Andrew’s Workshop Truck (108-616 – “Party Bus”) and Trailer (101-750)

Andrew bought the “Party Bus” in August 2009 from REMLR member Richard O.

Why the Party Bus? Because that’s the name that was emblazoned on both guards, aft of the wheel arches. When it picked up this name is unknown, but it has been painted on twice so it has survived at least two coats of Olive Drab.

The vehicle has some other interesting markings. The passenger side door has “Ports – Smithy” inscribed in old cursive with a shadow effect, evidently by someone with considerable artistic skill. The driver’s side door has “Smithy – Ports”, mirroring the markings on the other side. Both doors have “IW2” in large stencil. At this time, rubbing on the left door has uncovered that this has been marked at least 4 times on successive coats of paint!

The vehicle has a mostly sound chassis, having minimal rust in the rear crossmember and a slight skew in the left dumbiron. The engine turns freely on the starter, and seems only to be lacking spark. The vehicle has a few hallmarks of many years of farm use, including some panel damage, an enormous amount of mud and an assortment of mismatched tyres on an assortment of equally mismatched rims.

The majority of the vehicle is present and accounted for, however a few items are missing. Richard kept the rear hoodbows for another project of his, and so these will need to be sourced. All canvas has also disappeared over time, and the pintle hook and doors for the front lockers on the tray are missing. At the rear of the tray, some minor damage will require repairs.

The Party Bus had an unusually long service life – even as far as specialist vehicles go. Commissioned into service in December 1963, he wasn’t auctioned off until the end of June 1992. A career spanning almost 29 years! It is unknown where the vehicle was based or if it served in Vietnam, but anything is possible. REMLR records indicate that the ‘Bus had 76,000 miles at the AusSales auction where it was Lot 619 in the yard at Moorebank NSW.

The project will be kept on the backburner for now, until Andrew’s other projects are finished off. In the meantime, the gathering of parts and information continues in the background in preparation for a total strip down and ground up restoration, commencing perhaps sometime in 2011.

In October 2009, Andrew purchased a matching workshop trailer off another REMLR member, Tony S. from Lithgow. It is a Census 6128 – “Trailer, Maintenance, ½ Ton, Binned” and carries the chassis number “PMC1” making it ARN 101-750 and the first of the PMC manufactured trailers.

This unit is fully registered and roadworthy, and requires very little work, requiring only paint and a small weld repair to the hood bows. The civilian 7 core wiring and matching plug will be replaced with the correct 12 core NATO items in due course.