Ahhhhh the Ergomatic cab, the ugliest truck ever made in my humble opinion 
Puts on crash helmet
The front of that is nearly all glass. You’d look like a gnome joyriding a stolen greenhouse in that frigger. Right laughing stock.
These were the stand out 16 tonner of that time though it was a splitter rather than 2spd that AEC made available as an option and though its rare to find anything other than the standard 6 spd fitted, operators were known to transplant a full 2spd axle onto a Mercury though this does look to have a AEC rear axle. I only ever drove a Marshal though we did have a G plate Mercury at home, I never drove that (on the road) but there was certainly nothing boneshakin’ about these and personally thought the cab was good to use, there still hasn’t been a better and easier method for a driver to move the side window up and down.
Though as 240 Gardner points out, it becomes subjective, Around 80-82, among others, I drove 502 engined Buffalo and it remains one of the best I’ve ever had, only the Fuller box expiring which is itself rare.
I loved the Mercury and the rest of the AEC tilt cab range. I have never found a more comfortable seating position. They still hold the record with me of being the only cab that hasn’t given me fibrositis in the neck and shoulders after a couple of hours.
cav551:
I loved the Mercury and the rest of the AEC tilt cab range. I have never found a more comfortable seating position. They still hold the record with me of being the only cab that hasn’t given me fibrositis in the neck and shoulders after a couple of hours.
We had several AEC Marshall tippers and powder tankers at the quarry before I worked for the company and I believe the drivers preferred them to the the S50 half cab Gardner 180 engined Foden eight wheelers (initially without power steering) that were the later replacements for them? The Foden’s however did have a sprung seat and also a sprung cab so rode well.
Pete.
boden:
Though as 240 Gardner points out, it becomes subjective, Around 80-82, among others, I drove 502 engined Buffalo and it remains one of the best I’ve ever had, only the Fuller box expiring which is itself rare.
The first truck I drove on the road was a Buffalo artic and I thought It was decent enough if perhaps I was easily impressed at the time. If fact I also quiet fancied it’s bigger brother the Marathon.
It was a decent enough motor (the Buffalo) and yes there was better around at the time (c1980) but It looked well and was good going down country roads collecting milk.
Driving position felt like a cockpit as your space was limited but you felt part of the machine. FL Volvo had a similar feel from the drivers seat later on.
That shook up some memories…remember when we went from Buffalo to the mandator, ergo cab, what a difference a day made lol…we had no rigids only artics on beck and Pollitzer, but this was comfortable, sadly no sleeper cabs till the vabis came home…used to put wooden blocks on the floor too to raise it up a bit ( who else did that ? ) but the sound of that british made leyland engine was something else, bit like the difference between a BSA, Triumph, and the jap-crap ( sewing machine ) by comparison…anyway, i`m waffling…so thanks for the pics anyway. Btw, i did have another on Bill OPuxley, but it had a hammock in it…( ask your grandad lol )
truckyboy:
That shook up some memories…remember when we went fromBuffaloto the mandator, ergo cab,what a difference a day madelol…we had no rigids only artics on beck and Pollitzer, but this was comfortable, sadly no sleeper cabs till thevabiscame home…used to put wooden blocks on the floor too to raise it up a bit ( who else did that ? ) but the sound of that british made leyland engine was something else, bit like the difference between a BSA, Triumph, and the jap-crap ( sewing machine ) by comparison…anyway, i`m waffling…so thanks for the pics anyway. Btw, i did have another on Bill OPuxley, but it had a hammock in it…( ask your grandad lol )
I thought that a mate of mine was the only one to use a hammock, it was in a day cabbed Seddon. Brilliant idea at the time, but very little room to put it up, but he reckoned it was more comfy than across the engine cover built up.
Another mate used to have a stretcher effect bed in a Fiat 190 30, which fit into hole sections on each door pillar. His mate who went off with him a lot, used to sleep 6’’ under him across the seat.
Thing is he was about 19 stone, so the threat of collapse was always there for his poor mate, and being in the claustrophobic position of 6’’ under him, he had some horrific nights after they had been on the beans through the day and 4 or 5 pints in the boozer at night. 
I called it a hammock Rob but in effect it was a pull down bed, but it was made of canvas, but it did beat the scaffold boards across the engine cover…ha ha …good job the F88`s came after those…lol