ERF LV range & various cab updates

[cav551]

The search has failed so I can’t find a thread which has any detail on these cabs. From looking at some of the pictures on t’internet there seems to have been several updates to the frontal appearance of the LV cab - KV grille, panelled grille, tall mesh, narrow mesh, wide, and wider mesh and then the A Series grille on an LV cab. then there is step ahead of the axle and no step.

Anyone got any pictoral chronology, how to tell the rough year of manufacture from the style and a bit of detail about the LV range ?

[erf-ngc-european]

cav551:
The search has failed so I can’t find a thread which has any detail on these cabs. From looking at some of the pictures on t’internet there seems to have been several updates to the frontal appearance of the LV cab - KV grille, panelled grille, tall mesh, narrow mesh, wide, and wider mesh and then the A Series grille on an LV cab. then there is step ahead of the axle and no step.

Anyone got any pictoral chronology, how to tell the rough year of manufacture from the style and a bit of detail about the LV range ?

Yes, Martin Wilcox produced an excellent and most informative article on the subject of the A-series. Here it is. Ro

He wrote some additional material on the subject of the LV cab on one of the ERF threads as follows:

ERF Martin on A series

One correction to your post - the A’ Series cab as you call it is only the 7LV. The A’ Series design chassis, the 7LV cab and the 8LV were all launched at the Earls Court show in 1970 (not 72) and they could be identified by the 7in headlamps, bigger grille (as made by John), better soundproofing and twin heater units - amongst other things. As with all ERF cab number changes, there were significant differences between these cabs and the old 5 and 6LV. However, during 1971 and into 72, the 5,6,7 and 8LV cabs were all being fitted at the same time, so again, there is no definitive cut off point. From the records you can see that there was a progression of the new 7&8LV cabs overtaking the old 5&6LV ones in terms of production numbers.

The A’ Series chassis trucks (tractor units) entered volume production in April 1972, well over a year after the initial launch of the cab and chassis, by which time the new style cabs had appeared all over the country on the old (we’ll call them LV) design chassis. It was not until the A’ series tractor units became commonplace that people started to refer to ALL LV cabs with the big grille and 7" headlamps as A’ Series.

All A’ Series chassis equipped vehicles carry an 025 or 026 code in their model designation. Only 4 rigid A’ Series drawbar 4x2 vehicles seem to have been completed, and a handful of 6x4 tractor units, although the old chassis was found to be much superior in terms of strength for both these applications.

[deanb]

Click on pages twice to read.

[deanb]

Click on pages twice to read.

[singo55]

As I remember the mesh in the top lift up grill grew through the 60’s finishing up with the A series style about 71/72. The bottom fixed panel started with 2 towing eyes,then 1 round eye and finally the beam type as in the A series. I have some photos somewhere but no idea is to put them on.

[coomsey]

I had 6/7 ERFs n after reading all this I’m still none the wiser of what models I drove ! Thank God I didn’t have to order parts for them

[glynn_woodward]

Hello may not be relevant to the post but I have the erf fitted with a 220 ■■■■■■■ engine all parts are there just need to be repaired but if I need to replace anything do any of you know where I may be able to source parts for this project thank you for reading glynn

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[dave_docwra]

Hi,

I would keep an eye on parts coming available on Ebay, save a Ebay search list to include part numbers rather then just A Series ERF, Part numbers may be the key to success
of sourcing most components as many parts were used on varies marques of the time, the part numbers will also make it easier to search the inter web thingy.

Dave…

[cav551]

Just found a site with some LV cab pictures, I knew there was a variety of front mesh panels but I wonder when the changes were.

ccmv.aecsouthall.co.uk/p329972808

[kevmac47]

This LV was supplied to the Burmah Castrol fleet in 1970, although not registered until 1972.
Consequently it has an "L"suffix on its reg plate instead of the “J” suffix. It was one of the last of the LV’s built, 205■■■■■■■■ 6speed David Brown box. We took about 3years on the rebuild, (tractor) but it was worth it!! It still sounds and drives fantastic.

.

[5thdragoon]

We took delivery of two J reg with if I recall ■■■■■■■ 180, and they came with three piece made up windscreens as a temporary fix, for some reason one piece screens were not available, until sometime later when ERF replaced them, extremely noisy in cab, I fitted dynair fans, the first to do so, and ERF followed this move as a factory fitment.

