The Merv Brunt Collection.

Opening early 2010 is Merv Brunt's Truck Museum in Colac Victoria.

Atkipete took me down for a look on Saturday to look at Merv's newly restored 1935 Brockway (Atkipete please correct any of my mistakes). He is a driving it to Alice Springs with his Son and Grandson and is seeking sponsorship for an about to open hospice (atkipete what is its name)to provide respite care for people in a region from Ballarat to Hamilton to Portland as a rough guide.

Here is a photo of the Brockway
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2671/3711770069_344e762ea6.jpg?v=0

Here are some of his other trucks (including a Ronaldson-Tippet Truck). For those how may be interested the my full set of photos can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/bparo2003/sets/72157621199799819/

The Ronaldson-Tippet Truck
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2438/3712604912_86acdf6f45.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3711797719_4a7effeb04.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3712614916_b1386ae3a3.jpg?v=0

Some of the others include

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2599/3711822845_fd5e3ee279.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2628/3712665394_edceca9344.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/3711862649_b3195b3d0f.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3465/3712702580_b09916e542.jpg?v=0

as I said the full set of 37 photos is available at www.flickr.com/photos/bparo2003/sets/72157621199799819/

(and no - I don't get any money for people looking at them )

Well, I'll be! .. .. I never knew that Ronaldson Tippet built a TRUCK! ..

How many were built? Just the one? Was it a single prototype that never got off the ground?? ..

More importantly .. is it powered by a crank start big upright single or twin?? ..

The diff says Brockway and the engine is similar to those in the Brockways of the same era. What we don't know is if Ronaldson-Tippet rebadged it and sold it, assembled it, built it under licence or didn't worry about the licence and built it anyway.

Not much is known about it but it is thought to be around 1926. Hopefully this flushes out some info I can send back to Merv

Merv's "new" Brockway ( the one he is taking to Alice Springs) is a 1935 model so come next year both Merv and the truck will both be 75 years old. He will be raising money for Anam Cara House, a new community palliative care home for the Colac region.
The Ronaldson Tippet truck is actually a Brockway, c 1920s with a 4 cylinder ( I think ) petrol engine. Only one I have even seen with Ronaldson Tippet badges.
Mervs great collection will be open for public viewing one day per month shortly. Nothing finalised but we will put details on the HCVC forum once it is.

Merv is has a couple of trucks that he is not in a position to restore and would like to to sell to someone who can. This Inter is a beautie. try this www.flickr.com/photos/bparo2003/37126243...t-72157621199799819/

merv and i were inducted into the hall of fame at alice in 2004 it will be good to catch up with him again in 2010.
what a great collection and well worth seeing.

wes.

This collection will be a must stop on the way to Warrnambool next year.
Looks fantastic great restoration's and thanks to Merv for restoring some of our early trucking history.
And i think the trip to Alice would be an enjoyable journey.

Will post the opening dates later in the year. Might even be a HCVC run up there. Merv has three early Inters, two of 1915 vintage coal scuttle type and a 1922 5 tonner on solid tyres.

Meet a fantastic bloke today and his name is Merv Brunt.

Had a look through his collection and it is a must see when he opens it to the public either later this year or early next year.

Trev you should had continued on a bit further and had look at a couple other top collections down that way being Provans at Colac and Ryans at Warrnambool. Dave