17 minute read
F86 VOLVO A WORKHORSE WONDER
IF YOU had spotted the photos of this extremely tidy F86 Volvo and thought ‘Wow, I had better have a read about this incredibly cool restoration project’ then I’m afraid you are out of luck, it’s not a restoration project.
If you are looking for a technicality and think instead I’m going to call it a rebuild story and impress you with my knowledge of the difference between the two, then you are also out of luck.
The reason being, in order for it to be either a restoration or a rebuild story you need a truck that has been worn down enough to either be restored or rebuilt. This incredible little Volvo has never been let go that much, unless you consider a few engine running repairs as a rebuild. This little beast has spent its entire working life around a small portion of Queensland and racked up less than half a million kilometres.
So, my friends, this is more like a tribute story; to one of the hardestworking little Volvos around. Like me, this classic came off the line Top: Second owner, the Hewitts, used the little F86 Volvo to cart stock between their properties and to local sales Above: The little TD70E did need some refurbishments when the head gasket went. Byron took the time to do the injectors, sleeves, gaskets, the whole lot WORKHORSE 52 AUGUST 2020 ownerdriver.com.au
WONDER
This 1977 F86 Volvo is Byron and Shaylee Kriesch’s pride and joy come show season but it is also their workhorse around the farm. Warren Aitken writes
Above: The truck was well cared for and lovingly maintained, ensuring that it was still working hard as it approached its 40th birthday
Left: The classic TD70E came off the production line in 1977
Below: Looking out at a few of the Kriesch’s angry and aggressive sheep
Opposite top: The original bullbar got a new coat of paint as well, while the cab remains untouched, aside from an intense cut and polish
in 1977. Unlike me, however, it is holding up extremely well for its 43 years of life. Even now the original paint has a deep red shine to it that I can only manage after three days in the sun.
The truck was first bought by HM Rudduck & Co and was used to cart cattle from its Woodford farm to Cannon Hill and often the Kilcoy meat works. The huge TD70E engine was pumping out a massive 202hp (151kW), meaning, with a load of cows on, it may not have been setting landspeed records getting up and down all the hills, but you can bet the cows were almost as comfy as the driver at the time. Although the truck was busy it never really racked up huge kilometres, it clocked up even less when HM Ruddock’s sold out to Doug Nichols and the truck ended up just filling in a carpark for a while.
Eventually, the little F86 was spotted by Nelson and Judy Hewitt from D’Aguilar, Queensland and it began its second chapter. The Hewitts were well known for their Holstein Friesian cows and attended many country shows to display them. The little F86 Volvo was the perfect truck for them to cart stock around with. Not just to shows, but with a dog trailer in tow it was also used for moving cattle between their properties and to local sales.
The truck was well cared for and lovingly maintained, ensuring that it was still working hard as it approached its 40th birthday. Before it got to its 40th, though, it ended up in the hands of its current owners, Byron and Shaylee Kriesch.
Angry animals
The Krieschs own about 50 acres of farm land in a small area of Queensland called Cloyna. Yeah I had never heard of it either but I must say it was a beautiful spot to go do photos. They run a few cows on their land as well as breeding some dogs, raising some kids and owning some of the angriest, most aggressive sheep you will ever meet. The damn things kept wanting to charge me every time I turned my back. A traumatic experience, I’m telling you.
So, with a bit of cattle to move around, Byron decided he wanted to get himself a little farm truck. Though a farmer at heart, Byron currently drives interstate for a local company, running from Brisbane to Adelaide every week in a Western Star – the room and power of which don’t compare to his previous farm truck experiences of an old J2 Bedford or beat-up old ACCO.
For his farm truck Byron wanted to pick up something that he could take to a few old shows as well. “I’ve never been a Volvo man,” Byron admits, “but when this thing came up it was the right price and I do have a thing for the old bubble cabs.”
It really was right place right time kind of thing. Byron’s wife Shaylee knew of the truck as she’s a local girl and it had been in the area all her life. Her dad dropped word it was for sale and Shaylee and Byron quickly snapped it up.