[zb_anorak]

Here’s some interesting notes on the beginnings of the LV:
flickr.com/photos/35455701@N03/5099533790

It seems that Boalloy designed the cab, then Jennings stepped in with their own version. You would hope that Boalloy received some form of compo for their up-front costs.

[erf-ngc-european]

I’ve just bumped up an earlier thread I started, about LVs with sleeper cabs on long-haul work. Here’s the link for future reference:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=135704

Ro

[wheel_nut]

Funnily enough. I always identified LV and A Series by the indicators, this shows that isn’t the case as both LV and A used the 3 corner front indicator lens.

United Carriers ran ERF Units and Bedford KM on trunk, TK were only used for C&D work. The ERF became B Series during my time.

We gained a very mixed bag of lorries from Atlas Express and various other takeovers during my time at United Carriers.

I do remember at another company our LV was newer than the A Series, certainly by registration anyway.

[erf-ngc-european]

Wheel Nut:
Funnily enough. I always identified LV and A Series by the indicators, this shows that isn’t the case as both LV and A used the 3 corner front indicator lens.

United Carriers ran ERF Units and Bedford KM on trunk, TK were only used for C&D work. The ERF became B Series during my time.
0

1
We gained a very mixed bag of lorries from Atlas Express and various other takeovers during my time at United Carriers.

I do remember at another company our LV was newer than the A Series, certainly by registration anyway.

That’s because the older LV-cabbed models were still marketed and made alongside the LV-cabbed A-series, the 5MW-cabbed A-series, the 5MW-cabbed older chassis, the 4/5/6/7MW-cabbed stablemates and the B-series. They didn’t follow each other because they were built for simultaneously different markets. Ro

[erf]

The ‘LV’ Cab was indeed designed by Gerald Broadbent of Bowyer Bros (Boalloy) in Congleton. Gerald was the man who had designed the ‘KV’ cab back in 1952/53 when he worked at JH Jennings, so he was an obvious choice to design a new equally forward thinking replacement.

The Boalloy LV cab was a very innovative design for the time of it’s launch in 1962 at the Earls Court show. It was a huge jig built one piece fibreglass moulding, reinforcement where required was provided by wood and aluminum angle sections bonded into the moulding. It was the first lorry cab to feature a full width opening front panel to assist with access for servicing, vertically mounted push button door handles to avoid snagging by ropes, concealed door hinges, wind-up door windows, a one-piece wrap-around windscreen (unique to this cab) and luxurious (for the time) quilted vinyl cab interior trim.

The Boalloy cab was very expensive to produce, so ERF approached JH Jennings to see if they could produce a version of the LV cab based on Broardbents’ visual design, but built in the traditional style of timber frame with seperate fibreglass panels. This they did, and their version of the LV cab appeared in 1963. Incidentally, the Jennings cab shared no components at all with the Boalloy, both cabs even required seperate windscreen jigs to be built by Triplex.

The Boalloy LV cab only lasted in production until 1964 when about 50 cabs had been completed. After that all LV cab production was by JH Jennings.

So, there were lots of detail changes, but here we go with a very basic run-down…

LV Boalloy cab - always a ‘set back’ axle, in production 1962-64.

First type LV Jennings cab, always ‘set back’ axle with long doors. In production 1963-65.

2LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward‘ axle, flush wheelarches and short doors. Only produced 1964-65.

3LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, short doors with exposed step, cooling slots in the top grille panel. In production 1965-67.

4LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, short doors, cooling slots in the top grille panel. In production 1965-67.

5 LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, short doors, larger cooling slots in the top grille panel (which first appeared on late 3/4 LV cabs). New dashboard and better sound insulation. In production 1967-71.

6LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, short doors, larger cooling slots in the top grille panel (which first appeared on late 3/4 LV cabs). New dashboard and better sound insulation. In production 1967-71.

7LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, new larger full grille, 7 inch headlamps, twin heaters, more insulation, engine air filter moved to outside of cab structure. Commonly used on the A’ Series tractor unit chassis. Launched at the 1970 Earls Court show along with the new A’ Series tractor unit chassis. In production 1971-75.

8LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, new larger full grille, 7 inch headlamps, twin heaters, more insulation, engine air filter moved to outside of cab structure. Launched at the 1970 Earls Court show. In production 1971-75.

