Let’s go to a Truck Show

In-depth

8 Nov

If only we could. On this weekend in any other year I would be at the Yarra Glen Racecourse in Victoria’s Yarra Valley to enjoy The Historic Commercial Vehicle Club’s excellent display. Alas, thanks to COVID, Yarra Glen has gone the way of every other show around the country.

So let’s go virtually – back to 2014 and the HCVC’s first event at this spectacular venue …

HCVC Moves House November 2014

The Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of Australia made two very important changes to their annual show this year.

1: They changed the date, moving it to earlier in the month, which meant no clash with the upcoming Castlemaine Truck Show (Nov 22/23.

2: They changed the venue from Sandown Park Raceway to the Yarra Glen Racecourse, 40km north-east of Melbourne.

**A little ray of sunshine - all the bling this Pete needed**

It was an inspired move as the treed surrounds and excellent facilities of Yarra Glen stood in sharp contrast to the bare asphalt quadrangle that was the staging point of the show for decades. It seemed to have no effect on attendance either, as exhibitors came from around the state and from across the country to show off their pride and joys. Similarly, the public arrived in droves - an excellent result as the day competed with the nearby town of Healesville, which was celebrating its 150th anniversary on the same weekend.

This show differs from many in that it attracts not only trucks, large and small, but also buses, bikes, military vehicles, steam engines, vans and cars from bygone eras. The result is a fascinating walk through the annals of transport history.

Ian Castles had a 1931 Chevrolet at the show. "I bought it from my next-door neighbour, Frank Ramatanis. When I got it, it was a real wreck. My wife Helen said she could understand Frank wanting to sell it but she did not understand me wanting to buy it. I told her I could see the potential in it. She loves it now of course.”

"There's five years work in bringing it up to what you see now. George Smithwick built the cabin for it, and did a magnificent job. My best mate, Bill Goldsack built the tray. Sadly it was the last thing Bill did before he passed away from a brain tumour. I'm going to put a plaque on the tray as a dedication to Bill.”

"She puts out 75 horses and will do maybe 80 km an hour. She gets a bit wheezy up around there. You drive it through the seat of your pants. You feel the vibration. People wouldn't realise that years ago we used to drive our trucks through the seat of our pants. Certain vibrations and we would know to back off. Different world these days. I like bringing the old girl out for people to enjoy."

Kevin Oates from Avoca, 70 km out of Ballarat, is a proud owner of a 1925 Chevrolet powered by an overhead valve four-cylinder. The motor is a work of art in itself with the pushrods outside the block. "She will do a whole 58 km an hour," said Kevin.

**Kevin Oates’ Chevy beats Ian’s in the age stakes - being a ‘25 model**

**1925 Chevy Power. Note the external pushrods**

He has owned the Chevy for eight years but wouldn't touch it until he retired. "It took me three years to restore, stripping it down to every last nut and bolt. You do a lot of hunting around swap meets for the parts you need. The hardest thing to find were reflectors and the outer rims around the headlights. Tyres were a bit of a worry but we finished up getting two brand-new ones for $100, would you believe. The back ones were an even better deal at $80 the pair. People look at it and tell me that I've done an amazing job of restoring it but I've spoiled it by putting that magpie on the front windscreen."

Kevin points to the Collingwood Football Club Magpie stuck to the screen. "It upsets a couple of my grandkids who are Melbourne supporters."

We bet that they're not the only ones he upsets!

"She might be a little 'un by today's standards, but these trucks went out and they moved product around for people and delivered the goods that they all wanted at the time, just like the big boys do today."

Dave Hall showed up with a 1971 Bedford KMR XT5. The truck sports a 653 Detroit with 10 speed overdrive and a two speed, number 4, Eaton differential. Dave has owned the truck for 10 years.

**David Hall and his 1971 Bedford KMR XT5. Double bumper was factory issue**

"I basically bought just the engine and the chassis. The cab was knackered so we stripped it and rebuilt it and rewired it. We did it all at home under our own steam because of our budget. The only thing we didn't do was the trim line which we got Crackers (Gordon McCracken) to do."

The door of the truck bears the inscription, E. Harris, Livestock Transport. "He's a well-known old fella at home who had a Bedford and carted livestock for years. He is still alive and kicking and we just thought we'd pay homage to him."

Dave still works the road with his truck, doing a bit of a road train work and heavy haulage for Doolans.

Lies, Damned Lies and Truckies.

Also at Yarra Glen in 2014 were a couple of blokes well known to the Victorian trucking fraternity. This is the story they told me at the time…

Now, I've heard some bullshit stories before - many in fact. Truckies are pretty good at 'stretching' a yarn. "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story", is the old adage and truckies are pretty adept at it.

But at the recent HCVCA event at Yarra Glen, Ray Shalders and Rick Hayman took the 'truth' to new heights. We couldn't let this little gem go by without sharing it with you all.

Ray Shalders - of indeterminate age, but we'll guess at well in excess of 60, turned up at the show in a wheelchair. When I asked what had occurred this is what Ray had to say:

"I was up at Dunolly truck show and I had an 18-year-old sheila in the bunk. I was climbing out the back – pissed of course. Between the Grappa and the fact that I couldn't take my eyes of this naked, nubile young thing, I missed the step didn't I. Hit the ground and broke my bloody hip. Laid there for three quarters of an hour in the cold until someone found me. Then it was well over an hour before an ambulance arrived. They took me to Maryborough and they couldn't do anything there, so they shot me on to Bendigo. I did about 300 K in the back of a rotten old ambulance. Could have been worse I suppose. I could have broken my neck."

Then Rick Hayman stepped in. "Now, let me tell you the truth of what happened, because I saw it all. Ray was hang gliding up at Halls Gap. He was up at 3 or 4,000 feet I reckon - just a speck in the sky. Anyway, one of the stays broke on the Hang Glider and of course he was in a spot of bother.”

“He came down a fair way, with the hang glider twisting this way and that, spinning out of control, almost to the ground. Obviously a few things would've been running through his mind. That's probably where he dreamed of that 18 year old naked beauty - as his life was obviously passing in front of his eyes.

“Then a bloke came along in a Cessna, noticed he was in a fair bit of strife and actually guided the Cessna underneath him so that he landed on the wing. That was when he broke his hip. They were still in a bit of bother because some of the hang glider wires got caught up in the prop of the Cessna. I tell you that was a bloody good pilot because he managed to glide in and land at Horsham. Ray didn't realise he'd broken his hip until he went to climb down off the wing. And, as I stand here, hand on heart that is the real truth of what happened. I mean, look at him. What 18 year old would go near that?"

These two versions of how Ray did his hip in came out seamlessly and spontaneously. No wonder these two blokes can't lie straight in bed!

… 2021 will hopefully see a return of the Truck Show right across Australia. But while we’re waiting, here is some of what we’ve been missing….