Old Red restoration team project co-ordinator Julie Hughes said the finishing touches were put on the truck on Easter Monday, after the $18,000 "labour of love" began three years ago, when Firestone Queenstown provided vintage tyres.
The Arrow Miners Band was given the truck 16 years ago, in accordance with Mrs Hughes' late father Noel Stevenson's wish for the truck to "continue to be used for years to come as the stage for the Arrow Miners Band".
Old Red has quite a legacy. In 2003 Mrs Hughes' mother Alma Stevenson published a children's' book Old Red: The Adventures of the Little Red Austin Truck, which has sold about 5000 copies, and made the truck something of a mechanical celebrity for the younger set at the Autumn Festival.
"The Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigade have provided valuable support with getting Old Red restored ... for them to give their time freely is true community spirit," Mrs Hughes said.
"This has been a community project. I have just co-ordinated it to make it come together ... That's what a community is all about."
The Otago Motor Trust and the Community Trust of Southland each gave $5000 to the project and the balance was made up with fundraising from the Arrowtown community.
Also instrumental in the project were Invercargill panel beater Andrew Hedges' team, who worked "right to the wire" using multi-coloured red oxide base layers, topped with red then sanded back and finished under a clear matt coat to provide the old-fashioned effect.
Murray Forward, of Arrowtown, provided free cartage to and from Mr Hedge's Invercargill workshop.
Placemakers provided the deck, which was installed by Dave Murch, and other key assistance came from Arrowtown firefighters Steve Murch and Jeff Anderson.
Mrs Hughes said the truck is garaged for 51 weeks of the year and the rodents were beginning to take over.
"It was really going downhill and needed some tender, loving care. The idea was to restore it enough to keep it alive," she said.
