Diamond T

Sorry for the off topic, but if anyone is up that way, I can recommend the lava tubes. They are mindblowing. A mate and I went up there about 20 years ago (1991?). They had old tram/train cars as accommodation. Some local marsupial came up to us for a feed as I recall.

Also the hot springs Innot? Still have the fridge magnet somewhere..."If your car's being a pain and you're getting no gain don't complain, just ring Wayne" I remember they had a couple of Valiants there that I wanted.

We were young blokes when we went up there. It was our first holidays after we started working for a living. Left Brisbane at 4 in the morning, breakfast of T-bone steak and VB at Isis river, Childers about 8(?) in the morning. Hemi 4-speed Centura. Never forget it.

Jarrod.

The photo below was taken in the mid 1960's at Puckapunyal, Victoria with a Centurion Tank on the board.

Looks like the armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) version of the Centurion tank

So, Sam your Diamond T Wrecker would be a bit like this one? I had it wrongly named until Lang pointed out my error. Diamond T 4 ton Wrecker 6x6 Model 969 early forties, right?

Hi,

Gee,
I'm really liking the result of that www.rustmasters.com.au/
as a metal preservative/ finish.

Why worry about painting it a colour if you want to keep your barn find/ working/ farm truck original?
(at least initially).

It's on my list of good things to know about.

-b

A little off topic, but that old Diamond T put me in mind of a Federal that the School of Military Engineering at Casula NSW still had and were using as late as mid 1970. I remember about the biggest thing that they loaded on it were the Inter TD15B or the Cat D6C dozers. Still Left Hand Drive, had a 5 speed main with a 2 speed splitter, not front wheel drive,just 6X4. Had an inline Cummins engine, used to pull an old Steco bogie float. Possibly plenty of them around at the time. The Department of Supply were still going then, had to get them in to cart anything heavier, usually the bogie drive Leyland Hippo with the tri-axle float which loaded over the side, rear hydraulic ramps weren't in vogue then.
I can recall going from Holsworthy to Tianjara exercise area with the driver and a Cat D8H on the back. Took us the best part of the day to get as far as the Nowra Naval base and stay the night, completing the journey the next day! Pretty rough road getting into the range, float bellied out a couple of times,m so we dropped her off and walked the D8 in the rest of the way. Bloke who picked us up after the exercise, wouldn't come back in so we walked her all the way back to the main road again. I would say that road (goes through to Braidwood eventually) is all bitumen now, haven't been that way for years.

Cheers, Dave 64

Hi DeeCee,

I haven't been on line for a while.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

That is indeed a 4 ton 6x6 Diamond T. Can't see if it was a 969 wrecker from this angle, but the tac sign holder on the mudguard and the wire frame storage on the roof are typical Australian Military service mods, and the only ones of these the military used were 969s, as far as I know.
Some 968 tippers were imported by Thesis so there are a few of these about too.
The 969 give away is a pair of heavy angle brackets riveted to the outsides of the chassis behind the cab.
Mine is a soft top.

Thanks for posting.

Sam.