The legendary ACCO – Designed and Built by Australians

[kscarbel2]

Forty-two years ago, a legendary truck designed and built by Australians was born. Still in production today, the ACCO continues to improve with age.

Born under the roof of International Harvester, the innovative ACCO combines real-world functionality with the ability to stand up to some of the harshest driving conditions in the world.

The ACCO truck range is now owned by Iveco Trucks Australia, and continues to be produced at the same manufacturing facility in Dandenong, Victoria where it was born.

The vast majority of the 2,000 Iveco-branded trucks that travel over three million kilometres every week are ACCOs. Active in every transport segment from food distribution to refuse, the ACCO has long been a part of Australia.

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[kscarbel2]

The ACCO was born out of International Harvester’s desire to meet the vehicle needs of Australia’s military. The country was seeking to replace its World War 2 vintage GMC and Studebaker tactical trucks. The Australian Army told International engineers that they wanted a forward-control design like the Chevrolet “Blitz” produced during the Second World War for the Canadian military. The result was the International AACO (Australian Army Cab Over) tactical truck in both 4x4 and 6x6 configurations, first appearing on the drawing board in the early 1960s, and in prototype form in 1963.

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[kscarbel2]

The ACCO (Australian Constructed Cab Over) was launched in 1972 as a modern replacement for the civilian model AACO.

Over its long life, the basic shape of the ACCO has remained virtually unchanged. A unique feature of the truck is that every part of its cab-chassis design has been engineered, designed and made at the Dandenong plant. Through a diverse range of machining and shaping processes, raw sheet metal is converted into the components of the cabin.

The Dandenong plant produces up to 650 ACCO trucks each year and it has produced more than 78,000 ACCO trucks since the model’s inception.

Lloyd Reeman started as a mail boy with International Harvester in 1969, and then moved on to sales where he sold his first truck of the current ACCO design in 1972. Today, Reeman is Director Key Accounts, Sales Division for IVECO Trucks Australia – and still sells all ACCO models.

The basic form of the ACCO range since the ‘70s has been a utilitarian cab-over-engine (COE) design. The design has a simplicity that was recognised from the start as a strong, robust and safe truck.

“The early ones were pretty basic trucks, with few creature comforts for the operators,” Reeman said. Since the first truck rolled off the production line, more than 4,000 design modifications and additions have been made. “Many changes were implemented in response to customer requirements, but also the evolving health and safety legislation. We added air conditioning, different suspensions, insulation and power steering, among many other innovations to suit changing market requirements,” he said.

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[kscarbel2]

After International Harvester purchased English truckmaker Seddon Atkinson in 1974, a brand with a long presence in Australia, International introduced a Seddon Atkinson-badged version of the ACCO at Dandenong known as the F-4870 from 1980 thru 1989). The Seddon Atkinson F-4870 utilized a widened version of the Acco cab, and had an engine hump instead of a flat floor (International continued to build true Seddon Atkinson models in the UK).

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[kscarbel2]

One of the advantages of the vehicles being fully manufactured in the one facility is that IVECO can work closely with the companies producing the machinery and bodywork that will be attached to the chassis in order to ensure the correct positioning of bolt holes and other fastening points. “We can be very responsive to our customers,” Reeman said. “We can build a one-off design or 100 copies of it and still be competitive in terms of price and time to manufacture.”

ACCO trucks have almost become the de facto platform for the vocational market throughout Australia. Long popular as a mixer chassis, the ACCO’s strong and stable design allows it to withstand the stresses associated with having six to seven tons of concrete revolving on its back. The same characteristics also make it an ideal platform for mounting refuse bodies. The ACCO cab can be ordered with factory-installed dual steering to support front, rear and side-loading waste operations.

The ACCO has long been ideal for customers looking for a sturdy, no-nonsense fleet vehicle. Over time, the robust reliability of the ACCO range has made the cost of ownership, combined purchase price and maintenance, repair and running costs, extremely economical.

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[kscarbel2]

ACCO Walk-Around

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z83mTwL8TiI

[kscarbel2]

With operations in Australia since 1903, International Harvester established the Dandenong vehicle assembly plant in 1952. In continuous operation ever since, the facility has assembled over 225,000 trucks and bus chassis.

International Harvester became International Trucks in 1989. Iveco purchased International Trucks Australia in 1992. Iveco being an unknown name down under, was allowed under the sale agreement to continue using the International name for 10 years in Australia and New Zealand. After the 1992 purchase, it was known as International Iveco Trucks Australia, and from 2001 as Iveco Trucks Australia.

In early 2004, Navistar entered into a production agreement with Iveco resulting in International-branded trucks returned to the Dandenong production line in the form of 9900i and 9200i Eagle tractors. In recent years, Navistar had been importing trucks from North America and converting locally to right-hand drive. Navistar added the 7600 to Dandenong production in 2007.

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[DailyDiesel]

Great, now I want one.

[mrsmackpaul]

Great, now I want one

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Well do I have some good news for you there are plenty out here !! It is hard to believe that they were major interstate trucks in there day grossing out 42.5 tons or 85000 lbs doing trips just as quick as todays trucks well almost as quick and they still make them here . Its just goes to show if you make what people want and not try to tell them, what they need you can compete against the cheap imports but they have to listen to what customers tell them they want a recent post thread thing'o' springs to mind about about Ford relaunching a F truck in Brazil http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/35823-ford-re-launches-f-4000-at-brazils-agrishow/

Maybe Im not real smart but the car manufactures cant seem to see this in Australia and yet the truck people can perhaps they need to look closer at what other companys do

Paul

[41chevy]

Well do I have some good news for you there are plenty out here !! It is hard to believe that they were major interstate trucks in there day grossing out 42.5 tons or 85000 lbs doing trips just as quick as todays trucks well almost as quick and they still make them here . Its just goes to show if you make what people want and not try to tell them, what they need you can compete against the cheap imports but they have to listen to what customers tell them they want a recent post thread thing'o' springs to mind about about Ford relaunching a F truck in Brazil http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/35823-ford-re-launches-f-4000-at-brazils-agrishow/

Maybe Im not real smart but the car manufactures cant seem to see this in Australia and yet the truck people can perhaps they need to look closer at what other companys do

Paul

Not many auto or truck manufacturers see it in North America either. It is a tough haul to buy a plain pick up here with a regular cab, 8 foot bed, 4x4, 3/4 ton... made to actually work for it's keep. Only one here are Dodge . If you can find a salesman interested in a "low commission" sale. Paul

[mrsmackpaul]

And for some interesting stuff, or at least I reckon it is, here is the very first AACO's ever made under testing for the Australian Army.

The prototypes look a lot more like a Blitz than the production ones.

Paul

 

[kscarbel2]

10/10 for Iveco ACCO Agitators

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