[zb]
anorak:
The book says 1970, but it may be wrong. If my memory of the dates stated in these threads is correct, the MW’s “production” launch was 1968…
This one is…
Chassis 18019 (R&D)
Model 6.8.GM (R&D Exp.).
Cab - 4MW/2 type 43756 (JHJ Exp. spc floor).
20’ 9" wheelbase.
Despatch date - 8th August 1969 to Australia.
Engine - GM 6V-53N (42993 6D).
Gearbox - MT41 (40636) No 5265.
Clutch - Not recorded.
Eaton single drive axle.
Axle - Eaton 18700 ratio 5.57:1
Hendrickson bogie.
Balance beam assembly not fitted.
CP front bumper fitted.
Chassis 18019 (R&D)
Model 6.8.GM (R&D Exp.).
Cab - 4MW/2 type 43756 (JHJ Exp. spc floor).
20’ 9" wheelbase.
Despatch date - 8th August 1969 to Australia.
Engine - GM 6V-53N (42993 6D).
Gearbox - MT41 (40636) No 5265.
Clutch - Not recorded.
Eaton single drive axle.
Axle - Eaton 18700 ratio 5.57:1
Hendrickson bogie.
Balance beam assembly not fitted.
CP front bumper fitted.
Wow! Nowt like actual information, is there? This could be the vehicle that 3300John remembered. IIRC, he said it was about the place in 1967 (before the first production MWs), and the build sheet says it was an R&D chassis.
The vehicle is no road-train tractor unit, as one would assume(!). It is single drive and the engine is only a tiddler, not an 8v71. It would have been better off with a 6LXB! What was ERF Australia thinking?
This is almost certainally not the 1967 one John remembers.
The chassis number dates this one to just a few weeks before despatch, so it was not hanging about long after the chassis frame was numbered and built up, even though it was an R&D vehicle.
Unless the special cab was built two years prior to the chassis of course. Not impossible?.
ERF:
This is almost certainally not the 1967 one John remembers.
The chassis number dates this one to just a few weeks before despatch, so it was not hanging about long after the chassis frame was numbered and built up, even though it was an R&D vehicle.
Unless the special cab was built two years prior to the chassis of course. Not impossible?.
Possible, certainly. If Jennings were to take on the task of assembling the MW cabs for ERF, they would have been busy making and trying out jigs etc, long before the first vehicles went out the door. If this was not “John’s chassis”, then that may have been the prototype for this one. ERF had certainly identified a market in Australia for low-powered long distance chassis. For what, though- food distribution?
the possibility of making jigs to press out cab parts are out of the question, i’d say a press to make a one piece roof for
what jennings would have needed would have cost millions just for the roof section, have you seen the size of the
press needed.MP would have had many presses going all the time. the press alone would weigh 70 to 80 tons before
each section would go through maybe 5 presses before say a door section was made. the presses dont cut the shape
and do all the bends in one operation. well they wasn’t in the late 60,s i don’t know about now where thinner metal is used.
maybe i was lucky to go round half a dozen car plants to see how body presses worked.we would do visits from the college.
i went to Vauxhall Ellesmere port first in late 1966 ive been to Vauxhall Luton.Fords at Hailwood. Cowley twice
and Rolls Royce Crewe twice
3300John:
the possibility of making jigs to press out cab parts are out of the question, i’d say a press to make a one piece roof for
what jennings would have needed would have cost millions just for the roof section, have you seen the size of the
press needed.MP would have had many presses going all the time. the press alone would weigh 70 to 80 tons before
each section would go through maybe 5 presses before say a door section was made. the presses dont cut the shape
and do all the bends in one operation. well they wasn’t in the late 60,s i don’t know about now where thinner metal is used.
maybe i was lucky to go round half a dozen car plants to see how body presses worked.we would do visits from the college.
i went to Vauxhall Ellesmere port first in late 1966 ive been to Vauxhall Luton.Fords at Hailwood. Cowley twice
and Rolls Royce Crewe twice
Of course they would not have presses (these would have been at Motor Panels) but, if they were assembling cabs, they would have had jigs and fixtures to hold the bits in place for spotwelding. They would have built a few batches of cabs to prove the process, before starting production. However, knowing ERF, any half decent prototype/pre-production assemblies would have found their way onto customer vehicles.
