Special feature: International S-Line

Vic Hungerford is a familiar sight behind the wheel of Tony Galbraith’s beautifully restored International S-Line, a regular standout at North Island truck shows

The International S-Line (and T-Line) series was a true-blue-collar type truck in the 1980s and early 1990s, before the wave of safety and electronic wizardry started to become nthe orm.

Sharing pretty much the same drivetrain as the much more expensive Kenworths of the era, the Internationals were tough and reliable trucks that set up many owner operators into other high and mighty brands in later years.

Major fleets in Australia and New Zealand had Internationals as the backbone of their fleet, such as Winstones, Freightways, Refrigerated Freight Haulage, Cronins-Regal, T. Croft, Southern Transport, Semenoff, Freight Haulage Ltd, Allied Transport, Smith & Davies, Knight & Dickey, Emmersons, Gleeson & Cox, Watchorns, Halls, Steve Murphy Ltd, Hookers, G.J Sole, Fluidex, to name just a few.

One particular restoration that is proving very popular around the North Island truck and classic show circuit is a later model 1989 S2670 International, registration number MNS556.

Painted up in the Fluidex colours of back in the day and owned by Tony Galbraith (TGL), there is much more to the truck and what it stands for other than the very professional restoration, which now sees it in a better-than-new status.

Thanks to Tony’s ongoing generosity, regular truck show celebrity Victor (Vic) Hungerford, who despite hitting the 85-years-young mark, can often be seen grinning behind the big steering wheel as he takes the S-Line to shows from Kamo, Bombay, Matamata, Morrinsville, Mangakino, Otorohanga and anywhere else that fits within his ‘retirement’ schedule.

Vic drove for Fluidex for over 50 years and still drives the Roadranger like only an old school pro can, saying he loved every minute of his long professional driving career and still fills in when he can – but these days prefers recreational driving, especially taking the S-Line around the various shows and catching up with mates.

The S-Line used by TGL carried out linehaul, general freight and tankers in the Fluidex fleet. Tony had a long-standing relationship with International Trucks over the years and the S-Line was an obvious choice to ‘do it up a bit’ for the driver’s pleasure.

The restoration was largely done in house, and the truck was still in use on tanker work when taken off the road. The unique-to-period and well-known TGL colour scheme was done by White Bros, Hamilton, with former Fluidex employee ‘Barney’ running the White Bros workshop and making sure all the detailed work was on point.

The truck is now maintained by the Fluidex Wiri workshop, which ensures it’s ready for use and gets out regularly with Vic and the selected few who have permission to operate the vehicle.

Vic Hungerford’s own story

I obtained my HT licence in 1957, aged 18, and my ARCtick licence a few months later. Since then, I have driven full-time until I more or less retired two years ago, aged 83. The driving was mainly in New Zealand but also included five years in the United Kingdom.

The first truck I drove was a 1940 Chev. I drove GMCs in the New Zealand Army, Austin FFKs in England, and then spent seven years driving tankers for Mobil in Auckland.

In 1972 I joined Freightways Bulk Services, which later became Fluidex Transport, owned by Tony Galbraith. I was still there over 50 years later when I retired.

My favourite truck out of the many without a doubt was the 2003 International 9400i, which I drove for 13 years and 1.4 million kilometres, mainly as a B-train tanker between Auckland, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Blenheim and Waipara.

It had plenty of room in the cab, good vision, ample power for 44-tonnes with its 460hp Cummins, an 18-speed gearbox with an excellent very short-throw gear change. It was almost completely reliable, and I was very sorry when Tony decided it was time to be replaced. I know the truck is still around working for a new owner who told me recently he has never had to do anything to it.

Now in my retirement, I am still driving an International, Tony Galbraith’s show truck, a 1989 S-Line, and I’m loving it.

Images by Rod Simmonds