Designer at home in his world of converted automobiles

The managing director of Autosmith International, Peter’s business specialises in the left to right-hand drive conversion of late model American cars, pickup trucks and motorhomes.

Current model cars to receive the Autosmith attention include the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and General Motors’ Chevy Camaro, pickup trucks such as the GM Silverado and Ford F150, plus a futuristic diesel motorhome that uses a freightliner truck drive-train.

“It’s very complex work, but challenging and rewarding and I do get to drive some pretty awesome vehicles,” Peter said.

After completing a diesel mechanic apprenticeship as a teenager and adding body making and spray painting courses to his resume, Peter’s passion for cars extended to him placing the first independent suspension graft of a 1955 Ford F100 using a Holden radial-tuned suspension.

The hobby provided him with recognition as the top engineered street machine at the Summernats car festival.

“People started contacting me and I began remodelling their pickup trucks,” Peter said.

He became serious about the business when establishing AutoSmith International at Nerang in 2005 and after working from two factory units, the business relocated to more expansive facilities at Carrara about 18 months ago to cater for its influx of imported models of motorhomes and fifth-wheel caravans.

Today, Peter has wife Vicki and their children Adam, Jessica and Anthony working in the business. Adam is qualified as a welder, fabricator and motor mechanic and is assistant manager, while Anthony is a second-year apprentice mechanic and Jessica, although studying medicine, works part-time in providing the complying evidence for government under the Australian Design Rules (ADR).

The Registered Automobile Workshop (RAW) runs a fully certified ISO 9001 Quality Management System and its supply of foreign vehicles requires stringent adherence to government guidelines.

“The Government has a specific list of vehicles that can be brought into Australia and some are protected by full volume, such as the Mercedes Benz, for instance,” Peter said.

“It costs approx $100,000 for us to develop the tooling and evidence of ADR compliance of a new model vehicle. We identify vehicles that have a potential customer need so we can quickly amortise these engineering development costs on future sales.

“The average conversion would vary from $35,000 to $65,000.”

Peter admitted that every conversion had its complications, but chief among these was that today’s advanced technology such as electronic steering requires a capability of “electronics deciphering” to achieve its transformation, along with the associated dashboard components.

While late model US cars are his main focus, Peter has developed great enthusiasm for motorhome construction and conversion and has noted a significant increase in sales from the Australian market.

“American motorhomes perform better as a driving vehicle, they are built on purpose-built chassis designed for motorhomes and not generic truck chassis, and ours have up to three slides on either side, giving it almost 14 foot of internal space and will comply with Australian standards,” Peter said.

“They are a cost effective and quality product. You can even tow behind them a vehicle such as a Suzuki Grand Vitara as a get-around car.

“Retirees today make greater investigations about their mode of transport and while the husband wants a vehicle to travel around Australia for 12 months, the wife is concerned about the comforts of home. These products have those comforts, from lots of storage space, to bigger open dining and lounging areas, three TVs, DVD, electric awnings, auto levelling and more.

“This 2013 model ‘B’ class would be $249,000 plus on-road costs, but there’s also the ‘A’ motorhome diesel Avanti, which is a beautiful coach with leather offerings and priced at around $340,000, plus costs.”

Design and development has been at the core of Peter’s career. While in Sydney and then Bega, New South Wales, he befriended Nexia Australia Canberra partner Graeme Andrews as his accountant 25 years ago, and during this time created a hard top cover for utes.

“I designed a product that could sell nationally and internationally, exporting the hard cover and had the design registered, but I lost a challenge on the wording of the product name,” Peter said.

“I then designed and marketed it throughout Australia. General Motors-Holden asked me to design a lid for the back of their utes and I contributed to the product at their design studios at Fisherman’s Bend, in Melbourne.

“They wanted me to relocate to Melbourne or their Adelaide plant so I could be more accessible to supply, but I decided to take a sabbatical. I then taught design and technology for five years at Christian Brothers College in Bega Valley.

“Then the call to the motor industry beckoned again ... and here I am converting and driving some magnificent cars.”