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I started my apprenticeship as a Fitter and Turner in 1982 for Honda in New Zealand. Most of my work involved producing and maintenance of production machinery. Most of this work was fabrication and I held a few welding certificates before the end of my apprenticeship.
The 4wd bug bit when I was 17, proudly buying a SWB FJ40-Soft Top and humongous 31’s. Soon after it was sporting my first ever front bar. It was heavy and robust and able to fend off a tree at warp speed.
Off-Road buggies, rally cars, dirt bikes and many other 4wd’s followed.
After leaving New Zealand, lots of different jobs and travel followed. Fabrication jobs in the Petro-Chemical Industry, Mining, Production and Logging taught me many different techniques and skills. Along the way, I continued to pursue my welding interests. I ended up with Australian Welding Certificates in ALL Arc welding Grades, High Pressure all position Stainless Tig, Oxy Welding, Inspectors Certificate and Welding Supervisor.
In late 2002, I met Adam Bird and made a few odds and ends for his GQ Patrol. In early 2003 we went to Landcruiser Mountain Park in Queensland, for Round 1 of the Extreme Winch Challenge Series, “My first ever Winch Challenge”!. We won the round and the Series for that year, (1st, 2nd, 1st), also, a 2nd in the Simex Pursuit. The following year we placed well in the Simex Pursuit, two more Extreme Winch Challenge Rounds (1st and 3rd), 1st Place in the 2004 Ateco and 2nd place in the Alpine Challenge.
2005 was a quieter year for me, a DNF in the Alpine, a 2nd Place in the Ateco with Birdy and a 5th place in the Super Truck Challenge at Calder Park, finishing the weekend with a Spectacular Rollover! That year, Adam Bird competed in the Outback Challenge, 2 weeks before the event Birdyy asked me if I could join two 6hp Warn Motors together on a Highmount. We bolted it on the night before he drove the truck to Broken Hill. “He broke it on an extremely difficult winch recovery”. The outcome enabled me to develop the Adapter further, making it a reliable and dependable product.
In 2006 I went to the Outback Challenge with Peter Mihailof. Electrical gremlins, in a brand new truck gave us a DNF when we were positioned in the top 5. Later that year, a win in the Ateco Challenge with Adam Bird.
In 2007 I helped out Trent Leen and Dave Hickman, by jumping in the left hand seat for the 1st Round of the Engel Series. “Man, what a tuff weekend, we broke a lot of stuff!”. I also co-drive for Rohan Canavan and teamed with Sandy Bowman and Gavin Begbie for the Alpline Challenge to finish 3rd. Late in the year, I've been lucky enough to have my family along on a few Navrun's. Alberto Pamintuan pushing the buttons on the Nav gear and Bill Tsaousis with Wally Shorney in the other half of the 'Flamin Bills' team vehicle.
The satisfaction I got from making customized products (that get tortured by people that had nothing better to do), has led me to where I am today.
My priorities are to build high quality products and customer satisfaction!
I have the skills to turn your ideas into reality!
Wazza
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