Once again full credit to the previous owners as the F86 was in top-notch condition. The little TD70E did need some refurbishments when the head gasket went. Byron took the time to do the injectors, sleeves, gaskets, the whole lot. Might as well get her good as new again, he thought.
When I asked how difficult it was replacing parts on a 40-year-old motor he heaps massive praise on Western Truck Group in Toowoomba, whose parts team went above and beyond, matching up parts and sourcing the right pieces from around the country. Mechanically there wasn’t much else needed doing, just a clutch plate and a couple of brake boosters and valves and that was really it. Most things were worn with age rather than use; though the passenger seat needing recovering – a sure sign someone was getting a lot of use out of it.
Top: Not a restoration as such, but a working piece of history
Above: Most things were worn with age rather than use; though the passenger seat needing recovering – a sure sign someone was getting a lot of use out of it
Old school
Byron gave the chassis a fresh coat of paint, as he did with the stock crate. “We used the wrong paint on the crate though,” he admits as we notice the large parts flaking off.
The original bullbar got a new coat of paint as well, while the cab remains untouched, aside from an intense cut and polish that is. It’s still amazing for a 43-year-old paint job. Byron did replace a couple of the lights with LEDs but has kept the old-school exterior, which works well.
All in all, there has not been a need for much change or many repairs to the old girl and she still stands up well.
“The biggest run I’ve done was to Gin Gin, about three hours,” Byron admits “but with a load on her I’d have no problems driving it anywhere, it’s comfy as.”
Which makes you think what level of luxury the F86 must have brought to the industry in the 1970s if it can still be classed as comfortable in the 2020s.
There we go folks, it wasn’t a restoration, or a rebuild; it was just a shout out to a working piece of history. As the F86 approaches its 43rd birthday Byron and Shaylee still have a few plans to clean up some of the aging pieces of their beloved Volvo. It is their pride and joy come show season but it is also their workhorse around the farm. The bubble hasn’t burst on this 1977 F86 Volvo.
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SUN SHINES ON MERITOR 50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Meritor is celebrating 50 years of service in the Australia trucking industry. Following the tides of change in the local truck market in the past five decades, Meritor has made significant efforts to remain a trusted brand producing quality products made in Australia for tough local conditions
This year marks the 50th year of Meritor’s operations in Australia. In 1969, Rockwell and Industrial Engineering established a purpose-built drive axle manufacturing plant in Melbourne. Over the years, the facility supplied drive and steer axles to brands like Ford, Chrysler, Atkinson, International, White Motors, Leader, Volvo, Mack, Kenworth and Iveco.
Despite significant changes in the global truck market Meritor has continued to supply parts to some of the world’s biggest truck names – including Kenworth, Volvo, Mack, Isuzu, Iveco, Western Star and Freightliner – first as part of Rockwell International, then as Arvin Meritor, and eventually under the Meritor banner.
“Off the back of Meritor’s 110 year legacy, we are delighted to be celebrating 50 years in Australia reflecting the brands heritage and our dedication to the commercial vehicle transportation industry in this country, which has some of the most demanding on and off-highway applications globally,” Meritor Australia managing director David Cole says.
Australian line-up
Meritor Australia’s operations have continued to adapt to changing global dynamics and advancements in technology. Today the company is well-known for its extensive range of heavy duty truck axles and remains a trusted supplier of tandem and tri-drive axles, steer axles, drivelines, S-cam brakes, brake drums and air disc brakes. Meritor uses its global reach to both manufacture and source a range of quality products that are then tailored to suit the specific conditions of the Australian truck market, including tough road conditions, and high load and weight capacity.
“While Meritor Australia has traditionally focused on the truck and aftermarket sectors, Meritor has a diverse product portfolio that also includes military-grade drivetrain solutions for the defence market. Meritor’s military applications date back to World War I and continue strongly today,” Meritor sales and marketing manager Michael Snell says.
