1948 The Bedford M-Series Break-down Truck
 

While driving north one day Michael Dorbeck saw the front of a Bedford truck in an old shed near Kawakawa.

The Club at that time was looking to restore an old tow truck. Sometime later Brian Cullen and Peter Lloyd took a trip up to Kawakawa to find the truck and complete a deal if possible.
 

They found the tow truck in an old shed and approached the house nearby. A lovely, old Maori lady in her 90’s answered the door. It turned out it was her deceased husband who had owned the truck. Her name was Ema Kawiti and she was the owner of the nearby Kawiti Caves. Brian and Peter explained to her what the Club was looking to restore and she agreed to sell it. Four weeks later a group from the club along with George Bunce who kindly agreed to transport it back to the club on his flat deck truck. After a lot of hard work the truck was extracted from the shed and brought back to the club. 

The Bedford had been a tow truck from new and was owned by the Kawakawa Garage. Mr. Kawiti had bought it off them some years before he passed but sadly never got to use or restore it. Back at Albany John Tombs and Richard Andrews stripped it to a bare chassis and restoration began.
 

Many members of our club have worked and are still working on this vehicle. The truck currently looks splendid in its yellow AA livery and signage. In May 2025 the truck had its first outing on public roads (wearing our Trade Plates) as it took a short trip to the public weigh-station as part of the certification process. We hope it won't be too long before we can take the truck to local shows and rallies.

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