KENWORTH 1968 K123

Yes Cam that was an interesting set of mud guards on that truck, i had a look at it when i was in beenleigh show about 3 years a go.
-Monty

....righto fellas .. here's a blast from the past !!...how is this lovely old find progressing?.....

Hi All,
Not long been off the phone to 'Tective, put me onto this site to chuck in a few bobs worth.

That single drive KW with the 12 speed synchro Spicer MAY have been the one that ended up in Inghams yard at Hoxton Park, NSW in the mid seventies, after they (Ingham's) bought into Eastoe's. It ended up as one of the pick up trucks taking the live birds from the farms to the processing plant. Eastoe's had two single drive Pete's based in Sydney, one had quite a few quid spent on it, looked very smick (IS 4337), the other had local black and yellow New South plates. Both 250 Cummins, 4X4 Spicers and R170 diffs.

Must be plenty of ex Eastoe's drivers around to add to this forum, they (Eastoe's) were very well known and quite a big company.

The bogie drive cab over KW's all had Page and Page suspensions from memory, 250 Cummins and 15 speed R/Rangers. Can only remember the one having a Jake brake though. They gave sterling service before being replaced with the first of the S2's, 903's with direct boxes and then of course later a mixture of SAR's, W model's and even two R model Macks. can't remember seeing any sleeper cabs, but can stand correcting.

Opinions differed as to what they were like to work for, personally I found them hard, but fair and always paid well. Looked after the equipment pretty well also. Not sure just when the business passed into Taranto Twinro's province, no doubt some observant bloke can tell us.

Heard that Les Eastoe himself started working with the one truck (I thought Foden, but could have been ERF), and built it up from there. I often wonder if he (Les) ever did fulfill his long term dream of sailing around the world in his own boat? Would make some interesting reading if anyone has the time to add a bit here and there.

Although being primarily freezer/chiller freight specialists, they weren't averse to loading general in a pan to turn the trucks around. Ingham's had depots in Brisbane as well as Adelaide, so the trucks would deliver processed poultry mostly. Also used to do quite a bit of swinging meat ex-Melbourne, as well as seafood off the boats from Tassie. I see on here that a couple of trucks ended up actually down there, shunting the freezer pans on and off the ferries.

Hope I haven't hijacked the thread, just thought I might add a little to the pot!

Thanks, Dave 64

We stripped her down to the bare chassis, had it all sandblasted and painted now got the front axel back in and diffs done and all back together so we have a rolling chassis again, before we pulled it down had the engine running. Now waiting for the cab to be finished and hopefully be finished for Alice springs next year!

Chassis number 103393

g'day Red, and thanks for the update...any piccys?

she's looking great KW-guy....this is the old Eastoes inline 6 GM that Dave 64 has mentioned, and JOTS is making sure she stays true to her origins ...thanks for the pic


...PS .. hopefully she'll have some old maroon doors on pretty soon

Now waiting for the cab to be finished and hopefully be finished for Alice springs next year!

I hope so,hoping to be there too.

Is there any updates with progress of the restoration?