“Meanwhile, Meritor Australia has experience in the local defence sector through our involvement with Thales Australia and its Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicle program.”
Recent advancements
Over the past few years Meritor has made a number of acquisitions to enhance its technological capabilities and also to enhance growth in off-highway, defence and aftermarket segments.
In 2017, Meritor acquired gearbox and transfer case manufacturer Fabco, and a year later it launched a new brand, Blue Horizon, to market its suite of electric drivetrain solutions whereby the main drive motor is integrated into the axle housing.
Last year, Meritor took industrial and off-highway axle manufacturer Axletech under its wing. This acquisition is expected to bring a full and complimentary product line of independent suspensions, axles, braking solutions and drivetrain components for off-highway applications.
“These acquisitions enhance Meritor’s technological capabilities for growth in off-highway, defence and aftermarket segments,” Cole says.
“Earlier this year, Meritor acquired remaining shares in California-based Transpower, which supplies integrated drive systems, full electric truck solutions and energy storage subsystems to major manufacturers of
trucks, buses, refuse vehicles and terminal tractors. By combining Transpower products with Meritor BlueHorizon eAxle product lineup, Meritor will accelerate the development and sale of this entire family of electric drive product. It enables Meritor to further position the company as a premier supplier of electrification technologies for commercial vehicles.”
Australian sites
Meritor has two sites in Australia – an assembly facility in Sunshine, and an aftermarket parts distribution warehouse and brake shoe kit riveting facility based in Derrimut, Victoria. Established in 2010, the Derrimut facility specialises in aftermarket (Euclid, Meritor) and genuine (Meritor Genuine) brand offering, with over 1,500 stocked items and 10,000 active parts on site at any time.
Meanwhile, the 10,000 square metre manufacturinig facility in Sunshine specialises in assembly of brakes, and drive and steer axles for local original equipment manufacturers, including Kenworth, Iveco and Mack.
During the ‘golden era’ of Australian manufacturing in the ’70s and ’80s, Meritor’s Sunshine facility used to be a full production site with much of the manufacturing taking place in-house. However, with changing times, the company gradually transitioned from full-scale local manufacturing to a more globally-sourced product approach.
These days, the Sunshine site serves as semi-finishing and assembly plant which dispatches steer axles, differentials, axle assemblies, drive axles and brake components using a just-intime lean process. Meritor Australia continues to make significant investments in local manufacturing expertise, recently adding the capability to build and balance drivelines in-house at the Sunshine facility as it looks to gain better in-house quality control and improve capabilities to support local customer demand and diversification in off-highway segments.
Customer focus
Many of Meritor Australia’s employees have been working with the company for more than a decade. Territory truck manager Ivan Cassar is one of them. Cassar, who has been working with the business for over 23 years, attributes the success of the Australian business to its unparalleled dedication to customer service and its ability to adapt to the market by offering reliable products to customers.
Meritor offers excellent customer support through its dedicated customer service and technical support representatives in Melbourne, and national sales coverage with its experienced team of field sales representatives servicing both OE truck sales and aftermarket.
In the last five decades there have been many changes in the road transport industry including, changes in regulations, huge advancements in technology and most significantly, greater presence of imported vehicles. However, there are still three manufacturing powerhouses based in Australia – Kenworth, Iveco and Volvo Mack. Meritor has a long and proud history of supplying axles to these three brands and servicing their OEM replacement and aftermarket parts needs through its extensive dealer networks.
Future outlook
Meritor Australia plans to further boost its longstanding presence in the on-highway and aftermarket segments through leading technology, innovation, reliability, and customer service and support.
“As we look to the future we will be offering a wider array of differentiated products and solutions to customers. It will strengthen our capability to continue to invest and produce locally and will see expansion of our aftermarket distribution centre and capability, with a more comprehensive range of products to meet customer needs for every stage of vehicle ownership through our ‘Good, Better, Best’ tiered offering,” Cole says.
