This now long established gathering of veteran, vintage and classic motor vehicles is a biennial event that caps off the Kernewek Lowender Cornish Festival that is held in South Australia’s Copper Triangle towns of Wallaroo, Moonta and Kadina.
Following the assembly of the vehicles in the marshalling yards of Viterra in Wallaroo, this year, on Sunday May 19 over 500 vehicles built before 1985 set off to drive through the towns of Wallaroo, Port Hughes/Moonta and then to Kadina where they were displayed on the oval. While the majority of vehicles taking part were cars, this year a good number of light and medium duty trucks took part, the oldest a 1911 International Harvester “high wheeler”.
This 1911 International Harvester (IH) ‘Auto Wagon’ is the commercial model of their Motor Buggy and is a unique vehicle fitted with a drop-down tailboard and a rear seat that is easily removable, which allows for the carriage of goods. They were made from 1908 to 1912 and were IH’s first ‘true’ truck.
From 1912, IH would concentrate solely on truck production, and from this model forward, a long line of trucks, simply known by us as
‘Inters’, followed.
The Auto Wagon is powered by a 2-cylinder, horizontally opposed piston engine of 18-20bhp output driving through a 2-speed (with reverse) gearbox and a chain drive to the rear wheels. It is said of these vehicles that they were “tough and reliable”, with IH dealers finding them very easy to service and maintain.
Ron Clarke patiently waited some 50 years before he could buy and restore this vehicle, and knows that it was shipped direct from the USA, as a purchase by Louis and Carl Will of Goode, near Ceduna on South Australia’s West Coast. It would be used up until 1934, after which it was shedded by the Will brothers, who continued to look after it.
In 1999, Ron took possession and three years of hard work followed to restore the wagon back to its former glory. It was a jigsaw of parts as it had been dismantled, and some parts were missing which saw Ron painstakingly make these up from scratch using old photographs and the assistance of other IH owners.
The 2nd April 2002 was the day that Ron says he “first drove the partly restored wagon up and down our driveway”. Beautifully restored and resplendent in the livery of Bryant & May, makers of matches, is this 1926 Morris delivery van.
The Morris is the T Type introduced in May 1924 when Morris Commercial Cars Ltd was formed. This model was Morris’ first heavy commercial vehicle rated at one ton. Mechanically, it used passenger car components from the Morris Oxford motor car of the day.
The engine was the Oxford’s 1802cc, 13.9hp (RAC), 4-cylinder in-line, side valve, petrol engine coupled to a 4-speed (and reverse) gearbox driving a single-speed rear axle. The brakes were to the rear wheels only.
This truck is an example of the earlier model T Types that had the name “Morris” cast into the radiator’s top tank. Later models of the T Type would be identifiable by the Morris Commercial name.
In the UK, the Morris T Type could be purchased with Morris’ own bodies, however, to reduce taxation in Australia, they arrived as a chassis/scuttle with the cab and rear body then to be locally made. The T Type continued in production until late 1932.
In 1926, no less than 7,561 Morris T Types would be made. The Register (Adelaide, SA, 1901-1929) in its edition of Wednesday, 20th January 1926, carried a short article titled, Morris Truck Test. This article informed the reader that two Morris T Types were tested in the UK under the observation of the RAC, with the loaded trucks returning fuel consumption figures of 19.48 and 21.19 mpg (14.5 and 13.3L/100kms) respectively. The article further stated that, “Both trips were made during bad weather, and they are a remarkable tribute to the reliability of the Morris power units”.
In the 1920s, Chevrolet entered the Australian truck market with their purpose-designed ‘truck’, which was introduced in the USA in 1918 as a chassis/cowl. Over the 1918 to 1929 period it had several names including Superior, AA Capitol, and AB National.
The Chevrolet pictured (owner unknown) is fitted with a common design ‘C’ cab and flat tray that was fitted to many trucks of the time and appears to be a c1927 Chevrolet AA Capitol model. If the number plate 80-111 was issued to this Chevrolet, then it would confirm the year as being 1927. Chevs,
as they are known, were widely used and highly regarded throughout Australia, in all aspects of goods transport.
