New trucks being piggy-backed from the factory

All

Would anyone have a photo (or be able to direct me to one) of how new trucks used to be piggy-backed from the Melbourne Plants to the interstate Dealers?

I think KW & IH did it for trucks coming to QLD. But they were only allowed to come as far as Brisbane.

Also - the ones I recall were only 2 truck units (the towing unit and the 1 being towed) - however - I think I've seen photos (somewhere) of 3 truck units.

Any info on the process and photos would be appreciated.

Oldfulla

Oldfulla,
If you can lay your hands on a copy of the Leader Book.
as their is a couple of Photo's of trucks being "piggy backed" in It..
If you can't get a book let me know, & I'll scan the Pics for You..

Trust the yankz

LOL








cya

and you always wondered were baby trucks came from ?

Paul

Hi,

Re the very nice B&W GMC.

A box to sit on, a petrol tank to keep you company, a windscreen for comfort and a steering wheel to hang onto.
Boy, how good does it get?


-b

My new Mack I made them drive it down from Brisbane to get some k's on it I was lucky they let me see it on the assembly line...

During my time at IH Dandenong, one section of the workshop was set aside for fitting temporary guards to the trucks and hook up one in piggy back arrangement. Never saw any more than one hooked up that way.
At KW Bayswater, any new trucks delivered to either Preston or Footscray branches were driven there as-is, but any going interstate were fitted with temporary guards, but never piggy backed. One of the Wahlerts (Ernie or Bill), had the contract for delivery for a while, but any trucks going to CMV in Adelaide used to be driven there on weekends by the CMV bosses son, who was working in the engineering section at Bayswater.

Now that gives a new meaning to "Road Train".

I'm just wondering how the truck on the back was attached, I'm guessing there was some sought of attachment on the turntable?

And how were the trucks being towed lifted up there? I was thinking a crane, but not everywhere has a crane at their disposal...

New trucks generally don't come with a turntable fitted, even now.
Back in the day, they didn't even come with turntable angles.
Ford used an arrangement that just U bolted around the chassis, and the other piece U bolted around the front axle. Looked like a bit of 200 channel toes down with another bit on top through the pivot from memory.
Ford used to put 2 trucks on behind the "prime mover" usually an LNT 9000, but if that didn't suit they put them on anything.
Ford used to just smack the half shafts out of the back axle and whack a bit of cardboard over the studs. There would be oil all over the rims when the trucks turned up.
Funny, most customers probably wouldn't cop it today.
I think the practice go outlawed in the late 80's.
Oldfulla, I thought Ford would still do it send them further north, though the few trips I did to Townsville or Gladstone the trucks weren't piggy backed.
I remember when the bridge at Gundy got taken out in the early 80's there was a big line up of trucks on the south side including an LNT 9000 with an LNT 8000 on the back and a D1414 on the back of the 8000. Another truck did the "Liberace Maneuverer" which put a fair old kink in the D series chassis. Pretty sure it was straightened out and sold as new too.

In Norm Darwins book, the history of Ford in Australia, there is a pic of 3 new LTL's in piggy back. 1984.