Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 433 i Deals On Wheels Australia

It’s clear from the outset that American Truckworks in Wingfield, Adelaide is no ordinary truck yard. That’s probably because Lyndon Reynolds is no ordinary managing director. Reynolds might be part mad or part genius, but there’s one thing he’s full of, and that’s passion. He’s the only importer in Australia of brand-new Peterbilt trucks, the instantly recognisable American icon, and his latest offering – a 2018 Peterbilt 389 ‘Extended Hood’ – is destined to become an instant classic. Reynolds is clearly not alone in having a passion for Peterbilt, a subsidiary of Paccar in the US. They could be considered the Harley-Davidson of trucks; big, beautiful and commanding, built to be noticed, but also built to work. The brand has plenty of fans in Australia, particularly among drivers who want…

The 2019 Brisbane Truck Show is up and running. Tickets are now on sale for next year’s event and there’s more reason than ever to start making plans to be there. It’s no surprise that the exhibition halls will be jam packed with all the latest and best trucks, trailers, components, equipment and technology. We’ve come to expect that. In record time every nook and cranny has been contracted to exhibitors wanting to put their best foot forward at the southern hemisphere’s largest automotive showcase. In fact, if you want to go for superlatives, try: the southern hemisphere’s largest business event. The 2019 show is the fifth at Brisbane’s world-class Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The venue’s footprint grew substantially with the addition of the Grey Street precinct in 2012.…

Other than replacing them when they’re worn out, tyres can sometimes be largely forgotten about in the day-to-day operations of a busy transport fleet. And that’s understandable – but as many of you will know, it’s not until something goes wrong that their importance comes to the fore. Unique in the Australian transport industry, Adelaide-based Tyrexperts provides a range of independent tyre-related consulting services to a diverse client base in Australia and overseas. With most tyre suppliers either owned and operated by, or closely aligned with, a major tyre brand it can be difficult to know that the tyre advice you’re getting is the best advice available. Tyrexperts use its extensive experience in tyre development, manufacturing, quality, operation, technical service, training and failure analysis to help operators get the best…

‘If you build it they will come’ may be a cheesy movie quote, but Dave ‘Chappo’ Chapman feels it’s a pretty fitting way to explain the origins of the increasingly popular Kenworth Klassic. The big difference between Kevin Costner’s home-build baseball field, which incidentally has no planning permits, and the Kenworth Klassic is that I was happy to be watching some of Australia’s best Kenworths for three days straight. Can’t say the same for the Kevin Costner film. You wander around the Clarendon showgrounds and it’s a huge mix of shine, stainless and stories, and that’s exactly what the boys behind the event had in mind when they first concocted the concept. Now officially in its fifth year, the Kenworth Klassic may be the brainchild of a group of four…

The National Road Transport Hall of Fame reunion sees hundreds, sometimes thousands, of trucking and transport legends flock to Alice Springs each year. You’ll be hard pressed finding this many truckies in one place: young and old, male and female – all with diesel in their blood and a view of the highway never far from their mind. This year’s Reunion took place on the last weekend in August, kicking off with the emotionally-charged Shell Rimula Wall of Fame ceremony, where 70-odd transport heroes were honoured for their service to the industry. Proud truckies, family members, colleagues, and volunteers gathered in the Hall of Fame for the ceremony on Saturday morning, eyes drawn to the floor-to-ceiling memorabilia lining the walls. You walk into the Wall of Fame ceremony, whether it’s…

PACCAR Parts is a global leader in the distribution, sales and marketing of after-market parts for heavy and medium-duty trucks, trailers and engines. Using innovative technologies and distribution processes and industry-leading quality management, PACCAR Parts provides after-sales support moving products efficiently through the supply chain. With a commitment to keeping customers’ trucks productive and operational, PACCAR Parts delivers value for its customers through more than 57 locations, including dealerships and TRP stores, Australia-wide. QUALITY MATTERS DAF and Kenworth customers can count on PACCAR Parts to supply their local dealer with dependable original equipment (OE) parts for their trucks and rely on us to back these products with full warranty, product training and dealer support. PACCAR Genuine parts are OE first-fit parts installed at the factory on Kenworth and DAF trucks.…

Blank the brain for a few seconds and you can almost hear the purists moaning in protest. ‘DAF being built on the same line as Kenworth. Never! No way! Can’t happen!’ Well, moan all they like because not only can it happen, it is happening, and there are none happier about it than the people of Paccar Australia. At every level, from the factory floor to the executive echelons and sales teams within both the company and its influential dealer group, the optimism was almost palpable as the first DAF assembled at Paccar’s Bayswater manufacturing plant recently rolled off the line. Physically, DAF joins the production line at that point where the engine is slotted into the chassis. More to the point though, the sight of a CF cab –…

There are certain occurrences in all of our lives that we all find comfortable and relaxing, times that are just fun, amusing and uncomplicatedly enjoyable. That first sip of beer after a long day, watching the All Blacks beat the Wallabies again or when you add the last lick of tyre shine after cleaning the truck. I can now add another moment to my list of highly enjoyable occurrences – sitting in the Townsville offices of Nortrans with father and son team Rodney and Kent Battle. Learning about how the family have toughed out eight decades in the toughest industry, travelling some of the toughest roads with some of Australia’s toughest trucks. Throughout the hour or so of the interview I had the privilege of learning a lot about the…