Hawkins River goes old school

3 MinutesBy NZ Trucking magazineFebruary 20, 2018

Dwayne Molloy has purchased a T2670 International to become part of his Hawkins River fleet…and wake up one or two of his neighbours from time to time!

Growing up on a pig farm, Hawkins River majority owner Dwayne Molloy has been around trucks and farming his whole life. So, when the chance came up to get a ‘project‘ truck, Dwayne already knew what he wanted.

With previous owners that included Lightning Transport Ltd, Mt Wellington Nurseries, Cell Technology Ltd and Oropi Quarries Ltd, the 1989 T2670 International had some rust in and around the cab but was otherwise in pretty good shape.

 
Photo: Twin air intakes and stacks adorn the rear of the cab. Dwayne added some West Coast mirrors. 

Dwayne drove the truck home from Mount Maunganui, crossing the International over into the South Island for probably the first time in its life, and got on with the task of getting the truck back to pristine condition straight away.

The T2670 was taken to Blackwells for rust repairs and paint, and the signage was applied by Paul Walters at Identity Signs. Dwayne had a custom bumper made by Ali Arc that suits the truck nicely, giving it that deep but tough look.


Photo: Dwayne Molloy with the window down listening to the sound of the old girl.

Canterbury Stoneguards worked their magic, making a couple of brackets to accommodate the new stoneguard and secure it in place. The truck‘s 6-stud artillery wheels give it the ‘old school‘ look and Dwayne added a pair of West Coast mirrors, 7-inch Hella lights – which replaced the existing set – along with a pair of 5-inch twin stacks up the back of the cab alongside twin air rams.

On a hot North Canterbury day, the 350 Cummins engine makes a beautiful sound, especially with the windows down. Accompanied by a 15-speed Roadranger transmission, and the yardstick 44,000lb Rockwell diffs on Hendrickson walking beam rear end, the International just looks right at home operating in both the paddocks, on the dusty shingle back roads between farms, or travelling on main highways.

On the day New Zealand Trucking magazine visited the Hawkins River operation everyone was hoping for dry weather so the grass could be cut for baleage. The weather gods accommodated their wishes and everything was in full swing with the tractors and balers working side-by-side like a well- oiled machine. Dwayne started loading up the bales to be delivered to a nearby farm where they were wrapped.

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