It was difficult to buy trucks in the beginning due to the controlled import environment, so a lot of creativity and kiwi ingenuity came into play. We started with buying single trucks here and there and bought our first fleet of D Series Fords in the 70’s, which weren’t that powerful, reliable or durable. One of them was repowered with a Detroit and was known as the original ‘General’ which Don Cox drove for around 800,000 km. When the cab rotted out from carting all the fertiliser, a later cab was put on it emblazoned with the first Gleeson & Cox logo. The legacy had been born.
But the kiwi ingenuity didn’t stop there! Buying and importing trucks wasn’t allowed at the time, but there was no limit on importing parts. Knowing this, Brian and Don went to Australia and bought an International TranStar 4200. They promptly disassembled it and brought it back to New Zealand in a container as parts to reassemble and rebuild. Over the last three decades buying and importing trucks has become a whole lot easier which allowed us to expand and invest in our fleet like never before.
We love our trucks here at Gleeson & Cox which is why we have always made smart choices in what we buy. We also take the best care of our gear thanks to our skilled and hardworking team in the workshop. We build our trucks the way they should be built and we always keep our gear well maintained so we can operate safely and efficiently.
