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G'day From South Australia


ciw65

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G'day all. My name is Chris and I am from Port Pirie, South Australia. I am the workshop manager/mechanic for a small transport company here that does general and refrigerated freight to and from the local area, as well as oversize loads around the state. The fleet is being updated constantly consisting of mainly Volvo FH prime movers. At last count it was 5 Volvos (4 FH 12's, 1 FH16), 2 Scania 3 series ( a 113 & 143), an old 112 slimline scania yard truck, a Mack Quantum (Renault cab and chassis with a Mack EA7-470 engine, 18 sp r/ranger, Meritor diffs), 1 AT9500 Sterling 550 C-15 Cat 18 sp 4.33 Meritor 46,000lb air bag rear, 2 Nissan/UD rigids (1 with a crane fitted), 1 Isuzu rigid as well as numerous trailers of all configurations, last count was about 14 from memory. I have 1 bloke in the workshop with me to help with the maintenance, which gets pretty full on at times. We have a new drop deck, widening float ordered that should be here in a couple of months, built to spec. As we are in the driest state in the driest continent on earth, we have our own unique set of challenges to meet, and at the moment are in the worst drought in history. Summer temperatures here get up to the mid forties (that's 110 deg F) on a regular basis and there are more dirt roads than sealed once you leave the highway, so its hard on the gear.

The boss is talking of trading in the Quantum (happy dance) in the next few months for something else to do the dirty work. That is the oversize, dirt road, heavy loads. And he is talking CH or maybe even Superliner with 470 to 500 hp. Here's hoping. A Titan would be nice, but about as much chance of that as me flying to the moon tomorrow.

I have found this site and the forums very helpful and hope my input has been of assistance as well. Some of my posts might come off as being pretty biased, but i am only drawing on my experiences over 25 years in the transport industry here not only as a mechanic, but as a driver as well. I have owned my own truck which I restored from the ground up, a 1974 White 4000. Ended up with a 400 NTC Cummins, 15 sp o/d, 40,000lb hendrickson & rockwell diffs @ 4.11 ratio. Quick little toy. The Engine was a 2nd hand USA import that was a Big Cam 3 & 4 hybrid.

Hope I haven't waffled too much and hope to chat to you all soon,

Chris W.

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G'day all. My name is Chris and I am from Port Pirie, South Australia. I am the workshop manager/mechanic for a small transport company here that does general and refrigerated freight to and from the local area, as well as oversize loads around the state. The fleet is being updated constantly consisting of mainly Volvo FH prime movers. At last count it was 5 Volvos (4 FH 12's, 1 FH16), 2 Scania 3 series ( a 113 & 143), an old 112 slimline scania yard truck, a Mack Quantum (Renault cab and chassis with a Mack EA7-470 engine, 18 sp r/ranger, Meritor diffs), 1 AT9500 Sterling 550 C-15 Cat 18 sp 4.33 Meritor 46,000lb air bag rear, 2 Nissan/UD rigids (1 with a crane fitted), 1 Isuzu rigid as well as numerous trailers of all configurations, last count was about 14 from memory. I have 1 bloke in the workshop with me to help with the maintenance, which gets pretty full on at times. We have a new drop deck, widening float ordered that should be here in a couple of months, built to spec. As we are in the driest state in the driest continent on earth, we have our own unique set of challenges to meet, and at the moment are in the worst drought in history. Summer temperatures here get up to the mid forties (that's 110 deg F) on a regular basis and there are more dirt roads than sealed once you leave the highway, so its hard on the gear.

The boss is talking of trading in the Quantum (happy dance) in the next few months for something else to do the dirty work. That is the oversize, dirt road, heavy loads. And he is talking CH or maybe even Superliner with 470 to 500 hp. Here's hoping. A Titan would be nice, but about as much chance of that as me flying to the moon tomorrow.

I have found this site and the forums very helpful and hope my input has been of assistance as well. Some of my posts might come off as being pretty biased, but i am only drawing on my experiences over 25 years in the transport industry here not only as a mechanic, but as a driver as well. I have owned my own truck which I restored from the ground up, a 1974 White 4000. Ended up with a 400 NTC Cummins, 15 sp o/d, 40,000lb hendrickson & rockwell diffs @ 4.11 ratio. Quick little toy. The Engine was a 2nd hand USA import that was a Big Cam 3 & 4 hybrid.

Hope I haven't waffled too much and hope to chat to you all soon,

Chris W.

Gday how are ya mate? Thanks for signing up its good to have another Aussie on deck. Im from over in NSW so Im just over a stones throw away. Would like to see the old white, if we didnt have Macks to do up a white would be my first preference. All the best mate, catch up with ya. Skip

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OK folks, no pictures on my computer, but have some on disc of the "little White". Stay tuned. Has been a big week at work so I haven't been on the forum this week. Anyone who reads big rigs newspaper would have seen her and me in it in about June/July 2001.

Edited by AusChris
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Hi again all, found the only 2 pics I have of the White I have on disc. The rest are "real" photos so will have to get around to scanning them. These are from the big rigs article.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?showtopic=3496

This link will take you to the story about the truck in the "other makes" section.

post-2107-1205033216_thumb.jpg

post-2107-1205033304.jpg

Edited by AusChris
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