Double Coin Imaging Awards

As the saying goes “every dog has its day” and this 2019 Mack Trident, aptly named “Master of Puppies”, has just been through a three-month makeover that drag queen Ru Paul would be proud of.

Built to handle forestry roads, the Mack hasn’t missed a beat in its three-and-a-half years of tackling southern conditions, clocking up 500,000 kms hauling logs for Steve Murphy Ltd with owner/driver Mark “Magpie” Amer behind the wheel.

Spending your life dedicated to working your way through the different aspects of the transport industry takes a special kind of intestinal fortitude and over the years Magpie has shown that countless times.

While the logging industry was going through a quiet patch, Magpie had been driving for Brenics Limited while also working the Banana ships with his Mack Super-Liner tractor unit towing a Brenics six-axle B-train.

This led to Brendon and Scott Johnstone coming up with a plan to offer Magpie a role as an owner/driver with the company. This idea was pitched to their parents and company owners Gary and Barbara Johnstone who agreed and offered Magpie a contract. Gary says, “Magpie will make a good addition to our business, and we respect him for what he has done for everyone else.”

Once the Mack Trident had finished its working days with Steve Murphy Ltd Magpie sold the trailer and parked the truck in a shed so the logging gear could be removed. With the help from half a dozen friends the job was completed in about five hours.

The next step was to take the truck to the team at Transport Repairs for the engineers to work their magic - once they had listened to all of Magpie’s ideas that is!

Magpie is always one for thinking outside the square, this to me is part of the reason for his success.

Peter and his team shortened the wheelbase from 6500mm to 5150mm, added a Jost sliding turntable, guards, a back bumper and chequer plate on the chassis.

Previously the Mack Trident was running 295/80R 22.5 size tyres, which had extra grip for logging, so Mark’s tyre man Brett Flower from Tyre General dropped it down to low profile 275/70R 22.5’s on the drive axles and 305/70R 22.5’s steerers with highway application treads which lowered the unit down quite a bit. The tyres were put on and taken off several times so Brett was required to come back and re-torque them often.

Aaron Clarke from Wheelie Bright Metal Polishing gave the King Bars bullbar a full sand and polish while it was off the truck so it looked like new when the truck hit the road again.

From there the truck was taken to Bill Stephens Truck Refinishers where the cab was painted white, and the chassis was sandblasted and painted green.

Brenics colours are white cab and a black chassis and green stripes but Magpie has always been someone who likes to think differently (his friends know and love him for that). Magpie changed the chassis colour to green to match the stripes and came up with a different stripe design from their fleet.

Working together with Andrew Geddes from Timaru Signs Graphix they came up with the final design. Magpie then let Andrew work his magic and the end result is a skilful mix of lines that follow the shape of the truck mixed with pinstripes and scrolls to set it off perfectly.

Another change in the truck is the reduced tare weight - dropping from 10,600 kg to 9,300kg - which will make a difference to the overall payload while towing either the refrigerated six-axle B-train or a refrigerated quad semi-trailer.

The Mack Trident, which has the MP8 Mack 535hp engine and an Eaton Fuller RTLO22918B 18-speed overdrive transmission, is now ready to tackle the highways of the South Island (with the odd trip across the strait) carting mainly food and produce but also some general freight. 

Once again Mark “Magpie” Amer has worked his magic with the help of his friends and “Master of Puppies” has a new lease on life.