Truck Shite

[willswitchengage]

 

Recognise the cab?

[gordonbennet]

B/C series ERF?

Probably miles out.

[shellac]

Western Star badged ERF EC14 ?

[AnthonyG]

 

We had a neighbour donkey's years ago who had worked at Ford Trucks (Langley and Southampton) from about 1965 to 80. He said the A series was launched because Ford thought the standard 7.5 tonners like the D series would shortly get banned from city centres, hence the stopgap that was the A series. When the government didn't do anything of the kind, the model suddenly had no point, and more fatally, no market. Think they only lasted for about 4 years before getting canned.

[shellac]

We had a neighbour donkey's years ago who had worked at Ford Trucks (Langley and Southampton) from about 1965 to 80. He said the A series was launched because Ford thought the standard 7.5 tonners like the D series would shortly get banned from city centres, hence the stopgap that was the A series. When the government didn't do anything of the kind, the model suddenly had no point, and more fatally, no market. Think they only lasted for about 4 years before getting canned.

iirc the only panels common to the Transit were the doors ??

[Jon]

That ERF - Western Star didn't seem to last long after it was re-registered in 2011. See here for details:

 

http://www.carjam.co.nz/car/?plate=gau917

 

Here's a little more detail on the background, including a refernce to some DAFs badges as Western Stars too.

 

http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/western-star-commanderis-it-ba

 

I've only noticed a couple of WS badged versions of the ERFs, much rarer than the standard ones, which are starting to thin out a bit.

[scruff]

Old link now but check out this EC12, lovely!! 

 

http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/1-7-million-up-and-still-gowing-strong-biglorryblog-pays-its-respects-to-this-erf#.VIy7Oih6zGI.facebook

[oman5]

We had a neighbour donkey's years ago who had worked at Ford Trucks (Langley and Southampton) from about 1965 to 80. He said the A series was launched because Ford thought the standard 7.5 tonners like the D series would shortly get banned from city centres, hence the stopgap that was the A series. When the government didn't do anything of the kind, the model suddenly had no point, and more fatally, no market. Think they only lasted for about 4 years before getting canned.

They weren't much cop either, if truth be told. Engines were York 6 pot diesels which sounded good but were low on power and were almost impossible to start from cold, or the 3.0 v6 Essex which in this application delivered single figure fuel consumption.

[STUNO]

That ERF - Western Star didn't seem to last long after it was re-registered in 2011. See here for details:

 

http://www.carjam.co.nz/car/?plate=gau917

 

Here's a little more detail on the background, including a refernce to some DAFs badges as Western Stars too.

 

http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/western-star-commanderis-it-ba

 

I've only noticed a couple of WS badged versions of the ERFs, much rarer than the standard ones, which are starting to thin out a bit.

 

 

 

 

That W/S is in Mike Lambert's colours. Registration was cancelled 6 months after the last  test noted, i.e. when the next was due. Lamberts run many W/S and Kenworth trucks but to my best knowledge the are usually U.S. ones.

[STUNO]

This link may be of interest re the trucking in NZ

 

http://hankstruckforum.com/htforum/index.php?topic=64856.0

[gordonbennet]

They weren't much cop either, if truth be told. Engines were York 6 pot diesels which sounded good but were low on power and were almost impossible to start from cold, or the 3.0 v6 Essex which in this application delivered single figure fuel consumption.

And believe it or not they actually offered the standard York 2.4 NA Diesel from the Tranny, i know cos i used to drive one, GVW 7.5ton with what about 65hp, gutless didn't begin to describe it.

 

 

Engine apart they were really nice to drive, well anything was compared to a D707.

 

Frig me i've just remembered, the bloody thing blew up at Barlborough Sth Yorks, and one of the lads towed me back to St Albans with the bosses Granny mk 1 estate on a rope....faster than it would have driven itself, 70mph mph most of the way....standard vacuum not air brakes.

[quicksilver]

The London Underground used to have some A-series emergency response tenders. Great big unwieldy and gutless crew-cab things with huge box bodies and a massive wheelbase. Legend has it the crews used to carry around a whole box of easystart cans because they were so reluctant to fire up. They sound GR0.1 for rapid response.

