Favourite modern day units.
 

What units did you like the best, lets say from 1970 to present day. I have set up a poll for you to vote. All the best.

Well,lets see. Not a tractor unit but I inherited an AEC MK5 in 1970,6-speed box,690 engine,CAV fuel pump and it was a flyer,ex Cawoods Fuel Oils.
After several Mandators I got a TL12 engined Marathon PCL 553R and that motor didn't half earn me some brass:)
When I came off tankers and onto the Littlewoods contract in 1979 after a host of Scania 81s I got a Seddon-Atki with the 240 Gardner and Fuller box and that was another good tool.Then onto the ultimate motor,in those days,the Ford Transcontinental on drawbar work with the 290 Cummins and 13-speed Fuller and I was sorry to see it go - especially as I was given a Scania 82M in place of it:mad:
I came off the road in 1986 and went shunting but after being made redundant in 1994 I went back on tankers for a few months and had the best motor of the lot - an ERF E14 with the Eaton Twin-splitter box - I always liked the Cummins/Fuller combination.
I've driven several other wagons -Albions,Leylands,all AEC models from MK3 uppards,a three-axle Foden with the 280 RR, Scanias,Volvos,Bedfords-TK,KM and the TM with the Detroit Diesel but the ones mentioned above are the motors I remember best.

Having looked at the poll list I know where I'm putting my cross.

Well done for setting up the poll

No problem Tonga, the vote is pretty even at the moment. All the best.

Good morning all, please take a look at the poll and have a vote, it will be interesting to see what the end result will be. All the best.

favorite units
 

what about the SPANISH BARRIOS we had them at mortans in coventry 1980s way ahead of head of the game,stright6 turbo and a radio.

I could only put on a maximum of ten choices, I did think of a few more types but put down what I thought where the ten most numerous on the road in the UK. And the poll has I thought is very close. All the best.

Love those European cab-overs.
 

I really love the European COE's (cab over engine). It's too bad they never caught on (or were even introduced) in the USA. The maneuverability of COE's is amazing.
Unfortunately, American's like their big hoods. The bigger the better. The Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood; Kenworth W900; Mack Superliner, etc.
I really like the looks of your COE's. Their sleek, modern, with a short wheelbase and still have a usable sleeper.
I've driven Mack, Freightliner and Kenworth cab-overs.
We still have some good conventionals, with a shorter wheelbase and shorter hood. My favorite for an easily maneuverable (short wheelbase), livable (stand-up sleeper), safe and has a short hood, would have to be Volvo.

TRUCKING! IT'S NOT JUST A JOB, IT'S AN ADVENTURE! :cool:

Well the Volvo lads have taken the lead by three clear votes and I must admit the Volvo has always been my favourite. Keep the votes coming. All the best.

Does the poll result reflect actual experience (and therefore favour the more popular makes) or is it perception (by people who may not have tried other makes)?
I don't pretend that the smaller manufacturers are automatically better (or inferior) to the mainline models. Nor do I deny that a major producer might be less well equipped or developed than its rivals (and I realise that the survey is 'just a bit of scuttlebutt, furphy or bar-room chat').
Only back-to-back appraisals (as, indeed, we used to do with our competitors' models) can produce meaningful results.
IMO it would be interesting to record how many of the voters drive (and have driven) more than one of the subject vehicles on a regular basis.

I cannot contribute, as it is many years since I have driven regularly, and no doubt, recent models bear little resemblance to those with which I was familiar. Nevertheless I wouldn't disagree with the general distribution of the results (with, perhaps, the exception of a couple of 'underperformers') though the sample sizes are very small.

Only one vote for the Renault? i found them to be most comfortable to ride in. even the passenger seat was air suspension. The cab was quiet. and it pulled very well too with a good load on. (Norbert dantrasangle)

Yes, I think you are right on that Billyboy, I had a Renault, (I think), Premium 385 on car part trunking for a bit, it was gutsy with good comfort. I actually voted for the ERF as the tall cab models I used on Gloystarne, (now gone), were a nice driving position for me.
Regards
Energumen

What a fool, they were M A N. pwat! Please Sir, can you add a Man and cross orf an erf. Ha ha ha

Good evening all, In the past I have driven the following. ERF, Atkinson, Seddon Atkinson, AEC, Renault, Scania, Volvo, Bedford TK, Ford Trans Continental, Commer, Scammel, M.A.N. and probably some more, but the Volvo was always my favourite, I don`t think you could beat the 32 speed box and the comfort. All the best.

Nice to see ERF came fourth:D.

Hello Chris,

The poll will go on for a good while yet and it could throw up some surprises when we get some more members, keep the votes coming. All the best.

Volvo are only in the lead now by one vote, keep voting everyone. All the best.

Well this was a real difficult one but for me the DAF 2800/3300 series was my favourite maybe because I spent a lot of years driving and living in them.

The only others in the poll list that I really didn't have much driving experience with where Atki's & Ivecos although drove Seddon's & Sed/Atks; and pre-Iveco Fords.

The Scania 2/3 series where and still are the best range they have produced, the Mercedes SK series where a great solid tough motor but you had to keep the V6/8's spinning to keep the speed up just when we were being told to let yer engines 'lug down':confused::confused:

Always loved the Cummins, Fuller, Rockwell set up whetever motor it was in:D
The 22/321 series MANS were also a solid dependable lorry easy to drive and even in standard sleeper cab form was easy to drive and live in:D
Always loved Volvo's as well have driven almost all offerings from the F86 through to some of the first FH's

Just realised how many different type's of lorry I've driven over the years but for me it has got to be the DAF's.

Can't really comment on some of the newer motors as I haven't been driving for the last 10yrs:( They all look great and I'm sure they're easy to drive but they seem to have lost character and quirkiness that the independant maker's used to have.
Regards
Dave Penn;

The Daf 2800 / 3300 DKS was certainly a superb truck, the only fault I found with them was that they where a bit noisy in the cab. Keep the votes coming. All the best.

HI Billy boy 856. deckboypeggy here i have a feeling i should know you .if you were with norberts were you at A.C.H. as they were the first to be taken over i know the dad was in Manchester for years [norberts] but not in a general haulage way.or was he i do not know, were you on middle east in the early 70s[transcon]? i had a commer on mortans at coventry a maxi.and a crusader. rolls eagle 220.david brown straight6.no power steering. what would the young lads do today,eh,also i spent a bit of time in MANILA in the 60s i was on BLUE FUNNEL it was a regular stop over .for a nice dose of clap etc. catch you later ,D.B.P.

HI DAVE,deckboy peggy here you sound like me as if you miss up the road i know i do i have just got back fro 3 weeks in aussie wow they have got it right with all their style of american lorries it was a plusure just to watch them they are still on log books. how good is that.catch you later time to park up.no more laybys. D.B.P

Moretons
 

Hi Deckboypeggy.
You know me from shipsnostalgia mate. I lived near coventry for many years. I knew Mortons well enough but never worked for them. As for Norbert's, My mate drove for them and I used to go along as second man (unofficial) with jhim just for the hell of it. Went over to Belgium with him and went to various destinations around the UK. Used to leave the trailor in Coventry and take the unit home with us.
You used to visit Manila eh! Bad place that. Hate it up there. Much more peaceful and laid back down here on Mindanao mate. Been here 8 years and no scratching as yet...LOL

Converted a tractor unit of them to a recovery vehicle (great) :D

Volvo is still in front by two clear votes.