RESIDENTS wanting to know more about the district’s motoring past will soon be able to, thanks to the donation of numerous items from a former Kerang panel beating outlet.
Kerang Historical Society and Museum members spent Friday exploring the former headquarters of Alex Taylor Panel Beating, which operated from 1947 to 1985.
One of the highlights was the former business’ 1941 Army Blitz truck, which Mr Taylor rebuilt in 1956 to assist with the collection of vehicles that were involved in collisions.
“There was a RACV truck in town, but the business did not do smash repairs,” Mr Taylor’s son, Alex Taylor Jnr said.
“There were lots of accidents in those days, as the roads were not as good as today and were slippery.”
Mr Taylor Snr began his career as a panel beater at the age of 12, completing an apprenticeship at the Working Man’s College – now the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
“He was taught how to forge steel and make shapes from panels,” Mr Taylor Jnr.
Following an eight-year stint in the Army during World War Two, Mr Taylor Snr and his family, as well as Eric Mann and his family relocated to Kerang in 1947 after approached by Howard Arnoldt and Arthur Murphy to develop a panel beating workshop in the town.
“Howard and Arthur must have realised that the town needed panel beaters. There were plenty of blacksmiths and farriers in town, but not panel beaters,” Mr Taylor Jnr said.
Alex Tayor Panel Beating operated out of the former Murphy’s General Store livery stables, based between Muir Avenue and a laneway south of Wellington Street.
“There was wheel alignment and electronic wheel balancing equipment here, but the business was primarily a panel beating shop,” Mr Taylor Jnr said.
Other items that will be housed at the society’s Museum Drive headquarters include an anvil, numerous tools and an Austin 7 that Mr Taylor Snr had planned to rebuild as a racing car for his son.
“There are not too many opportunities to get so many items of this calibre,” historical society and museum president, Olly Jane said.