 

Pic of one here: http://www.ltsv.com/sv2/pic_view.php?selpic=391

[willswitchengage]

Just got back from a road trip of New Zealand, a melting pot of European, Japeneseish and American lorries. Took loads of photos here: http://autoshite.com/topic/15375-nz-road-trip/page-6

 

The 'Isuzu Giga' was one of the most popular heavy tractors. Looked it up on wiki during an evening of boredom and one of the engine options was a 30 litre naturally aspirated V10 developing a healthy 600 horsepowers.

 

Naturally, it made it to BLB. Read on... http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/the-mighty-600hp-isuzu-giga-ma

 

[Grundig]

Old link now but check out this EC12, lovely!! 

 

http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/1-7-million-up-and-still-gowing-strong-biglorryblog-pays-its-respects-to-this-erf#.VIy7Oih6zGI.facebook

 

I see that ERF & George most days on the M56 - so it's still going strong & earning money

[ruffgeezer]

This from reddit:

 

[Junkman]

The 'Isuzu Giga' was one of the most popular heavy tractors. Looked it up on wiki during an evening of boredom and one of the engine options was a 30 litre naturally aspirated V10 developing a healthy 600 horsepowers.

 

If that engine could be mounted midships in a Polo Breadvan, even I would become a Diesel car driver.

[Inspector Morose]

Can't anyone doing that but have a Commer TS3 engined mini:

 

[2MB]

It seems odd that such an advanced nation as Japan would go for such huge, unturbocharged diesel motors for their large trucks. Do they know something we don't?

[Pillock]

Probably lots about unstressed NA engines doing mega mileage without even thinking about looking at the dipstick, vs high-pressure turbo motors needing the oil of a virgin's eyelashes every 26 miles, and then grenading anyway.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that, in cars at least, perceived longevity of a diesel engine is inversely relative to the power per litre. A 2.0 Montego Countryman D will probably still be running when aliens inherit the earth whilst a VW 2.0 PD170 is lucky to make it out of warranty without needing work. 

[twosmoke300]

Whs ! A straight 6 atmo diesel must be one of the most unstressed and reliable engines ever made.

[Lacquer Peel]

It seems odd that such an advanced nation as Japan would go for such huge, unturbocharged diesel motors for their large trucks. Do they know something we don't?

 

They're reluctant to give up fax machines in Japan.

 

http://gawker.com/5916799/looks-like-japan-never-got-the-memo-about-fax-machines

[Felly Magic]

BFO N/A turbodizzlers also give good mpg as well, unlike high revving little turbocharged bastards

[twosmoke300]

And have a lovely diesel snarl too. I'm a big straight 6 fan in any form tho.

[Inspector Morose]

As the London Transport experimental department proved in the 1940s: a big engine de-rated is far more economical in its whole life cost than a small engine uprated.

[2MB]

So big and daft is the new small, clever and overstressed. Suck it, ford ecoboost

[Cavcraft]

I see that ERF & George most days on the M56 - so it's still going strong & earning money

 

 

Hahaha, how did I know that would be 'Gorgeous George' before I even looked? Last I heard he was subbying for Gruber, I think. Also nice to note his credits to another bloke I know, Dave Huxley. Dave IS Perkins/RR engines, nothing he doesn't know about their commercial engines and was in demand country wide.

Two nicer blokes you couldn't possibly hope to meet.

[panhard65]

The London Underground used to have some A-series emergency response tenders. Great big unwieldy and gutless crew-cab things with huge box bodies and a massive wheelbase. Legend has it the crews used to carry around a whole box of easystart cans because they were so reluctant to fire up. They sound GR0.1 for rapid response.

 

Pic of one here: http://www.ltsv.com/sv2/pic_view.php?selpic=391

Where I used to work they had a crewcab A-series spec lift. Fitted with the V6 petrol it did sound nice and went well but drank fuel and was rotten back then nearly 20 years ago.

[Grundig]

 

[oman5]

Big capacity n/a is where it's at

 

[Split_Pin]

TKs are such ahqndsome truck. Also, I love the way it looks like it should be a tilt cab but instead its fixed and you have only the wee side flaps for engine access..