“One of the first trucks my wife and I ever bought was in 2008. It was a second-hand 904 with a caterpillar inside, and it was embassy grey,” says Jim Ambrose.
The director of Ambrose Haulage says that was the inspiration behind the famous Ambrose company’s colour scheme and what would soon grow to an impressive fleet of 26.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australia’s transport industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly Deals on Wheels magazine.
- Sell your truck with Australia’s #1 truck classifieds
The design of each truck is a canvas for Jim’s personal expression, with each vehicle in the fleet bearing a unique name on its side repping Jim’s favourite Cody Jinks songs, adding a touch of individuality and character to each rig.
Titles like ‘Must Be the Whiskey,’ ‘Give All You Can,’ ‘She’s All Mine,’ and ‘Change the Game,’ not only reflects Jim’s musical taste but his artistic vision also.
“I decided how the entire truck looks, I designed the logos and picked the colour scheme,” he says.
“Every one of them is a bit different, but they’re all mine.”
Though the fleet is similar, its dark aesthetic is what originally caught Deals on Wheels’ attention.
The Western Star truck adorned with the bold phrase ‘I’m Not the Devil,’ was a notable edition and what ultimately led us to wanting to find out more on Ambrose.
The trucks embassy grey has become their signature colour, keeping consistent across their fleet as a nod to where they started.
Keeping it minimalistic and classy, the song names are carefully painted in white, contrasted against the dark background.
The stainless-steel features along the bull bar, exhaust pipes and hub caps blinging up the rig, with the perfectly placed truck lights providing the Western Star with a bit of extra flare.
The family-owned business has grown impressively over the years, ranging from PBS road trains to AB triples.
While the majority of the fleet comprises of new Kenworth’s, Jim is dedicated to maintaining a mix of both new and restored vehicles.
“All the dark rigs were bought brand new. We’ve only purchased a couple of second-hand trucks and rebuilt, painted and done them up to look like Ambrose trucks,” he says.
Nestled in the heart of Goondiwindi, Queensland, Jim hopes to continue hauling grain and fertiliser with a fleet that is as distinct, as it is functional.
Read more:
- Aussie Hay Runners founder wins Dream Maker award in Alice Springs
- Truck-turned-boat makes a splash at SeaWorld
- Heavy Vehicle Rollover Awareness Program stops rigs from rolling
- Ison Haulage led the charge at the roaring Lowood Truck Show
- Sydney welcomes AAA Trailers as it opens its new warehouse
Check out the Deals on Wheels Facebook here.