replica models
DETAILED THE DRAKE WAY Whenever a new Drake Collectibles’ detailed replica model is revealed it’s bound to create a great deal of interest. Warren Aitken battles his way through the crowd to check out Drake’s latest model release – the 1988 Bicentennial Mack
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Y THE TIME you guys get to read this the cat will already be out of the bag, or should I say the dog is off the leash. The latter analogy seems more fitting, as the news is out that Drake Collectibles has branched out from its stunning Kenworth replicas and started producing diecast Mack trucks, and its first release is the quintessential Aussie bulldog – the Bicentennial Mack Super-Liner. What started out as a PR project has turned into a worldwide phenomenon for Bruce Hay and the small team of dedicated workers at Drake Collectibles. Back in 2007, when Bruce was a special projects manager for Drake trailers, he got into a discussion with the man in the big chair, John Drake, about a different way to market their product and acknowledge their customers. Bruce was, and still is, an avid diecast collector and knew several of the larger companies overseas had commissioned diecast models to hand out to their customers. He put the idea of
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getting a scale replica of Drake’s popular 4x8 Swingwing trailer made to John. They decided to give it a go but insisted they get an Aussie truck built as well to go in front of their diecast trailer. Bruce approached Paccar about building a replica T908. Several meetings and a lot of emails later, Drake Collectibles had begun. Right from the start, Bruce was determined that anything carrying the Drake name would have to adhere to the Drake standards. The company had been founded back in 1958 by Colin Drake and his goal was to build the best quality trailers available. Over the years, the controls have been handed to his son, John, but the insistence on top quality has never faltered. Bruce was determined to bring the same attention to detail with this PR exercise. With the use of an NQ Haulage T908, every effort was made to replicate a real truck. Measurements and parts were taken and photographed; there was no skimping on detail. After the announcement at the 2009 Brisbane Truck Show,
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26/05/2021 10:53:54 AM
