Old Hino Restored to Glory

Hino’s 50th Anniversary in New Zealand is being commemorated with a new promotional vehicle – one that’s actually 38 years old!

The KL model Hino, sold new in 1975, has been thoroughly resotred and painted in a fleet livery of the year.  It will be used to promote Hino’s half century in NZ when the milestone comes up next year.

With a GVM rating of 13,700kg, the KL used at 5.0l, 120hp EC100 engine, driving through a five-speed direct drive synchro transmission and a fully floating, single reduction hypoid rear axle.

In its restored state the truck carries the colours of Wellington carrier LG Anderson, but in fact it never operated in a conventional role, spending its working life as a fire tender.  Sold new to the Fire Service, it was run for two decades as a frontline fire truck, with a separate cab for the crew and a water tank and pump at the rear.

In 1995 the Fire Service sold the Hino to the Dunedin City Council, which based it in Middlemarch and finally in Waikouati as a rural fire tender.

In 2012 Hino Distributors Ltd purchased it as Turners Auctions.  The truck’s condition was typical of most ex Fire Service vehicles, absolutely pristine, and a credit the previous owners.

The Fire Service body was removed and an older style flat deck body was crafted by Boss Motor Bodies to better represent the KL model’s typical uses in the ’70s.

Auckland Truck Spray applied the paint, donated by Resene Paints, to give the truck its as-new appearance.

Malcolm Sargent from TCC Solutions applied some almost obsolete signwriting skills to give the Hino its new identity as an “LG Anderson” fleet truck of yesteryear.

The decision was more than a flight of fancy.  LG Anderson has been a longstanding Hino customer and in the 1970s had purchased three of the KL models.  These trucks came into NZ as CKD (Completely Knocked Down) and were assembled at the Clyde Engineering Plant in Lower Hutt.

The general manager of Hino Distributors Ltd, Ray Roberts, says it’s nice to preserve a piece of New Zealand trucking history; “These projects are a labour of love.  This one is no different, and the time and effort that has gone into the truck is clear to see.”