In a 95-year-old truck restricted to just 45 kilometres per hour, Brian Smith was literally Crawlin’ the Hume, taking part in the historic truck run on Saturday.
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“You’re keeping a pretty keen watch on the mirrors for things behind you and I’ve had a couple occasions we’re it’s been a bit scary,” Mr Smith said.
“Travelling up and down the highway with all these other trucks is an incredible sensation, because you’re doing something the pioneers did.
“I get a double sense of it because all the big fellas pass me a couple times over; it gives me a chance to see them all.”
His 1923 Model T Ford was one of 250 trucks driving the Old Hume Highway from Melbourne, stopping at Benalla, Winton Raceway, Wangaratta, Chiltern and Wodonga on their way to the Albury Racing Club.
“The truck has been on the road for eight years, since I finished restoring it,” Mr Smith said.
“I found it through an advertisement in the paper, went and had a look and it was pretty much what I wanted to have.
“I’ve been up to Alice Springs and back in it for the Hall of Fame, to Sydney and over to Mount Gambier as well.”
“Every nut and bolt” in the historic Ford has been restored by Mr Smith, from Panton Hill.
“It’s built in the original style from the patterns that were originally there and it’s identical to a farm truck my grandfather had, who was an orchardist.
“We used to cart apples to Victoria Market.
“The park lights on the car are from another family’s orchard truck of our area.”
The truck, with another model like it, were the oldest in the convoy with trucks having to be at least 25 years old to enter.
Crawlin’ the Hume is a biennial event based off the run called Haulin’ the Hume, which travels from Sydney to Yass.
Organiser Rob French said in the previous eight runs he’d been involved in it hadn’t rained, but the wet weather had followed the convoy this time around.
“It’s overcome by the fact everyone’s happy to see the rain because it’s been so dry out here,” he said.
“This is our fourth Crawlin’ the Hume and it went smoother than ever – it was great.
“We had a volunteer give up his whole day last weekend to put up temporary signs this year.
“It was done a week before so all the locals in the town would know we’re coming.”
Mr French developed Crawlin’ the Hume in 2012 following the success of the first Sydney event, taking his restored 1964 Peterbilt 351 for a spin many times over the years.
