Leader Challengers

Saw this rare old girl on Gumtree - www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/tabulam/heavy-fa...hallenger/1020899317
Looks to be in good order f/w 8v92 & 14speed Spicer

It got me thinking about how many were made ?
I recall that Brambles had at least 2 HD units + one I used to see sporadically in the early 1990's running aound Smithfield NSW + one featured in the 1980's in Truck & Bus which if memory serves me was the prototype/evaluation unit painted in lovely shade of dark "puke" green.

And their various Spec's ?
The one I looked at closely once in /Smithfield looked to have quite a narrow Cab which seemed vaguely like it had been plundered from a bonneted Nissan or off road Isuzu TWD 6x6.....or were they all Leader ?

Nice looking unit reminds me of a 1975 dodge big horn prime mover great shape

MBTRAC,

According to Rob Laurent's book "Leader Trucks" The Australian Challenger, Page 121
'The Challenger went on sale in early 1980. Even though the new truck received good reports in the national industry magazines, its sales figures were low. No production records exist but past employees think that only about 25-30 Challengers were ever made'.

Re the cab. Page 112. 'Leader's management decided to create a fibreglass cab that was based on the bonneted Nissan TW truck being imported by UD Australia. The new cab had a driver's compartment very similar to the Nissan's but used a bonnet of Leader's own making'.

Geoff.

Brambles had 3 of the bonnetted heavy duty ones, known as a BWL 406 not "Challenger", and there is one preserved in the museum at Gatton.

Only 1 went to NZ .... A few came here to Tassie of which I only know off 1 remaining

Good looking truck that bonnet get to where you are going a week earlier

I posted a photo of my mates Challenger up on another thread here a few months ago but I am buggered if I can find it. The old girl still does the job carting mates D7 around the district.

Only 1 went to NZ .... A few came here to Tassie of which I only know off 1 remaining

Apparently there are 3 left here in Tassie ..... Amazing what ya find when ya start digging about

The old girl is still at work

here is the one at Gatton

alby