From the classifieds: Inter’s eternal ACCO

Although not formalised as Iveco Trucks Australia until 2002, Iveco took over International Trucks Australia in 1992 – 38 years ago.

At that time the Dandenong-pressed ACCO cab and local frame dominated the Victorian production line, as it did until 2019. Had it not been for the success of the ACCO, Iveco may well have become an importer, not a maker of trucks in this country.

Of the entire IH truck product range, the ACCO will be remembered in Australian road transport lore as the most versatile: becoming a common sight on city streets and country roads; running the interstate routes as a line-hauler in both single- and bogie-drive configuration; carrying livestock; toiling in the building industry, in multi-wheeled rigid form, carting bricks and concrete.

The ACCO is synonymous with the waste industry and is arguably the greatest refuse-vocational truck this country has ever seen. But the long-serving ACCO lineup had unlikely beginnings.

In the late-1950s, following five years of development and testing of prototypes, the Australian Army awarded a contract for 100 four-wheel drive military trucks to International Harvester Australia.

Designated Mk1 these trucks were AACOs and the letter designation is: Australian A-line Cab Over, where A-line denoted the assembly line. The later series changed to ACCO, being built on the C-assembly line.

The Army placed ongoing orders and, by the late 1960s, 1620 units had been delivered.

The AACO entered civilian life in 1961, with 4x2 and 6x2 axle configurations and was modernised with a new grille and one­piece windscreen in 1964. The AACO was powered by a Perkins 6-354 diesel engine or V8 345 cubic inch petrol engine.

In 1966 a bogie-drive 6x4 version was launched, with a five-speed main gearbox and three-speed 'Joey' box.

This successful truck morphed into the ACCO in 1967, with a different slatted grille and single headlights. It was available in 4x2, 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 configuration. The first twin-steer ACCO-1840TS had a choice of International V8 petrol engines: the V-345 with 177hp and 302lb-ft, or the V-392 with 212hp and 330lb-ft. (You get more outputs in one of today’s utes!)

A Cummins V185 diesel option was introduced in the following year – a total disaster – and led subsequently to the 210 and 555 ‘Triple Nickel’ variants.

The standard ‘two-stick’ transmission was a five-speed Fuller T-54 constant mesh, coupled to a three-speed AT-501 ‘joey’ box. The auxiliary box had a direct 1:1 ratio, a 2:1 ‘underdrive’ ratio and a 0.73:1 ‘overdrive’ ratio. Compound gear shifts required the driver to put his right hand through the steering wheel, onto the auxiliary box lever, while the left hand shifted the main box!

Fortunately for agitator and refuse-collection operators there was an Allison MT-40 six-speed automatic transmission option behind the V-392 engine.

In 1972, an all-new tilt-cab model was revealed, following several years of development work and at a cost of $16 million.

In 1975 the range was expanded by the addition of light-duty variants, to combat Japanese competitors and by a heavy-duty, line-haul 3070 model with Cummins 903 V8 diesel grunt and Eaton-Fuller's nine- or 15-speed Roadranger transmission.

There were several 3070 upgrades during the next five years, culminating in the T-line and, in 1980, the IH-owned Atkinson nomenclature adorned the grille of yet another derivative.

The 1990s brought more changes to the ACCO cab: the addition of the front panel from IVECO's Eurocargo along with a plethora of restyling, but even after the makeover it was still recognisable as an ACCO.

The original presses were still in operation at the Dandenong plant in 2019, having punched out in excess of 80,000 AACO and ACCO cabs since the late 1950s.

All through the International Harvester financial troubles of the 1980s and the Japanese-truck invasion of the Australian distribution market, the ACCO variants continued to sell well, but the end was anticipated when Iveco took over the Australian company in the early 1990s.

However, Iveco saw the advantages of the simple ACCO design, particularly for the waste and construction markets and the old warhorse soldiered on. Ongoing facelifts since 1995 have given the ACCO an Iveco-family look and the mechanicals have always been cutting edge.

The International ACCO is probably the longest-serving truck model in global history.

Our reference truck for this potted ACCO history is for sale on trucksales.com.au .

It’s the last generation that used the pre-Iveco-styled cab front: a 1994 6x4 on 5840mm wheelbase, with 30-tonnes GVM and fitted with a ‘beavertail’ body and ramps operated by PTO-driven hydraulics.

The truck is fitted with all the necessary safety kit; checker plate floor; anti-theft device; tyres with 75% tread and the interior in good condition, with no rips in seats or mats.

It’s said to be a well-equipped truck, with UHF radio, air conditioning and air bag suspension.

The owner says it’s clocked up a bit over 400,000km and has been serviced by a qualified diesel mechanic every 10,000km.