[windrush]

I remember that ERF of Knight Brothers being in a field by their garage at Rowsley, it had a tree growing through the chassis and presumably went for scrap along with the other vehicles when the site was cleared only a few years ago? One of their ERF’s was saved by a club member of ours and still rallied, although not in their livery alas.

Pete.

[erf]

windrush:
I remember that ERF of Knight Brothers being in a field by their garage at Rowsley, it had a tree growing through the chassis and presumably went for scrap along with the other vehicles when the site was cleared only a few years ago? One of their ERF’s was saved by a club member of ours and still rallied, although not in their livery alas.

Pete.

It went to BJ Waters to be restored in the mid 1990’s Pete. They restored another LV instead, and sold the Knight Bros one to Walsh at Darwen. Its engine and ‘box was exported, but the rest was bought by us and saved in about 1998.

[erf-ngc-european]

ERF:
The ‘LV’ Cab was indeed designed by Gerald Broadbent of Bowyer Bros (Boalloy) in Congleton. Gerald was the man who had designed the ‘KV’ cab back in 1952/53 when he worked at JH Jennings, so he was an obvious choice to design a new equally forward thinking replacement.

The Boalloy LV cab was a very innovative design for the time of it’s launch in 1962 at the Earls Court show. It was a huge jig built one piece fibreglass moulding, reinforcement where required was provided by wood and aluminum angle sections bonded into the moulding. It was the first lorry cab to feature a full width opening front panel to assist with access for servicing, vertically mounted push button door handles to avoid snagging by ropes, concealed door hinges, wind-up door windows, a one-piece wrap-around windscreen (unique to this cab) and luxurious (for the time) quilted vinyl cab interior trim.

The Boalloy cab was very expensive to produce, so ERF approached JH Jennings to see if they could produce a version of the LV cab based on Broardbents’ visual design, but built in the traditional style of timber frame with seperate fibreglass panels. This they did, and their version of the LV cab appeared in 1963. Incidentally, the Jennings cab shared no components at all with the Boalloy, both cabs even required seperate windscreen jigs to be built by Triplex.

The Boalloy LV cab only lasted in production until 1964 when about 50 cabs had been completed. After that all LV cab production was by JH Jennings.

So, there were lots of detail changes, but here we go with a very basic run-down…

LV Boalloy cab - always a ‘set back’ axle, in production 1962-64.

8

First type LV Jennings cab, always ‘set back’ axle with long doors. In production 1963-65.

7

2LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward‘ axle, flush wheelarches and short doors. Only produced 1964-65.

6

3LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, short doors with exposed step, cooling slots in the top grille panel. In production 1965-67.

5

4LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, short doors, cooling slots in the top grille panel. In production 1965-67.

4

5 LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, short doors, larger cooling slots in the top grille panel (which first appeared on late 3/4 LV cabs). New dashboard and better sound insulation. In production 1967-71.

3

6LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, short doors, larger cooling slots in the top grille panel (which first appeared on late 3/4 LV cabs). New dashboard and better sound insulation. In production 1967-71.

2

7LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set back’ axle, new larger full grille, 7 inch headlamps, twin heaters, more insulation, engine air filter moved to outside of cab structure. Commonly used on the A’ Series tractor unit chassis. Launched at the 1970 Earls Court show along with the new A’ Series tractor unit chassis. In production 1971-75.

1

8LV Cab - Jennings produced, ‘set forward’ axle, new larger full grille, 7 inch headlamps, twin heaters, more insulation, engine air filter moved to outside of cab structure. Launched at the 1970 Earls Court show. In production 1971-75.

0

Thanks for that super-clear and enormously helpful synopsis, ERF! Ro

[windrush]

ERF:

windrush:
I remember that ERF of Knight Brothers being in a field by their garage at Rowsley, it had a tree growing through the chassis and presumably went for scrap along with the other vehicles when the site was cleared only a few years ago? One of their ERF’s was saved by a club member of ours and still rallied, although not in their livery alas.

Pete.

It went to BJ Waters to be restored in the mid 1990’s Pete. They restored another LV instead, and sold the Knight Bros one to Walsh at Darwen. Its engine and ‘box was exported, but the rest was bought by us and saved in about 1998.

Ah, so that’s where it went! This is the Ex Knights one that our club secretary part owned until a couple of years ago, now with a chap near Evesham I believe. I think he looked at purchasing the one you have but the block was split?

NMP

Pete.