The Disney character Pistol Pete made his first appearance on the silver screen back in 1925. He was depicted as a big, burly, take-no-prisoners, cigar-puffin’ tough guy – a bit like this month’s inductee into the Million Mile Club.

No, we have not made a mistake and placed this month’s cover truck into the Million Mile Club, but it sure does look that way. Let us introduce you to The Duke’s older brother Pistol Pete, a 2008 T908. The big Kenworth was ordered new by waste management operators Bingo out of New South Wales, Australia. Built to pull transporter trailers and move the company’s machinery, the T908 was specced with a worked-up C15 Caterpillar, 22-series Roadranger, NeWay heavy-duty air suspension and 46,000lb Rockwell diffs.

From what the records show, the truck spent the first eight years of its life working in Australia for Bingo and a private owner-driver as a doubles roadtrain side-tipper moving mine ore.

In early 2016, C & R Developments of Hautapu was in search of an addition to its transporter fleet. Through contacts, the company acquired the T908, and in August of that year, it arrived at the Port of Auckland. A new fully oscillating 90mm turntable with scales was fitted and it was off to work.

The truck soon proved itself at the coalface with the tweaked C15; it was estimated that it was producing well over 700hp at the wheels, and the performance with 100 tonne or so in tow seemed to confirm this. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and it was at about 950,000km where an in-frame rebuild was required.

“It still goes good, but not quite as good as it used to go; they definitely had worked some magic on it back in Australia that’s for sure,” says Murray ‘Muzz’ Peake. Muzz has driven Pistol Pete since its arrival in the C & R Developments fleet, but now, as Muzz shifts over into The Duke, the tiller of Pistol Pete has been handed over to an elated Cameron Shayler.

“It has been a great truck for the company, and a real pleasure to drive. As for reliability, yes it has had an in-frame, a gearbox replacement and the diffs have been rebuilt, but you have to put that in perspective, as it regularly goes down the road at twice the GCM of most highway rigs, so you definitely can’t complain about that,” Muzz explains. Yes, with that in mind, it is our honour to welcome ol’ Pistol Pete into the club. Well-earned, mate.