These Chevs are powered by a 4-cylinder in-line, petrol engine with overhead valves (OHV) of 171cid (2.8L) capacity, providing an output of 26bhp @ 2,000rpm. The OHV design made them stand apart from their competitors where side valve engines were still the norm. This was coupled to a 3-speed (with reverse) gearbox driving the rear wheels. This drivetrain, though it gave reliable and long service to its operators, was replaced in 1929 by the ‘Stovebolt 6’.
Chrysler developed a range of trucks under the Dodge, De Soto and Fargo nameplates, and while Dodge has always been the mainstay, in the 1930 to 1950 period, the Australian truck market saw small numbers of De Soto and Fargos sold. They all used the same driveline, with the name being the difference.
This display of a 1938 Fargo model FG-33, 30cwt truck came into Adelaide from Canada in 1938 as a chassis/cowl with the cab being made by T.J. Richards. It was shipped to Perth where Winterbottom’s Motor Co., sold it to Mr L. Riechelt in 1939. He used the Fargo for wheat cartage in the Western Australian goldfields around Kalgoorlie, and fitted a charcoal gas burner to it so he could continue to use it over the years of World War Two.
In the 1950s, the Fargo was retired, however, it would collide with a gum tree after rolling down a hill. Peter Green found it and restored it to its present condition in the 1980s, before it changed ownership to Scott Carbone in 2016. Scott’s father took four days to drive the truck across
the Nullarbor.
The Fargo is fitted with Chrysler’s ubiquitous 218cid (3.6) 6-cylinder in-line, side valve, petrol engine (De Soto spec) providing an output of 87bhp through an optional 4-speed (with reverse) gearbox to a single-speed rear axle.
These two smart utilities on display, both come from the Chrysler stable - the green one is a 1939 Fargo FH1- 16 model while the cream one is a 1947 Dodge WC model. Given that World War Two occurred between the manufacture of these two utes, they both share similar design aspects. And yes, you could buy one as a Dodge, Fargo, or De Soto as well.
This Fargo came into Adelaide from Detroit, USA, and was one of 460 that were bodied by T.J. Richards, and uses the Chrysler 6-cylinder, in-line, side valve, petrol engine of 82bhp output. It was sold to F. and L. Willis of Quorn, SA, and was last registered in 1968. It was purchased in 2011 by Max and Judy McLeod with a genuine 44,888 miles (72,238ms) on the odometer, however, its first outing wasn’t until 21st August 2016.
No information is known of the Dodge other than it too, is powered by Chrysler’s 217cid 6-cylinder, in-line, side valve, petrol engine of 95bhp output. Both trucks are fitted with a 3-speed gearbox and single-speed rear axle.
My roundup of this year’s Copper Coast Classic Cavalcade that began with an International Harvester, concludes with a much later, unique model - a 1957 ASC-160 Series, of which under 300 of these models were made here in Australia.
This beautifully displayed example was sold to Adelaide Rope
& Twine Ltd., of Croydon Park,
and rescued in a deteriorated state near Snowtown, SA, by M. McPherson of the Strathdowne Pastoral Company, Bute, SA. The truck has been faithfully restored and looks as good as the day it
was delivered.
The ASC-160 is powered by IH’s AGD264 model, 264cid, 6-cylinder, tilt valve (OHV), petrol engine providing 142bhp @ 3,800rpm and 238lb/ft @ 2,200rpm output, driving through a 4-speed (with reverse) gearbox to a single-speed rear axle. It is a striking semi forward control (COE) cab with the grille reminiscent of the earlier L190 Series heavy-duty truck.
I would like to acknowledge the great effort of all the owners of all these wonderful commercial vehicles, in their faithful restorations. Many took the time to provide their known history on information sheets, and others
I had the opportunity to speak with,
so thank you.
* Paul Tol
