More Trucks & Tractors from Ivanhoe: Classic Restos - Series 50

Fletch finds another Ivanhoe local, Barry Danson, who has been in the transport industry for around 50 years. He started working for the Central Darling Shire Council with his Acco Bogie 12-Yard Tipper. They had a policy of not owning equipment, which meant plenty of work for Barry. 

He grew up around machinery, trucks and tractors. Today he buys and restores ex-farming equipment, restoring it to its original condition with his eight employees. His love of trucks and tractors runs deep with a collection of restored vehicles, including some unusual equipment, like a c1935-45 Caterpillar Crawler partially restored but in working order. His favourite tractor is a Super 90, which he says is a rare and powerful machine. 

Trucks, he has had a few. But the restored ones he still has today include a 1971 Dodge 700 with a 10-speed road ranger bogie drive and two massive B61 Macks with impressive restorations. These trucks were top shelf in their time, and as Barry put it, "They had a gear for every type of load.".

Next, Fletch gets the word of another local, Max, who has a large shed with a bit of everything rescued from the paddocks of farms in the area. 

If you thought it would never go again, think again because Max seems to get everything up and running. From a Swing Saw Blade run by a BSA motorcycle engine to a Straight 8 Continental motor out of an army chassis to a Moffat Virtue stationary engine/pump that had been idle in a paddock for 20 years. Max has them all back in working order but not necessarily to the original spec, including many of his cars destined never to run again.

There is so much more, including old radios, one of his favourites dating back to 1922-23, based on the old valve system, several trucks in original condition, and a couple of restorations. It's fascinating that you don't know what is behind some of those shed doors as you travel through the Australian countryside. This shed is one man's treasure trove.