These were just some of the body panel presses at Washwood Heath (Freight Rover Sherpa vans).
Some very serious kit, as John says. All now in India I would think!..
hiya…when we built the cabs they sat on a wheeled jig the back panel sat on a channel and a strut held it into place
the door frame located on a plinth that the front bottom sat on claps held the frame to the back panel it all worked easy.
the big problem at jennings there was no room. when we did the 8 wheeler it was worked on in the gangway.
if another job needed to be moved to the paint shop the 8 wheeler would have been pulled out and shunted back when
it was ok. this was quite normal with any job that was mobile. some car repair jobs was done in the gangway/alleyway…
it was about 12 ft wide but not IN the panel shop.
LR Man posted these magnificent 4MWs photos on the ERF Beauties thread. Thought you might enjoy them on here, just in case you missed them! Do go to that thread and see the wonderful pics he’s posted showing LV crew/sleeper cabsRobert
[zb]
anorak:
The book says 1970, but it may be wrong. If my memory of the dates stated in these threads is correct, the MW’s “production” launch was 1968…
0
This one is…
Chassis 18019 (R&D)
Model 6.8.GM (R&D Exp.).
Cab - 4MW/2 type 43756 (JHJ Exp. spc floor).
20’ 9" wheelbase.
Despatch date - 8th August 1969 to Australia.
Engine - GM 6V-53N (42993 6D).
Gearbox - MT41 (40636) No 5265.
Clutch - Not recorded.
Eaton single drive axle.
Axle - Eaton 18700 ratio 5.57:1
Hendrickson bogie.
Balance beam assembly not fitted.
CP front bumper fitted.
Hiya i think this is the lorry. when it was having work done it had some yellow wheels on and some red ones with all different tyre treads,
the chassis was in primer as was the cab, i did think it was a V8 though. i know it was long wheel base, lorries moved round with a plastic envelope with various specifications on the build, maybe the chassis was not registered with a chassis number until it was to leave ERF
after all it was a number only stamper on the back of the chassis rails and the aluminium plate in the cab…its the build sheet that was
important and that would stay with the lorry until despatch.
John
This example, provided by ‘Truckerash’, shows a 4MW-cabbed (or possibly 6MW) heavy hauler. The unit, the trailer and the load are all brand-new in this picture! Robert
Chassis 18019 (R&D)
Model 6.8.GM (R&D Exp.).
Cab - 4MW/2 type 43756 (JHJ Exp. spc floor).
20’ 9" wheelbase.
Despatch date - 8th August 1969 to Australia.
Engine - GM 6V-53N (42993 6D).
Gearbox - MT41 (40636) No 5265.
Clutch - Not recorded.
Eaton single drive axle.
Axle - Eaton 18700 ratio 5.57:1
Hendrickson bogie.
Balance beam assembly not fitted.
CP front bumper fitted.
Wow! Nowt like actual information, is there? This could be the vehicle that 3300John remembered. IIRC, he said it was about the place in 1967 (before the first production MWs), and the build sheet says it was an R&D chassis.
The vehicle is no road-train tractor unit, as one would assume(!). It is single drive and the engine is only a tiddler, not an 8v71. It would have been better off with a 6LXB! What was ERF Australia thinking?
Hiya…just been looking around and noticed on the spec sheet the 3 rd spec down JHJ experimental special floor…not noticed that before.
John
This could be the vehicle that 3300John remembered. IIRC, he said it was about the place in 1967 (before the first production MWs), and the build sheet says it was an R&D chassis.
