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November 2009
Concorde - A New Zealand Legend
This months feature was written by Darryn Caulfield
In November 2009 Barry Caulfield rode his 1941 Indian motorcycle with a group of other motorcyclists from Whakataneto the Burt Munroe weekend in Invercargill, the plan being to ride to Wanaka after the event and take ownership of New Zealands most famous truck "Concorde" the V12 Detroit powered 1973 Kenworth.
The truck was brought in by Dalhoff and King as a kitset for Mike Lambert of Mt. Maunganui and was to go on logs carting around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. When Mike ordered the truck he wanted his truck specced with light diffs not the heavy duty diffs Kenworth recommended for logging. Mike assured them the truck would be spending most of it's time on the highway. kenworth replied by saying "you don't want a truck, you want a Hot Rod!".
The truck arrived in 1973 and was assembled by Dalhoff and King in Palmerston North, once the truck was runningthe mechanics would go for a burn in the V12 with it's bonnet off and get their smoko! The night before Mike picked the V12 up the mechanics were having a few beers around the truck when it was decided to do up a plaque with their names on it, it was rough and pot riveted to the firewall and they thought the plaque would be ripped off because of it's appearance but it's still there today proudly displayed.
The truck has had 10 owners in it's lifetime with Mike Lambert owning it twice. Mike saved the V12 from a yard where parts were being stripped off it and sold as the motor had blown up.
Barry Caulfield bought the V12 from George Wallace who had added a sleeperbox and moved the motor forward to it's factory specs to house the twin turbos. When the truck was new it was rated at 465hp, over 100hp more than any other truck on the road and today with the twin turbos now puts out 600 horsepower!
Alf Quaife joined Barry on the journey home sharing the driving duties. Alf drove the V12 for Mike lambert for 2 years and then bought the truck off Mike as Mike used to get complaints from other motorists every day about Alf and Concordes speed and passing. The V12 was known to pass cars up the Kaimais ranges loaded. The name "Concorde" came about from a loader driver when he said to Alf he couldn't believe how quick Alf's trip times were between loads and gave it the name "Concorde" with it's long bonnet.
Alf also raced Concorde around baypark Raceway and still holds to this day the fastest lap time by a working truck.
Concorde was unveiled on may 2nd 2010 infront of around 200 guests including all the previous owners who lifted the covers to reveil Concorde in it's new look at Barry Caulfields museum. The day was well received and reunited many old truckers from the past.
Concorde was painted back into Mike Lamberts original colours, Harvested Red. Mike Lamberts name was hand painted on the door, painted pinstripes and a mural airbrushed on the back of the sleeperbox showing how Concorde looked in it's days of hauling logs. The sleeperbox has been left on the truck as the truck will be used pulling the odd trailer which will make it more practical than if it was set up as a logger. Concorde will be seen on various truck runs in New Zealand including the Classic truck Rally of the North Island in October 2010 where the truck will start the run at Bulls and finish in Cambridge. The rally will continue on and will later end up at Barry's museum. If you have the chance to see this truck in action don't miss this chance to see New Zealands most famous truck in all it's glory.
I'd like to thank Darryn Caulfield and Ed Mansell for the article and photographs.
Concorde - A New Zealand Legend
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