Mack Milestone

Big trucks. Big crowd. And a big milestone.

By Colin Smith Photos: David Kinch, Mack Trucks and Colin Smith

THE 50 YEARS OF MACK TRUCKS IN NEW ZEALAND CELEBRATION

proved to be a very popular Labour weekend holiday attraction in the Manawatu.

With 172 trucks and about 1000 registered guests in attendance, the event also filled the car parking at Manfeild Park with venue officials reporting the attendance as their being largest in 20 years.

The milestone in question was 50 years since the first Mack truck was assembled in New Zealand by Motor Truck Distributors. The Manawatu region is the New Zealand home of the bulldog marque with assembly starting at its Malden St, Palmerston North facility in 1972.

The facility still serves as the New Zealand HQ for the brand, although trucks are now imported from the Wacol plant in Queensland.

Mack gathered on a cool and clear Saturday morning to form a convoy from Malden St to Feilding’s Manfeild Park with plenty of waving locals and keen photographers along the route.

The Manfeild display was an indoor-outdoor event with trucks from as far north as Kaitaia and from throughout the South Island.

A convoy of 120 Mack trucks on the Manfeild race circuit.

Top: An early morning aerial shot of the outdoor display area at Manfeild. Above left: The Mack convoy making an early start from Malden St on its way to Manfeild. Above right: Standing guard – the Bulldogs were out in force to celebrate 50 years.

The line-up of loggers, heavy salvage and haulage trucks, tippers and fire appliances provided a sample representation of the 1000-plus trucks that have followed the original FR785RST built at Malden St in 1972 and on show as restored by Mack staff.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended, whether they brought trucks along or were just there for a family day out. It couldn’t have gone any better,” says Stu Wynd, National Sales Manager for Mack Trucks.

“It was neat to see the older trucks and some of the older generation. One of the comments we got from people was `please don’t wait another 50 years to do this again’.”

Of the 172 trucks on show about 120 took part in a Manfeild circuit parade at the conclusion of the Saturday’s OctoberFAST race programme which also featured the opening round of the NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Super truck Championship.

“We started planning about 18 months ago, but we weren’t sure of the timing at that stage,” says Stu.

“We didn’t want to do it in winter and earlier in the year was still looking a bit doubtful with Covid. So, we settled on Labour weekend with the benefit of daylight saving and a long weekend that meant people had to spend one less day away from running their businesses.

“Probably the biggest surprise to me was the weather. This is Palmerston North we’re talking about,” laughs Stu.

“But it couldn’t have been better. At this time of year when you get the colder mornings you usually get a nice day, and that was

Above: The big crowd was Manfeild’s best one day attendance for 20 years. Facing page, top left: The Allingham family celebrates `Best in Show’ success. Facing page, lower left (clockwise) Western Logging Contractors’ Mack Junior... HWR Group participated with Allied Petroleum and Southern Transport brands... Generations apart, the stunning R Model `Vera Lynn’ restored by the late Bryan Menefy and Gerard Daldry’s 100 Year Super Liner... Glenn Allingham’s CH Model ready to convoy to Manfeild.

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Top: The original FR785RST built at Malden St in 1972 and restored by Mack staff. Above: Bulldogs and polished chrome... Britton’s House Movers and Heavy Haulage was well represented with both the old and the new.

how it turned out.

“You always worry a bit when you plan something like this whether it’s, `is everyone going to turn up? Are they going to have a good time?’

“We promoted it as a family event and with admission at $10 there were a lot of locals. We saw heaps of kids and families, and everyone was having a great time.

“I was also impressed by the way people queued to get the trucks into Manfeild. Everybody was very respectful in a situation that could have been a bit chaotic,” says Stu.

Special Mack 50th merchandise proved to be a hot seller while a raffle and auction held during the Saturday evening celebration dinner raised over $13,500 for the mental health charity, I Am Hope.

A number of local Manawatu businesses including Total Truck Spray, Gary Douglas Engineering and Metalfold Industries all contributed to the event. Metalfold created and donated a Mack 50 brazier which raised $2200 at auction.

The line-up of trucks arrived from throughout the country.

“There were five trucks from Northland including four from Ian Newey at Ruakaka and Wayne Frost’s Super Liner from Kaitaia,” Stu says.

The South Island was very well represented with 47 trucks, including some making the trip from the West Coast and Southland.

Best in Show honours - decided by a public vote - was awarded to Riverhead’s Glen Allingham with `ONHEET’, his immaculate deep red 1998 Mack CL 722. T&D

The late afternoon track parade filled the Manfeild race circuit….Clive Taylor Haulage arrived with a big Mack lineup….. Perfect spring weather bought a big crowd to Manfeild…Mack’s from the South Island were well represented including two iconic firms Tuapeka Transport and Hilton Haulage.