Terry Wright

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2012.

Terry Wright, known as Mungus, was in the transport industry in Western Australia for over 40 years. In that time he was mostly involved in the rural industry carting wheat and livestock throughout most of Western Australia. One of the things that really made Mungus stand out in the eyes of his peers was his very quiet nature. Despite this, he soon became known as a professional and reliable operator who was always happy to go the extra distance especially if it meant giving someone less fortunate than himself a helping hand.
The tyranny of distance and isolation, often accompanied by extreme weather conditions and poor road systems were hallmarks of the work Mungus did. Roadhouses were few and far between and mechanical workshops even rarer - and if you broke down on the side of the road you either fixed the truck yourself or stayed there. Roadside repairs such as changing tyres and spring packs and replacing bearings were an all too common occurrence. It was during these years that Mungus developed his interest and honed his skills in the art of mechanicing.Over the years Mungus had driven a variety of marques including Bedford, Foden and Volvo but it was the last truck he owned before his passing that still operates today as a reminder of Mungus and his mechanical know how. It started out as a Diamond Reo old enough to have the throttle between the brake and the clutch.  All was soon to change as Mungus set about modifying it.The first modification was to put in a 6V71 GM motor, 15 speed gear box and a six rod bogey drive. He then fitted a Transtar cab and added a modified Diamond Reo bonnet. The chassis was cut at the front and a W-Model Kenworth front end fitted to enable it to take a larger radiator and a Sheppard steering box. Next Mungus fitted Volvo chassis rails over the Diamond rails to make it twin skin and for safety and comfort, he finally fitted air bags to the cab and a sleeper bunk. Somehow, this truck manages to operate on a Kenworth Compliance Plate.  Reminiscent of the many rebuilds and repairs on the side of the road all the modifications to this unique truck were carried out under a tree in Mungus' yard in Bellvue, WA. This truck, like Mungus himself, is one of a kind.