Lancefield 2010 - Not Elmer Fudd’s Backyard!

In-depth

29 Aug

In 2010 I was just finishing my tenure with Truckin’ Life, but managed to fit in the inaugural ATHS show at Lancefield, Victoria. Rita and I arrived and decided to have a spot of lunch before looking around. No sooner had we sat down when a bloke came up to me. He had spied the Truckin’ Life jacket I was wearing.

“You’re the $%%# who wrote that crap article about Elmer Fudd’s Back Yard!”

In the article he was referring to, the journalist in question had described an historical truck display he had seen as, ‘It was like looking at Elmer Fudd’s backyard’ - a derogatory statement inferring that it was like looking at a junk yard.

It wasn’t me, but a fellow journalist, I was quick to point out. I also made it clear that I was as unhappy as he was when I’d read that article and that I would rectify it in the next issue with my own story.

Somewhat mollified, he said, “Bloody better!”

We became mates later on.

This was what I wrote…..

‘Gimme Elmer’s backyard any time!’

1. As HSV say in their ads, 'I just want one'. This 1946 KW Still hauls..jpg

‘The weekend of March 20-21 was a busy one. The Saturday was spent at the Melbourne Truck Show after which we headed to Lancefield (V) – about an hour north - to check out their inaugural Historical Truck display, organised by Robbie Green and put on by the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS). Lancefield is a charming, small Victorian country town that most of you have probably never heard of.

A contributor to this magazine once described an historical truck show he’d seen as: ‘Trucks that looked as though they’d come from Elmer Fudd’s back yard.’

After the rather clinical presentation of trucks at the Melbourne ‘International’ Trailer & Truck Show (I’d loved to have seen an International Lone Star there, to make that show truly international), I’ve gotta say there’s no place I’d rather be. ‘Elmer’s’ back yard at Lancefield was a breath of fresh air.

Owners, both young and old were more than ready and willing to talk about their trucks and a life in trucking, their love of the industry, and imparting knowledge of their vehicles history. They didn’t talk about the trucks as trucks – rather as a loved member of the family.

Visitors to this show were treated to a great variety of vehicles from Mack to Kenworth to Peterbilt to Brockway. International Harvester, Leader – the list goes on. ATHS doesn’t run competitions or give prizes for the prettiest truck. The only requirement is a love of all things ‘Truck’.

There were some brilliant vehicles on display such as Murray Langford’s better-than-new KW ’69 W Series. Murray brought the W924 over from his home at Mt. Gambier (SA) for the show. Originally bought new for $54,300 by Quarry Industries of Adelaide, this was the largest Kenworth sold in Australia at the time. With a GVM of 38 tonnes and a GVC of 100 tonnes the 924 is powered by an (approx) 18 litre V12 Detroit putting out 435HP @ 2100rpm. Drive is through a 13 speed Roadranger with an auxiliary 4 speed Spicer. Murray purchased the 924 in 2004 and spent from 2005-7 restoring her. In a mastery of understatement he says, “She’s fun to drive.” Murray also had a magic R190 on display.

**Murray Langford’s W924 & International R190**

Another class act at Lancefield was Ed Eminson’s 1975 Brockway F761TL. Founded in 1851 as the Brockway Carriage Factory, the company produced its first truck in 1912. In 1928 they acquired the Indiana Motor Corp and in 1934 produced the Model V-1200, a 12 cylinder, 240HP engine which at the time was America’s largest capacity truck, capable of doing 45mph.

In 1956 Mack Trucks bought Brockway and in 1958 the Husky mascot was introduced. In 1970 they were named ‘The most rugged truck in the USA’. Sadly Mack closed Brockway down in 1977

**Ed Eminson’s classic 1975 Brockway F761TL**

Ed acquired ‘Bruiser’ around two years ago. He first saw her in 2000 at a truck show when visiting Cortland, NY State – the spiritual home of Brockway. In 2007 she was up for sale and Ed snapped her up. “I bought her for a bargain price,” he said. “The ‘Bruiser’ moniker came about due to being knocked black and blue (financially) in getting her back to Australia.

………

Neil Tilley’s ’77 Ford, like many trucks at the show is a continuing work in progress – but man, has he come a long way already.. Bought from Johnny Paden, Neil used to drive it interstate for him. Originally in white it had steel tanks and the exhaust ran in between the chassis rails. There was a sheet of hard plywood across the back window where the dog box sleeper used to be.

“Going to Adelaide for emergency deliveries to GM’s Elizabeth plant meant hours of sucking in fumes,” said Neil. “A bit of plywood across the seats was my bed. For the return trip I’d load up out of Ray Singleton’s yard in Adelaide and catch up on a bit of sleep – in 40 degree heat. I loved it!” To Neil his (now blue) ’77 has more character and ‘blood & guts’ than later models.

………..

Peter Waterson of Bacchus Marsh turned up with his ’55 Bedford retrieved from the Herald & Weekly Times museum when it closed. This was truck number 105 and was possibly based in Ballarat. Peter believes this to be the only one still in existence. All he did was a cut and polish and put the signage back on. Pete’s into Holden’s and describes his Bedford as ‘an FJ on steroids’.

**Peter Waterson with his ‘55 Bedford - a piece of Herald newspaper history**

Jack Gardiner’s I.H. R190 was painstakingly rebuilt over 20 years with a lot of help from his Uncle Mick. The bonnet has been lengthened 10 inches and she runs a KW front axle.

Paul Dossett’s 1980 Leader shows that the younger generation is as interested in preserving trucking history as their older counterparts. Bought from his boss at Viking Express of Altona, Paul believes there are only about 30 on record. Originally built as a log truck in Tasmania the Leader also spent time as a heavy recovery tow truck.

It was ATHS member, Robbie Green of Lancefield who first suggested getting the show up and running in the town. A bloke with a permanent grin on his face (only beaten by dad, Syd’s), Robbie was happy to display his three Peterbilts.

Flanked by a blue ’66 model and an ’84 (which Rob converted to RHD himself), stood an old white Peterbilt - the last brought into the country in right hand drive by ‘Mr. Peterbilt Australia’, Laurie O’Neil

Used as a tow truck she, in Robbie’s words, “Has had a bit of a sad life but is well worth preserving. Don’t let her looks deceive you – she runs beautifully.” Rob’s three Pete’s are all working trucks. Although from the same Paccar stable, Rob says, “I had a KW – same age, same motor, the whole shebang. The Pete’s are a totally different truck to the KW. You cannot compare the two brands.”

**Syd Green - you couldn’t meet a better bloke**

My favourite of the show though, was a rusted out old Monkey-Faced-Blitz. Believed to have been in Darwin during WW2, Syd Green acquired her in 1963 for a hundred quid. In the space of a weekend he put a crane on her and spray painted the mudguards grey with red bodywork and silver crane. “She looked beautiful then,” said Syd. In 1973 he replaced her Ford V8 power with a heart/lung transplant in the form of a Bedford motor, radiator and gearbox and she hasn’t skipped a beat since.

**A picture says a thousand words but Syd used just 43 to tell the story of his Monkey-Faced Blitz**

**Blitz luxury. She still works in a lumber yard**

Over the years the paint has gone and the springs poke through the seat covers (Syd’s term is ‘luxury interior’). The old girl still works today in a timber yard. This truck embodies the spirit of Australian trucking and the men and women involved in the industry. Visitors to this show walked away with a vastly improved knowledge of trucks and trucking history and increased respect for the men and women who have plied them around Australian roads over years gone by.

Living history – it’s not just all about the boot polish!

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