Greetings to you all - Im here in Northern Germany delivering industrial platforms, and I have just seen an old Foden on Dutch plates. That’s a rarity I know, but it is an Alpha high-roof sleeper with designation 4725 on the side. When I asked the driver what engine was in it, he said it is a Caterpillar C18. I know of the Cat C16 engine but I have never heard of a C18. The cab sat very high - it was as tall as the MegaSpace Im driving, so I am guessing it has got a hefty power lump under the cab.
Anybody know anything about this vehicle, and as importatnly, does this mean Foden had the highest horsepower rating long before the squabbles between Volvo, Scania, and MAN?
ps sorry I dint get pics, as I left my phone on my desk back home - ooops please dont breakdown! lol
HI and Welcome to Trucknet. Well who else can badge such a truck, only the dutch, i know that the cat engine was way ahead of its time, as was the ■■■■■■■■ which also many preferred, myself included. I have seen before a big cab ERF ( Eric Richard Foden ) but it was not to be seen in the UK, only specialist companies like the heavy haulage specialist had them, but were specially built.
I would imagine that the ERF you saw was an export, and it was specified a big sleeper be built on it, or maybe, it was constructed in Holland. Its a great pity you never got a photo, but you may see it again sometime, and i will try and google it.
Merry Xmas
A few trucks in america used the c18 but it would be only high spec owner driver small company trucks.
I never heard of Foden offering it especalt in the Alpha range but then again Foden were pretty flexible and could and would build to customers requirements
The Dutch firm FTF build/built heavy haulage units using the same “Motor Panels” cab as earlier Fodens but not the Alpha/DAF cab as far as I know, but the Dutch are very clever resourceful engineers so anything is possible in Holland!
Hiya what do you call big engines…Eric Perkins from Buxton had a Foden with a 525 ■■■■■■■ lump in it near on 20years ago. another chap Clive Allman had a 300 series with a 525 in her 10 years ago, that was second hand when Clive had it. Hodnet ransport had 2 ERF.s with 525,s about 15 years ago. all these was on general work not heavy haulage.
just a quicky the E in ERF is Edwin…if you go back to the 70,s MAN was building a V10 something like 600bhp a pal of mine did an engine job on it ,that was on heavy haulage
at a firm in Silverdale Stoke on Trent.
if you go to the fairground site, You’ll see a Dark blue double drive Foden that has a 500 bhp plus engine
John
Same as Detroit “■■■■ and bang” good for graders,bulldozers,tanks and trains.
Only problem was that half the fuel was pushed out the exhaust unburnt and the emission laws killed them dead.
Unless of course you drive a dozer or a train.
Edwin Richard Foden,
In 1989/1990, I did a lot of agency work for Daylay Eggs in North Scarle, Lincs & they had IIRC 3x 350hp & 3x 455hp Cat engine Fodens & twin splitters, with all the bells & whistles available at the time.
They were on a G Reg and were black with a red silhouette of a panther and the words Black Cat Attaac, they really looked the “Dogs.”
Anybody remember them or got any pics ?
Hiya…sorry about printing Ernest That is my middle name and after putting the E just
put my my name.i worked at Sun works doing my apprenticeship in the 60/70s.It must
be all that diesel in my brain.
John
the one Hardstaffs did was actually a C13 engine