Trailer tribute to ‘King of the Mountain’ turns heads

of the EziLiner by incorporating two cable guide rollers at the drop point of the trailer that simultaneously ensures the continuity of the cable from the top to the lower deck whilst maintaining the required tension levels.

But after 15 years of loyal use running to all points of mainland Australia, Mick’s EziLiner Drop Deck started showing signs of wear and tear.

“It is too good a trailer to get rid of,” Mick said. “Around the time I was thinking about refurbishing the trailer, a close friend of mine, Steve Donovan, told me about a car show he was organising to raise awareness for mental health. Sadly, Steve’s son took his own life, and the car show ‘A Day out for Don’ was named in his honour.

Mick contacted MaxiTRANS to see who they might suggest completing the rebuild.

“The team at MaxiTRANS in Victoria were terrific,” Mick explained. “I explained to them I intended to use the trailer as a display piece with the Peter Brock mural on the curtains and the deadline for its first public showing at the car show.

I also added that I wanted a few extra touches, such as the polished rear door handles.”

“Mick was fantastic and easy to deal with. He knew exactly what he wanted to achieve,” said Jason Keddie, MaxiTRANS general manager Victoria. “He was involved throughout the whole process and got to know our team quite well.

A REFURBISHED 15-yearold trailer has been given a new lease of life, paying homage to legendary motor racing champion Peter Brock.

Owned by Highland Haulage, the trailer had spent 15 years in service before its latest transformation.

Highland Haulage’s head office is located in the historic town of Deloraine at the foot of the Great Western Tiers in Tasmania’s central highlands. The business has grown from a single truck operation that started in the early 1990s to a predominate Tasmanian freight forwarding, shipping and transport operation.

It was started by husband- and-wife team Mick and Chris Linger two decades ago, who rely on old-fashioned values, coupled with adopting new technologies to stay ahead of the game.

Mick says he takes great pride in his fleet and as such, ensures impeccable equipment maintenance and great presentation of his fleet.

Regardless of age, Mick is adamant that all his gear must be kept in showroom condition. His meticulous approach to cleanliness and presentation extends through the company’s warehouses, workshops and offices.

The impressive fleet of Kenworth and Western Star prime movers, coupled with

Freighter trailers, concentrate on providing general freight and specialised refrigeration services from Tasmania across Bass Straight to all mainland centres. “Our business is not just about trucks. We provide a total transport solution,” Mick said.

Early on, Mick accepted that growth was inevitable if he wanted to provide superior service to his clients. However, the rapid rate at which this expansion occurred was something neither he nor his original business plan could forecast.

Mick was conscious about ensuring his fleet would continually provide efficiency as well as maximum cubic capacity. As a result, he was interested in the Freighter Drop Deck design as it optimised deck lengths to suit standard pallet sizes and maximise load volume. At the same time, he was equally impressed with the EziLiner’s which was launched in 2008.

With a lever to tighten and loosen the curtain, it avoids the repetitive nature of opening and closing buckles and straps.

When Mick first contacted his local Freighter Dealer, MaxiTRANS, Freighter engineers were in the final stages of developing a drop deck version of the EziLiner.

Freighter engineers developed the drop deck version

“Steve is a massive Holden and Peter Brock fan, so an idea evolved that I refurbish my old EziLiner Drop Deck as a memento to Steve’s efforts in raising awareness of mental health.”

“We completely overhauled the trailer giving it a new lease on life. The trailer was stripped back, sandblasted, before we gave it a new paint job. New curtains were fitted, air brushing completed and finished off with new LED lighting.”