During one of the previous editions of the classic fair in Eelde, this beautiful, elderly HOGRA truck stood between his peers enjoying all the interest. A HOGRA, a typically Dutch manufacture and owned by Harrie Eitens from Niebert. A very special truck.
The brand was founded in 1954 by Antonie Willem Hoek, formerly director of the Motorkracht company, importer of Magirus Deutz and others. A certain Mrs. Gravelaar was the financier. The brand name is a combination of the first letters of both names. The production took place in a former milk factory in Ravenstein. The first series of 12 items was started in the spring of 1955.
Hoek had a great deal of knowledge of the commercial vehicle market and foresaw strong growth in the heavy truck segment. For example, in 1956 he thought he would reach a sales number of 150 items. Initially, sales - and therefore also production - ran smoothly, but it soon turned out that they were operating on a small scale.
With more than 20 different brands, the competition was killing in that segment, forcing HOGRA to close its doors in 1961. Hoek then focused on, among other things, the import of Trabant from East Germany. The HOGRA was available with a Perkins or Steyr diesel engine. In total, 292 units left the factory gate, of which there are still three, according to experts.
The fashion model
The depicted copy has had an eventful life. The 7 tonner, newly delivered to the Buchner company in Almkerk, was subsequently sold to a certain Mr Fens in Hulten, who installed a crane on the chassis to load beets on land, among other things. The height of the cabin forced him to cut it off so that the front could be stored 'dry'. The current owner, who lit his PC on 2007 on a Sunday and got a picture of marktplaats.nl, was lucky. The 'wreck' - from 1956 - was only offered for sale a few minutes earlier. A deal was concluded, the HOGRA paid in full a few days later and picked up with a lowloader. The restoration - with a body of your own idea - lasted until 2014. A restoration done to perfection under its own management, whereby the loading platform can act as a 'camper', but in such a way that other 'toys' from this truck enthusiast can also be transported to events. HOGRA supplied 7-tonners as a moving chassis with a 'nose' up to the windscreen. A bodybuilder could then enjoy it ...
My Father rode it with Buchner. I was a lot off as Jochie.
have learned to drive with it on a private term. I met Harry Eitens personally and received photos of the restoration project from him.