, there’s the S Line bogey drive as well.” A trip to Kalkallo to ‘read the complete book’ is definitely in order!

This show, like most of the other ATHS shows, is dominated by the Kenworth brand. Wayne Smith better known as Smithy tries to balance the order somewhat by turning up with not one, not two, but six Mack trucks.

“Nobody in my family was ever remotely interested in trucks,” he says. “Then one day on the way to school a B model Mack passed me by. I said to my mates that I was going to have one of those one day and they all laughed.”

He points to the yellow B model sitting atop a trailer. “I bought that old girl 56 years ago and I’ve been all over Australia. I’ve slept on the floor, across the seats or under it. I nearly own it,” he adds.

“The B model is one of the absolute classics. Kenworth never came out with anything near as pretty as this although I will admit that the W model is a pretty cool truck… But don’t print that.”

Walking around his fleet Smithy points out his latest addition, a Super Liner in mint condition behind which is a 1990 V8 Value Liner of which he believes only about 250 were made in Australia. Further on is an R model sitting on the back of a Western Star. “Not my Western Star," he hastens to add.

At 75 years young Smithy still works six days a week moving machinery for a crowd in Melbourne. He admits that he uses a cab-over Kenworth for the job. “Because of all the crap conditions, we have nowhere to turn around with a bonneted truck plus I don’t want to wear this collection out.

“I’ve actually put a bulldog on the front of the Kenny – one of those B model ones with the long ears. When they ask me about it I say it’s because I can’t afford a Mack. Little do they know the truth!”

Truck shows – you’ve gotta love ‘em. John and Reece Sheppard certainly did when they came across Grandpa John’s International, bought in 1985 and sold on in 1994. There it was in all its glory at Echuca.

Then there was Ken McWhinney with his International AACO 180, except it’s actually a 182 because Ken couldn’t find a 180 badge. Powered by a 635 Perkins diesel, bus driver Ken has owned the truck for seven years stripping it back to the chassis. With a swag, fridge and cooking utensils under the canopy Ken intends on heading around Australia, visiting as many truck shows as he can along the way.

Like most who attend the ATHS shows, Ken has preserved a piece of trucking history for the enjoyment of all. Here’s a little more enjoyment for those unable to attend.