Among the many interesting vintage trucks at the 2014 Brookton Old Time Motor Show southeast of Perth, there was a very nicely restored 1943 Diamond-T military wrecker. I tracked down the owner, John Parker, to have a chat about his truck and soon realised that it was the equivalent of happy hour for a vintage truck enthusiast. He had not one, but two wreckers at the show, the other being a 1970 Kaiser.

It quickly became evident that John takes his truck restorations very seriously and doesn’t settle for half measures. When asked where his enthusiasm for vintage military trucks came from, he explained that he owns a truck business in Perth which uses Vactor Jet Rodders to clear drains and sewers with high pressure water. In addition, he served in the Army Reserve for five years during the Vietnam era, in the 3rd Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery.

John mentioned that both the trucks at the show are quite rare, and that he