Surviving iconic trucks

Ah, wasn't Bruce, it was Swishy! Looks like she's got a CAT motor (or did they mostly have those?).

hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1205026979

Just goes to show should read your e-mag better! Yes the one I was thinking of was Warwicks. And yes the chassis in swishy's post is Warwicks also! I think it is a Cat engine.

Basically both of Warwicks Leaders are pulled down at the moment and the chassis in swishy's photo is the start of the finished one.

Thanks JB, have been wondering about that but never remembered at the right time to ask Warwick!

Andy, possibly your not old enough to remember Pioneers had a heap of Leaders running around over here carting blue metal. Most had 3208 Cat's, Allison autos and Rockwells on hendrickson suspension. Some of the later ones had 3406 Cats. The 3208 jobs were six and eight wheelers. Some of the later 3406 jobbys pulled dogs.
One of the cabs down at K Mart (truck wreckers) is ex pioneer. The other is Readymix. Back when the Leader cabs were built fiberglass was a relativly new concept for truck cabs and there were alot of knockers that didnt like it. At the end of the day there are alot of Leader and Atki cabs around still in real good condition. Shame Inters didnt make ACCO and C line cabs in glass...Barry

Thanks Baz, I think I arrived in Perth as the last Pioneer Leaders were still around (late 80s). Certainly should be more of them restored.

Another Iconic truck the mighty ACCO 610A

somewhere in my grey matter I had the idea that LEADER's where actually made here in Australia using MACK cabs or cab panels with different radiator panels etc.... or did I just dream that.

Didn't dream it, Mark!

Made in Toowomba Dave, although the fibreglass cabs were made by Reinforced Plastics down here, same as the mighty Atkinson. There is a book out about Leader, I think there is a copy in the Club Library.

Pete,

I have a copy of said book - it's called Leader Trucks: The Australian Challenger and it was written and published by Rob Laurent. To order a copy, call Rob on (07) 46966108 or go to www.blueflyer.com.au

Joe

somewhere in my grey matter I had the idea that LEADER's where actually made here in Australia using MACK cabs or cab panels with different radiator panels etc.... or did I just dream that.

Mark,

The reason Mack comes into the Leader story is because Cyril Anderson, the man behind Leader, actually imported the "B" Model into Australia and then ended up receiving manufacturing rights from Mack HQ in Allenstown, Pennsylvania, USA - I do stand to be corrected!! Leader made their own galvanised cabs or, as atkipete said, sourced the fibreglass ones from Melbourne. If you look at a Leader (which I will certainly get photos of one!), the cabs weren't based on Mack's cabs at all! The only truck which came close to having another cab is the MIR700 Mack, which had the Brockway N527TL Huskiteer cabin on it - refer to my post, Mack MIR700, for a picture of one!

Joe