Michael Eklund allowed his driver Jimmy Reynish to spec a new Volvo FH16 700. The result is an eye-catching, comfortable truck which exceeds their expectations for performance and efficiency.
Jimmy Reynish couldn’t believe his luck when his boss Michael Eklund left him in charge of ordering a 2015 Volvo FH16 700 Globetrotter.
“He gave me the spec sheet and said, ‘Well there you go – build the truck you want,” says Jimmy who drives for M&K Eklund which is based at Woongarrah, New South Wales.
The Globetrotter attracts plenty of attention as Jimmy pulls two trailers between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Mount Gambier loaded with general freight, timber, bricks, tiles and MDF board.
“It’s not a standard white Volvo,” Jimmy says. “It’s custom built. It makes people look and go, ‘It’s not just a Volvo. It’s actually a Volv-Oh!’”
He believes there are benefits for truck operators who allow drivers to spec the trucks they drive. “If the driver is happy he takes a bit more pride in his gear. If he has built it then you know it’s going to look the same in four or five years when it comes time to sell it.
“I built it as if it was my name on the side of the cab, but without going too overboard, and thinking of the budget of the boss as well. If I owned it, this is how it would be.”
The decision to buy a Volvo from Volvo Newcastle was influenced by fuel economy, comfort and after-sales support.
Highway Lights at Burleigh Heads, Briskair of Brisbane and Showman Signs at Thornton contributed to the customisation.
The exterior lights reflect a European style, and Jimmy went easy on the stainless. The deck plates and fuel tanks are painted. “If you get a stone chip on the tank you’ve just got to get the air brush out,” Jimmy says. “The only thing you have to polish is the bull bar.”
“Every day I look at it I think, ‘I was allowed to build that!’”
See the full story in the April 2016 issue of Owner//Driver magazine.
Photography: Ace of Spades Photography