This vehicle came from an idea hatched by the Southward workshop staff to build a vehicle using recycled parts from the museum storage sheds.

The vehicle started life as a 1920 Dodge Tourer. It was owned by two brothers in the Hawkes Bay town of Wairoa.

During the 1940’s the vehicle was converted to a truck with the unique tongue and groove cab as you see it today.

The vehicle changed ownership in the 1960’s when it was bought by a collector in Hawkes Bay before being eventually acquired by Len Southward in a bulk purchase of the collector’s cars.

The total transformation of that vehicle into what it is today took 3 months of part time work and used parts from a large range of different vehicles.