I don't think the age of them had anything to do with it. They would have been well maintained, excessively in fact, but what made the ones imported by Archie Marshall so marketable was the fact that they ALL had such low mileage on them. Most of them under 10k miles. I used to help service one that a local farmer had and the vehicle could only be described as immaculate. I also met Archie Marshall at his sale yard and looked at the hundreds that he had in stock, albeit a rapid turn over. The only problem that I recall was dried out oil seals and some rubber parts.The Champs were 10 to 15 years old at this stage which for a vehicle of the vintage was a good run.
I have no idea how the Australian Army units were disposed of, as at that time they were all in the Eastern States and local dealers would have had first refusal. I believe that some of them were sent back to the UK.
As far as I am aware ALL the ex military units sold in WA were imported by Archie Marshall. Mine was a civilian model and I have no idea how or when it came to WA.
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