Owner/Driver #339

Above: Deppo and Hayden Turner,
one of Leeson’s loader-drivers, sort
the paperwork for Deppo’s next load
Right: The Leeson mechanics have
a varied workload with a variety of
fleet trucks, including Kenworths
and Scanias
New wiring, new wiring harness, rebushed suspension and a
laundry list of other parts, including seals and filters, were
replaced. Even a new aircon unit was fitted as the original
one really wasn’t suited to the Aussie climate. Ironic
considering the cab’s small enough that opening your
lunch box cools it down.
While the repairs were getting done, the truck was sent to
Royan Truck & Trailer Repairs in Melbourne for a complete
respray. When Garry originally put the Pete on the road in
2006, he wanted a special look to it, a one-off scheme for
a one-off truck. Garry chose to keep the company stripes
but replace the base colour, changing white to silver. So the
respray was once again silver and green.
“The low tare weight
of the Peterbilt means
it can pack a good
payload as well.”
Just to dob Rick in a little here, when Leeson’s ordered
its Legend 950, Rick decided to follow his old man’s one-off
scheme for a one-off truck idea as well.
“When we bought the Legend 950 I wanted it special, so
we got it painted completely green. I still don’t think dad’s
forgiven me,” he laughingly informs me. It does stand out,
though.
While all this was going on, Deppo, who was now driving
rather than on the tools, jumped out of his T658 and went
back into the workshop for a couple of months. He was
heavily involved in getting refurbished trailers ready, as well
as the Pete itself.
“I fitted and dressed a lot of it myself,” Deppo says. He fitted
extra lights to the cab guard, a light bar on the mudflaps,
guards and extra stainless. Then, the same effort was put into
the trailers. Mudguards, lights … anything he could add to the
freshly painted trailers.
June 2020 was a big moment for Deppo. He finally got to do
his first load of logs in a truck he’d been admiring for over
14 years. He’s the first to admit that the reality matched the
expectation. He loves it – the low tare weight of the Peterbilt
means it can pack a good payload as well.
I asked how that low tare weight affected the bush-bashing
roads that loggers traditionally encounter, with both Rick
and Deppo assuring me the Pete has held up just fine. Rick
also added that, seeing as Leeson’s deals solely in plantation
logging, the gravel roads they deal with are normally fairly
harmless.
It’s a testament to not just Deppo, but Rick, Garry and the
team at Leeson’s Logging & Cartage that after more than 1.7
million kilometres under its belt, the big-bonneted American
classic is still performing and looking a million bucks.
Deppo was very disappointed in the weather that arrived
just before the photoshoot.
“It was polished first thing this morning,” he claims,
swearing that there is shine under the layer of dust.
Personally I wasn’t perturbed, photographing this truck in
its natural habitat was a pleasure and I must admit it does it
for me. I completely get what sparked Garry’s decision back in
2006. Now, “I want a Peterbilt”.
50 APRIL 2021 ownerdriver.com.au