South Australian-based transport historian David Kent, previously with the National Road Transport Museum and Hall of Fame in Alice Springs and, more recently, the Stories From The Road Museum in Port Pirie, passed away on December 16, 2023.
David’s partner, Liz Martin, the former chief executive of the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs, says David had been “struggling with an aggressive cancer” during the previous few months.
“David was instrumental in the development of both the Alice museum and the Stories From the Road Museum as well as the HCVC Truck Club in South Australia and the NARC Car Club,” Liz says.
“I doubt there are many in this country that shared his heavy vehicle mechanical knowledge for everything on wheels, but especially Detroit and Commer engines.
“David has left a true and lasting legacy for the vintage truck and car movements in Australia.”
David Kent was an icon in the vintage car and heritage truck movements and over the years was instrumental in the development of many successful organisations including the Northern Areas Restoration Club, the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of South Australia and the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs where he personally transported and funded the relocation of two dozen vehicles from all over the country to Alice as well as managed repairs and maintenance of the fleet for 10 years.
For the past five years, despite still running his own business full time, David worked tirelessly supporting Liz Martin with the development of their Stories from the Road Museum in Port Pirie which has quickly grown into a main player in the transport museum sector.
The museum now houses over 100 vehicles and countless other items of memorabilia.
For David it was the Commer and the GM that represented the best of the UK and US trucks.
David’s treasured restored Commer Knocker TS3 was well known with Commer enthusiasts around the world. His most recent project was sponsoring and rebuilding the GM in Bruce Gunter’s well-publicised Keogh Kenworth.
“They say opposites attract and we were indeed that in so many ways,” Liz says. “But we also shared many similarities as well … especially our passion for road transport heritage and our workhorses of yesteryear.
“David leaves behind three children whom he was extremely proud of – Jared, Rebekah and Sarah – along with seven grandchildren,” Liz adds. “He was also considered family by his step family and my family all of whom he accepted open heartedly.”
The funeral was held on December 29. However, a further celebration of David’s life will held at the Stories from the Road museum Port Pirie at the reunion in April 2024.