Clarence ( C W ) Griffiths at the wheel of a Foden Alpha.
My brother started as an owner driver in 2005 with a T reg 4000 xl powered by a Cat C12.
Despite all his moaning and groaning that it wasnt a Scania all it needed in the year he owned it was a starter motor and a new gear lever as he snapped the old one.
It drove realy well, and i do love ■■■■■■■ engines, but i could not beleive how quiet and smooth the Cat engine was.
Anyway he could longer put up with operating a reliable truck that was making him money. Oh no. It had to be a Scania so in due corse a Y reg 144 530 was sourced and not long after his problems began.
Cab air bags
Steering column adjuster
Air drier
Various valves
Wheel bearing and hub
Best of all the crank failed, lucky for him he had it on R&m but they would only fit a second hand engine and also said they would no longer cover it on R7m as it was cocting to much.
He sold it on to another o/d and shortly after the diff failed! But he could see no wrong in that motor and went out and bought a 164, but i cant be bothered to tell you about that one!!!1
He shouldnt have bought such an old truck to be fair!Just because i like scanias doesnt mean i would go buy one if there was something else that was cheaper to buy and run etc.The only things i would never have bought are fodens,erfs or ivecos.And if you dont like that tough your entitled to your opinion.
Hiya when i worked at at richardsons of waterhouses,their was a fleet of scabby 2 and 3 year old S39 fodens
all with gardner 180,s(rbf…bre…oup …gwx…hre) we also had TVT…S40 220 rolls and 1 S 80 also with a rolls
we also had a fleet of scabby reivers. all these scabby brithish waggons was worked to the bones so a bright
new shiny fleet of f88’s and f86 ridged could apear…it was the british scabby lorries that paid for these volvos.
nice… new …warm top gun lorries… no bleedin brakes… i never blew a gardner up …i can’t say that for a volvo.
john
Well I had Fodens, With 150 Gardners 680 Leyland PP, & 220 ■■■■■■■■ They gave us very good service, no problems to cause sleepless nights, In fact they made us quite a bit of money, of course in the days im refering money was money, when we could salt it away for our retirement , as we did, happy good old days , Regards Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Well I had Fodens, With 150 Gardners 680 Leyland PP, & 220 ■■■■■■■■ They gave us very good service, no problems to cause sleepless nights, In fact they made us quite a bit of money, of course in the days im refering money was money, when we could salt it away for our retirement , as we did, happy good old days , Regards Larry
that foden looks well larry…680 with a 12 speed… a mans dream…you would’nt get one of these new boys going for a joy ride in her,
12 speeds, no chance its must be a auto for them nowa days
Dave the Renegade:
Fantastic 6ws Dave: I’d have one of those tomorrow as a daily drive. Spacious, quiet, reliable, on a par mpg wise with modern offerings and a low tare weight.
The Bostron/Isringhausen seats Smiths fitted were lovely and comfortable; I think the ex Smiths motor Windrush drove had one of the early air suspension seats.
Dave the Renegade:
Clarence ( C W ) Griffiths at the wheel of a Foden Alpha.
If I remember correctly this truck was an ex Foden experimental truck that had all the DAF axles fitted to it before they were fitted online. There were other things too but the memory isnt as good as Pauls
Very true, the youguns today dont no any better, they drive what they are given, Its sad that the way things have gone regarding gearboxes, The Foden had a gear for every hill, This S 36 Ex BOC, Was a great motor 22 Tonne Payload Legal, & like I said before It earned its keep no bother, It would seem to me that all HGVs will be autos in the future, Regards Larry
Muckaway:
Dave the Renegade:
Fantastic 6ws Dave: I’d have one of those tomorrow as a daily drive. Spacious, quiet, reliable, on a par mpg wise with modern offerings and a low tare weight.
The Bostron/Isringhausen seats Smiths fitted were lovely and comfortable; I think the ex Smiths motor Windrush drove had one of the early air suspension seats.
I think the G reg is ex CW Griffiths,I sold Paul an A reg with that body on and a while later the wife and I were coming down from John o’Groats when I spotted the back end of a familiar aluminium body. Paul had swapped the bodies and sold the truck up there. Probably thru Charles Lawrie
pursy:
Muckaway:
Dave the Renegade:
Fantastic 6ws Dave: I’d have one of those tomorrow as a daily drive. Spacious, quiet, reliable, on a par mpg wise with modern offerings and a low tare weight.
The Bostron/Isringhausen seats Smiths fitted were lovely and comfortable; I think the ex Smiths motor Windrush drove had one of the early air suspension seats.I think the G reg is ex CW Griffiths,I sold Paul an A reg with that body on and a while later the wife and I were coming down from John o’Groats when I spotted the back end of a familiar aluminium body. Paul had swapped the bodies and sold the truck up there. Probably thru Charles Lawrie
The pic is one of Paul’s,it was one of many he lent me about three years ago Mark.He did say that one of those was one of their old one’s.
Cheers Dave.
Here’s an old beauty that I spied yesterday in Waltham Abbey, think the driver was having a brew and a bacon sarnie before heading off up North somewhere 
A few Foden’s seen at the Retro show at Gaydon 201.
I’d love to do a days’ work with that S39 Dave; I’m sure it’d be an experience…
I’m sure someone will be on here soon enough with a comment
Muckaway:
Dave the Renegade:
Fantastic 6ws Dave: I’d have one of those tomorrow as a daily drive. Spacious, quiet, reliable, on a par mpg wise with modern offerings and a low tare weight.
The Bostron/Isringhausen seats Smiths fitted were lovely and comfortable; I think the ex Smiths motor Windrush drove had one of the early air suspension seats.
I’d have one too but mine would be an 8 wheeler with a cat 3306 and a 13 speed fuller.
Get across the seats for a power nap no problem. 
kr79:
Muckaway:
Dave the Renegade:
Fantastic 6ws Dave: I’d have one of those tomorrow as a daily drive. Spacious, quiet, reliable, on a par mpg wise with modern offerings and a low tare weight.
The Bostron/Isringhausen seats Smiths fitted were lovely and comfortable; I think the ex Smiths motor Windrush drove had one of the early air suspension seats.I’d have one too but mine would be an 8 wheeler with a cat 3306 and a 13 speed fuller.
Get across the seats for a power nap no problem.
I can do this with my Alpha; I modified the engine hump.
Try this for size Kr.
Dave the Renegade:
Try this for size Kr.
You could get into those and the seating position was perfect, Dave. The one I had was put back on the road after being retired but a certain newbie had to have one that had been scratched already so any damage he committed would be well hidden 
Dave the Renegade:
Try this for size Kr.
Very nice my early driving days were behind the wheel of those just needs a steel body and a stack for off road work.