This 1939 3-tonne FORD flathead V8 needs a bit of tender, loving care to get it running again. Photo / Catherine Fry
This 1939 3-tonne FORD flathead V8 needs a bit of tender, loving care to get it running again. Photo / Catherine Fry
From milking cows to moving earth, Ōtorohanga’s Bryan and Viv Southall have carved out a life full of grit and passion.
After decades in dairying and 15 years of contracting, the couple have swapped the farm for a half-hectare lifestyle block – complete with a towering, two-storey home anda 252sq m “man shed” that houses their growing collection of classic vehicles.
Among the treasures is Bryan’s pride and joy: a 1939 Ford flathead truck with a storied past in coal exploration and water well drilling – a piece of history he’s determined to keep authentic.
“We lived in a caravan for four years during the build, so we’re very happy to be finally moved into the house and all the vehicles housed downstairs,” he said.
“I’m just starting to put out all my memorabilia on shelves.”
The owner knew Bryan would keep it standard and not rip it to pieces to make a hot rod.
Bryan Southall has owned his 1939 Ford flathead V8 truck since 2013. Photo / Catherine Fry
“This particular 1939, 3-tonne Ford flathead V8 was imported from the United States and known as the barrel-nose model due to its distinctive front grille shape.
“They were made for two years, in 1938 and 1939.”
Dual rear wheels. Photo / Catherine Fry
The petrol engine offers 95hp and has a four-speed crash gearbox, which requires double-clutching to change gears.
The front axle has two wheels, and the rear axle has dual wheels.
Bryan Southall prefers to keep as much of his Ford flathead truck in original condition only restoring where he needs to. Photo / Catherine Fry
“Brown Bros used the truck right up until 1984,” he said.
“That was the last rego, which is still stuck on the windscreen.
“It had sat in a shed for nearly 30 years.”
The truck was used as a support vehicle for Brown Bros water well drilling activities, and it was part of the early coal exploration for the Huntly coalfields.
The truck worked from 1939 to 1984, and the cab is still in original condition. Photo / Catherine Fry
Bryan has no plans to carry out a full restoration.
