Lot 532 finds a new home.

A day after the auction, checking out the Superliner. A smart looking 86 Model. Hope to get it started Monday, certified and off for a panel and paint. Very straight and tidy, chassis needs a spruce and some water damage in the cab - probably from the top vent. Syd is checking out the tool box, probably looking for some lunch.

Superliner on idle.

The Superliner parked and waiting to move into place for a load.

Trailers made upside down, downunder.

Two photos here of a tipping trailer being made. This is a bathtub model or Burrel bin by another name. The curved bottom is to ensure heavy material always centres toward the middle when tipping, this avoids a big piece of concrete or steel sticking in one corner and  maybe the trailer going over when tipping. This model is 10 metres long and once up right and on its wheels will be almost four metres high. The bin has no chassis and tips by shortening the overall wheel base of the truck and trailer as the hoist goes up, the front two axles lifting off the ground. A smart operator or loader knows to put ugly or awkard steel, concrete or other material close to the back door. This is the 2nd week's work and should be ready in another 2 or so to go to the paintshop.

The CH back working with a new clutch dwarfed by a backdrop featuring a steel mill in full production. Note the trailer raised on its backwheel tipping onto a shredder pile. Today the truck did a return run to the north carting scrap steel showing the versatility a hard working Mack offers.

Whoops there goes the clutch.

The clutch on this 454hp Mack Elite went yesterday morning, the centre of the clutch plate collapsing. There are some minor associated problems with the spigot shaft, seals, lever arm and it had to be towed to the workshop in Wiri. This truck has been with us about 4 years and does a relatively high mileage daily. Unlike the earlier models it is comfortable to drive though a characteristic of these engines, which range from around 430 - 470 hp is that they fade on the hills and rely on an 18 speed gearbox to keep speed. In particular the steering wheel is downsize and less like a tractor steering wheel of the R and Superliner models, fairly good vision over the bonnet as well. This model largely avoided the European influence found in the cab over that superceded the ultra liners. I'm sure my next photos of this will be of this ex South Island truck, trailered up and working.

Not working on Sunday

The ultraliner hangs out with a ch and the superliner. They're hooked up to trailers, 2 tippers and a flat deck and watching out for work.

Superliner

This a V8 Superliner, started out as a 440hp custom built for Ross Douglas. Before he traded it he took the engine out to 500 and Truckstops added what is a Kenworth sleeper box on the back of what had been a logger hauling shorts with a pull trailer behind. Many years later when we brought the truck it was a short distance away from being wrecked in a small shed down a drive, rusted and a non runner.  It had a tidy up after that and a motor overhaul 10 years ago with a full paint and panel just under 2 years past. It's putting out around 650 hp now, it's heavy as hell in the steering at low speed, tough on the clutch and hard to see over the bonnet in tight yards but on the highway or motorway she's a dream truck despite her 28 years. She's a truck with a few stories to tell and a mountain climber like no other.