Generational relationships
Southpac Trucks’ newtruck salesman Mark O’Hara says his family’s involvement with the Gray family started in 1972 when the O’Hara family moved to Greytown, and his father and Shane’s father Gavin came to know each other.
“I started in truck sales in 2000 at Southpac Trucks looking after the lower North Island and had called into Quality Demolition’s Lower Hutt yard many times.
“Gavin was always a hardass and busted my chops every time, stating, ‘Overpriced Kenworths and Nissans are all we need in our business.’ Plus, if something broke or had gone wrong with the trucks, he would pick up the phone and give me an absolute dung-out!
“I would get in my car and drive over to see what the issue was and sort it straight away. That was all he needed – to fix it right then and there. Then we would go into the smoko room, have a coffee and he was a happy man again.”
Mark says that over time, he and Shane became good friends, and once Gavin had buggered off to the office or the other end of the yard, they would talk over Kenworth options and models.
“I’m sure he knew it but didn’t give anything away. Finally, the ice broke and Gavin said he needed a frontline heavy haul tractor unit for their house-moving business, and Shane said the T404S with 600hp and auto transmission would do the trick.
“I spent a day or so specing up the unit as they had asked, went down to present the deal and info and they added a lot more extras. This was one of the first trucks to have disc brakes fitted. With the autoshift 18-speed with clutch pedal, it was state-of-the-art gear back in the day.
“Shane got all sentimental and bought this truck back a few years ago, but then an offer came from a house mover to take that and the house trailer, and the deal was done. I think he kicks himself now, but you can’t keep all of them!”
Mark says that over the years, QDC has purchased a fair few Kenworths from him that have come and gone, but the other world-first to be built from the Kenworth factory in Melbourne was the T350 8x4 twin-steer.
“This truck was to make use of the maximum axle rating and long body for around the Wellington district without requiring a trailer to tow. It was called I am Different because of it being the first twin-steer bonneted Kenworth built for New Zealand. I’m not sure why but I even remember the chassis number – 430555.”
Mark says QDC has purchased a total of 12 Kenworths and Shane’s ‘do it once and do it right’ attitude means he goes into great detail to make sure that it is always fit for purpose – no short cuts.
Mark says the presentation of the QDC gear has always been high on Shane’s radar. “When you’re on show in the worst place – the middle of Wellington – pulling buildings down or undertaking siteworks, the public perception is of dirty, smelly smoke-blowing trucks and diggers.
“QDC’s gear is far from that, making a statement in the industry that the dirtiest jobs can be done in Quality Demolition-style.”
Mark says being part of the QDC family is all about loyalty and hard work. “This means the most when the chips are down and something needs sorting right away. It has been a pleasure to work with the QDC Group and being involved in the race truck team over the past 25 of their 30 years.”