Custom Coaches 300 Hino in Tonga

[ptlivestock]

Heres a surprise find on Tongatapu in Tonga together with a shot of something similar in Australia.

With help from long time friend FZJ Fzj Cruiser in Seattle, and from Ben Ogle and Chris Matheson in Australia, its deemed to be an Australian Custom Coaches Mk85 model(edited from 300 to 85) body an a Hino chassis.Ive never come across it in my searches on line but its possible it hangs out on the south coast of Tongatapu in the vicinity of Ha'akame Ha'alalo and is possibly a school bus. So is there anyone out there in Tonga or anywhere that knows anything about it. Possibly entered Tonga in the 2010-15 period but could be later.

Regards
Peter

Tonga unknown Ivÿ Fîsîîvâô Ivÿ Hävëä Ha`Akame 4dec2019 crop scale.jpg (38.69 KiB) Viewed 9175 times

Custom Coaches 300 Hino from Kim Loevenskjold

[ptlivestock]

Another photo to hand from Feb2020 looking to be a Custom Coaches with step roof. This may be a fairly recent import. The livery may or may not be a local one. Based at Houma on the south coast of Tongatapu. The hunt goes on

Regards
Peter

87178786_2736866396421516_3928206479382806528_ncrop.jpg (42.05 KiB) Viewed 9110 times

[ptlivestock]

Its now revealed that its NOT a Custom Coaches 300 but almost 100% certain it is ex Prior's Bus Service, Batemans Bay TV 4486 (ex 5178 MO, ex MO 1436) Hino RG197K / Newnham (10/89). Sold to Johnny Fangia, Sydney 17/2/18. Sione (Johnny) Fangia has sold quite a number of buses to Tonga over the last ten years or so and thus the reason for the "almost 100%". Comments above are from Ben Ogle of Flickr and his photo displayed there.
Regards Peter https://www.flickr.com/photos/185993436 ... /sizes/5k/