V8Lenny:
Early 92 series had a lot of problems, Detroits lost their reputation because of that engine family. Later 92s were actually quite good if driven right but there were not many who knew how to drive them. Older 71 series was much better.
BTW, in Finland there was one Bedford TM towtruck with 475 hp 8V92. I think it was a special order?
In a handful of posts, more sense has been written about Detroit Diesel, than in the rest of the Forum.
Was the 475bhp Detroit not a 12v71 or 12v92? I thought the standard 8v92 had 430bhp, although I stand to be corrected. Apologies for the digression.
Reading US boards they say that last mechanical 8V92 had 475 hp, it was a silver one, the earlier weak engines were green if I understand right.
Sorry, little off topic, this was about ancient Brits heading east, not north…
sorry to say but my 142 was towed of that screaming bedford just more of topic
I picked it up from new and the engine gave up the ghost (dropped a valve) at about 83000 miles just outside Pazrdjik Bulgaria. Spent a delightful week waiting for the company mechanic to arrive. He took one look and said no way can we repair this on this side of the road. I then spent another delightful week with Gemran Mercedes mechanics who were working at the Somat garage nearby and then was towed to Istanbul where the engine was stripped down and rebuilt.
I did another 50,000 without problems but the original power was not there then I came off the road and went Into management!
The other GMC on the fleet survived until about 90k and did the same thing. Both tractors were sold to P & O for use in Saudi.
Gavin McArdle:
Hi Truckerash,
A slight error in the info about the Bromilow liveried Scammell. I owned and drove that, Kelvin Parfitt did one trip to Saudi in the Foden after which ( owned by Bromilow)my brother did about 6 months Saudi in it.
Owing to pressure of work ( retirement means you dont get any days off!!!)and petty arguments on these threads I have not been on here of late, but I should have said much earlier that I thoroughly enjoyed your Astran book
Gavin
ps on page, I think 57 the yellow blob in the pic of the trucks at the Londra shows I am sure Johnny Robins yellow F86 which also ran under Bromilows colours
Hi Gavin; Nice to see you are back Thanks for putting me/the thread right. It was a very very long time ago when I got the pics, so appologies for not captioning them properly.
BTW: got any pics yourself of said Scammell you can post on TN?? Would luv to see more pics of her . Cheers ASH.
Jazzandy:
Anyone know of a Detroit V8 which survived for more than 100,000. Miles without major problems.
They were great engines in static plant but all the ones I cam across we’re dogs in trucks.
Dont tell Carryfast that he throws 1 off over V8 Detroits even more so in a Bedford TM
I`ve just made the fatal mistake of replying to a quote before reading the other responses
adr:
Hi Ashley, love the Coffin screwed on the back of the Dodge, all it s missing are the brass handles classic British Engineering, no wonder Britain was known as the workshop of the world!
Regards Chris
i spent the most of my childhood from 2 to 12 in a k series dodge my dad swore by em the furthest we went was from wigan to bristol i takde my hat off to these men they are heroes
Does anyone know the name on the truck next to it, with the guy hanging on to the mirror arm, it looks like it could be Kenilworth International.
Certainly looks like a Kenilworth Transport motor.
Who was the old guy who used to drive for them,(As old in those days)?We ran down the Tapline together a couple of times when I was on C & B and delivering to Dahran Air Base.
toddmck:
Hi all, I dont suppose anyone out there can recall if there was a driver from the south coast who ran down to the middle east in the 70s with an old Scammell handyman it would have been a metallic blue in colour,I,m sure I saw it at the minstry test station in Salisbury.If so does anyone have any pictures of it.Regards Todd
Hi, I’m new to this site! I think the man in question is Norman Howard of Berwick st john near Shaftesbury Dorset. He traded as Norjoy Transport. He did a trip to Doha in 1981 for Astran. As far as I’m aware, he no longer lives in the area. Hope this helpful?
Does anyone know the name on the truck next to it, with the guy hanging on to the mirror arm, it looks like it could be Kenilworth International.
Certainly looks like a Kenilworth Transport motor.
Who was the old guy who used to drive for them,(As old in those days)?We ran down the Tapline together a couple of times when I was on C & B and delivering to Dahran Air Base.
Hello Ian, just been told that Kenilworth Interntional was owned by Peter Jackson, who is still going, was also told they had a driver smuggled out of Turkey, could this have been Johnny Munger who was brought out by his brother in the back of the trailer?
norman howward who used to trade as norjoy from shaftesbury, used to pull for F C F in Southampton in the70s i used to work with him subbing out of poole and southampton, then lost touch with him until i met him in turkey on his way out, had a couple of hours with him , but i was homeward bound and turning round in dover so time was important to me.really nice guy to work with, terry
Hi guys, just found this thread , brilliant , a middle east thread with a brit twist! Just a comment about the H.J. VICTOR (FROM JERSEY!!!) on page 1, top truck but id bet money it wasnt abandoned mor stuck in the snow and the plough struck its front wheel and ripped tha axel off poor bugger!!! take a quick look , again a middle east trucking company with a big speck truck from Jersey? Brilliant.
brenics77:
Hi guys, just found this thread , brilliant , a middle east thread with a brit twist! Just a comment about the H.J. VICTOR (FROM JERSEY!!!) on page 1, top truck but id bet money it wasnt abandoned mor stuck in the snow and the plough struck its front wheel and ripped tha axel off poor bugger!!! take a quick look , again a middle east trucking company with a big speck truck from Jersey? Brilliant.
By the look of the diesel tank it had a few fires under it to thaw it out and if a plough done that,he must have caught the wheel by a gnats ■■■■
Did wonder if the damage was done by trying to pull it out with the brakes locked on?
Company name on the tilt . . tax dodge?
Cracking pic btw.
Prob rite looking again with full lock and a lucky strike from blade maybe but more likely trying to drag it out. Bloody shame though what ever happened.
Are you sure the Scammell is a model? I reckon that you are trying to pull the wool over our eyes. It looks like the real thing to me with everything else around it made to look larger than life!!!
Thanks for putting me/the thread right. It was a very very long time ago when I got the pics, so appologies for not captioning them properly.
classic British Engineering, no wonder Britain was known as the workshop of the world! 