“We have and will continue with a number of new product developments tailored for unique Australian applications. We will continue to invest in our people to ensure we can exceed our customer expectations and help them stay a step ahead in their businesses for the next 50 years. It remains our commitment to be the recognised leader in providing advanced drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for the local industry.”
Top, L to R: A bird’s eye view of the Sunshine facility in Melbourne; Inside the Sunshine facility
events news LOCKED AND LOADED
Key partners – including Owner//Driver publisher Bauer Media Group – have been locked in for 2021 Brisbane Truck Show
The Brisbane Truck Show has renewed long-term partnerships with National Transport Insurance (NTI), BP Australia and Bauer Media Group ahead of the launch of the highly-anticipated 2021 event.
The southern hemisphere’s largest automotive business event will return to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from Thursday, May 13 to Sunday, May 16, 2021.
The show is presented by Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) whose founding members held the first event in 1968, prior to formalising their association two years later.
Following last year’s show HVIA was presented with two prestigious awards at the Australian Event Awards, with the Brisbane Truck Show named Australia’s Best Corporate Event and Best Exhibition or Tradeshow.
HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking says the accolades only serve to inspire more energy to further improve the show for both exhibitors and visitors.
“Between the fascinating technology developments, the opportunity to get up close to the comprehensive range of new trucks, trailers and equipment, and the amazing innovation on display from one end of the show to the other, there is no doubt the show is on many bucket lists,” Hacking says.
“We are delighted with the enthusiasm of our members and other exhibitors to confirm their participation; I think everyone is chomping at the bit for the opportunity to get together in person and it is a privilege for us to play hosts for that reunion.
“We are delighted to welcome back BP Australia as Gold Partner, and to announce that our organisation’s Principal Partner, National Transport Insurance (NTI), has stepped up into the role of Platinum Partner for the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
“NTI has been an amazing partner for our organisation and for the show, but that is nothing on the breadth of their contribution right across industry for over 30 years.”
Hacking says the renewed partnership with Bauer Media Group – publisher of Owner//Driver – adds further evidence of its commitment to supporting the Australian transport industry.
“As publisher of market-leading titles Australasian Transport News (ATN), Deals on Wheels, Earthmovers & Excavators, Farms & Farm Machinery, and Owner//Driver and their accompanying online titles, Bauer Media Group is connected deeply into the heart of our industry,” he says.
Graham Gardiner, Bauer Media Group’s general manager – industry, says the publisher is delighted to once again partner with HVIA as the exclusive Official Media Partner for the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
“Through our comprehensive suite of print, digital, and video and broadcast TV platforms, Bauer Media Group provide unprecedented opportunities for exhibitors to promote their show presence to the key target industries of transport, agriculture and construction, before, during and after the show.
“That includes the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show Official Program containing a full preview of the show and exhibitors, plus maps and other important details,” he says.
Hacking adds that Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week will be back for 2021. He says the creation of the new umbrella event formalised something that has been happening for years alongside the Brisbane Truck Show.
“Our exhibitors have long been holding launch events, customer dinners, dealer conferences, drive days, factory tours and much more in tandem with the truck show,” he says.
“The reaction to last year’s expansion into South Bank Parklands was fantastic.
“All of that success is a reflection on the leadership shown by so many of our exhibitors who did such an amazing job showcasing the values of their companies and our industry to the broader community.”
Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week is underpinned by a set of themes that exhibitors chose to represent the values of the heavy vehicle industry: safety, innovation, sustainability, knowledge, careers and community.
“Those themes really do a great job of capturing our capability and our aspirations in just a few keywords,” Hacking says.
“The activations and events throughout the Brisbane CBD, and other venues across Brisbane, shone a light on our industry in a way that has never been possible before.”
For all the latest information on what’s happening at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show visit www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au.
Top: The southern hemisphere’s largest automotive business event will return to Brisbane in May 2021
Above: The umbrella Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week will return in 2021 with a series of activations and events throughout the Brisbane CBD, and other venues across Brisbane
