Australia‘s leading vehicle and equipment hire company has enshrined its long-term relationship with the Hino/Toyota family by restoring one of its vintage vehicles.

 

A 1968 Daihatsu D200 truck is the biggest piece in Kennards Hire‘s museum collection of retired hire equipment, which also includes pressure cleaners, ground aerators and chainsaws – most of which is still in working condition.

The D200, a distant relative of Kennards‘ current Hino hire trucks, was added to the collection in 2005.

It was bought up to its current operational condition with a mild body and interior restoration, a mechanical check-over and the addition of Kennards‘ original corporate logos – as fitted to their hire trucks in the 1970s.

Daihatsu introduced its truck range to Australia in 1965, two years before both Daihatsu and Hino became part of Toyota Motor Corporation in 1967.

 

The nomenclature of the Daihatsu D200 indicates a diesel engine (2,270cc) and a load capacity of 2,000kg.

Kennards executive director Angus Kennard said the truck represents Kennards’ first foray into the hire truck market.  

“Kennards started with a mixed fleet of 50 Daihatsu trucks - tippers, long wheelbase cab chassis and short wheel base models,” he said.

“It got us into the truck business in a big way.”