About 30 years ago there was a Western Star parked up in a field near Menston.It had been there a while not sure what happened to it. A big fancy thing
Ta, didnāt know that. I think (think) I may have seen one or two on container work (Botany Road, Foreshore Drive, Seven Hills, that type of place) in the early 00s, couldnāt figure out what they were. Iāve never quite figured out why NZ got so many British wagons (Foden, ERF especially) when Oz didnāt but I suppose Oz is a much bigger market.
They were never particularly popular, l only ever saw one, at Rocklea five or so after they were released.
Probably tarrif related, remember NZ were importing second hand Japanese cars, because of the expense of new cars.
NZ was a good source of various parts to suit, what we considered classic British cars, because they had so many 30+ yo daily drivers.
Presumably LHD? 4800 was a short bonnet, set back steer, 4900 was long bonnet with no engine protrusion into the cab, 6900 was a heavy duty version of the 4900 with the cab and bonnet set higher.
6900.
4900
4800.
The first two photos are mine, of trucks l drove.
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It was behind a big wall in a field on the Otley Rd from Guiesley.I couldnāt really see much of it at the time but iām pretty sure someone posted a photo of it on here a few years back. Iām going to be quite controversial now and say they all look very similar to me but it was a long time ago and behind a big wall
Iām now wondering if the first picture is of a home conversion. The chassis looks older than my picture.
@ramone to the casual observer they are visually very similar.
Talk about a current themeā¦
JDM spec too. Oz got a few (remember that rash of JDM Toyo 4Runners that dissolved in front of your eyes that had odd turbo-diesel engines?), they were āgrey importsā in the UK IIRC.
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I canāt argue with that.
Genuine question: why do you rate Western Star above KW, White (and presumably Volvo, Scaniaā¦)? Is it a thing of the past?
Itās a silly question but have you seen
film called Red Dog, filmed in Australia,my Mrs cried her eyes out at the end?
@parkroyal2100 Iāve got to admit to a bit of prejudice and brand loyalty. For twenty odd years l owned a White. That truck was a bit like grandadās axeevery major component was rebuilt,reconditioned or replaced, except the 13 speed RR. No complaints, it worked hard and was abused. Remember the 80s, if it didnāt have 40 tonne per trailer, it was only part loaded. It only failed to get home under its own steam once, a leg out of bed exactly a month after having a rebuilt, exchange motor fitted.
Once White went bust and Western Star emerged from the ashes, Western Star was the natural inheriter of my loyalty.
I also prefer the wider cab of a Western Star. A 45litre fridge fits next to the passenger seat of a Star and still gives enough room to walk into the boudoir. In a Kenworth the same fridge fills the space between the seats and has to be pushed halfway into the bunk, to stop interference with the gearstick. I also find it easier to make a train, sitting closer to the mirror. If you need to look over your shoulder in a KW, all you end up with is an eyefull of muffler.
Finally, I see no point in paying an extra forty grand (in 2000) for status, for basically an identical truck.
If I was going to buy a truck tomorrow (no itās not going to happen), it would be a KW, simply because WS will not fit a Cummins.
Western Star and Freightliner are both now Daimler Benz products. The former was the premium product with Freightliner being relatively cheap and nasty. The latest WS have been downgraded, sharing many cab parts and styling with the cheaper cousin. I reckon before the end of the decade, Freightliner will be gone.
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No mate, Iām not big into movies.
I think the last movie I watched was set in Newcastle (UK), about Robroy trying to steal, or return some valuable artworks to the National gallery.
No worries.
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@oiltreader the top picture is a Canadian model that we didnāt get. When production was moved to USA a lot of models were dropped.
The second picture looks Australian, Tasmania possibly.
On Monday itāll be carting tomatoes from Bundaberg to Sydney.
This looks interesting.
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Thanks for your (extensive) reply. Being a Pom Iām not that familiar with US badged trucks (even if Oz versions differ significantly), nor have I any direct experience of them to speak of. My only direct experience of a Western Star was sitting in the left-hand seat of this one:
The reason I was in the left-hand seat is directly behind it. To be fair to the Merc 2328 I was driving when one air-suspension unit (and then anotherā¦) on the rear axles went BANG!, the mob I worked for then didnāt look after them.
[edit to add: your preference for Cummins - not a fan of Detroit engines or is it something else?]