Military vehicles ready for Frankton Thunder

Jeff Peters with the 1960s M548 he plans to display at Frankton Thunder. Photo / Geoff Lewis

Hamilton businessman Jeff Peters can trace his interest in military vehicles back to his days in the Territorials.

Jeff, now 65, avoided CMT (Compulsory Military Training) by volunteering, but spent four years being called up to train for the part-time force at Waiouru.

These days he runs Jeff Peters Truck Parts in Te Rapa which provides parts and mechanical services for trucks and buses — a useful business when it comes to dealing with heavy vehicles.

He is also a member of the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Military Collectors Club. Jeff is an enthusiast when it comes to military vehicles and began years ago with the sorts of entry-level acquisitions, like Jeeps and old bren-gun carriers, popular among those new in the hobby.

Eighteen months ago Jeff imported an eight-tonne 'M548' — a 1960s-era cargo-carrier version of the popular M113 armoured personnel carrier. The job of the M548 was to follow the troops and armour carrying fuel and ammunition. The American-manufactured vehicle was bought surplus from Britain.

Collecting military vehicles can be an expensive hobby and dealing with bureaucracy is part of the game as he discovered when he bought a surplus US military AMC cargo truck.

"In the US there is a website for Government surplus called 'Government Planet', a Government auction house which sells about 250 trucks a fortnight. First you register with Government Planet, then get up at 4am on auction day to wait for your number to come up. The truck I wanted had a reserve of US$2500, I got it for US$8000.

But then there was a list of 'clip the ticket' costs and fees including paying GST and diesel tax to California.

"I had to get it transported to the port at Los Angeles, water blasted, had to apply for ownership, and an export licence for a military vehicle — it took three months. Everything military exported from the US is watched."

But Jeff got a good deal, the vehicle had been completely refurbished at a cost to the US taxpayer of more than US$70,000

By contrast, getting the M548 in from Britain was much easier — "just register it as a tracked vehicle and it arrived."

Powered by a six-cylinder Detroit diesel, the amphibious vehicle is expected to be displayed among other items belonging to members of the Military vehicles club at the third annual Frankton Thunder automotive exhibition, Sunday March 4 2018, Frankton, Hamilton.

Military Vehicle Club members around New Zealand have a wide array of tanks, mobile artillery, trucks and motorcycles.

Frankton Thunder will kick-off with the 'Thunder Cruize Toys for Charity" drive/ride-in from Cambridge to Hamilton starting at the Cambridge Raceway, Taylor St, 8.30am.

The charity this year is St Vincent de Paul which will have its premises in Commerce St open and happily accept donations of toys and books. Also to be seen will be displays of classic and custom cars, hot rods, motorcycles, tattoo competition, burlesque, Miss Frankton Thunder, music and retro market.