ERF-Continental:
The lower front panel joints were on the early and later B-series, mainly on the day-cabs.
The moment that the boxed headlamps were replaced should be leading us to the truth.
Even in the last B-series brochures from 1980 the lower front panel joints were valid and
as said mainly on day-cabs where the necessity of a front coupling was minor?
Hello A-J. I’ve just looked through all my pics of British registered B-series RHD & LHD lorries because I can date them by their number plates. The change-over definitely appears to have occurred during the S-plate era, 1st August 1977 to 31st July 1978. Most of the S-plate wagons in my sample have the boxed headlamps and a fair number have the later design. So the change-over could have occurred in late '77 or early '78. The only anomaly was the four LHD 4x2s supplied new to Trans Arabia in 1978, all of which have boxed lamps. However, as this was a cancelled Swiss order it is highly likely that they were stored for a while first. Hope that helps! Robert 
ERF-Continental:
The lower front panel joints were on the early and later B-series, mainly on the day-cabs.
The moment that the boxed headlamps were replaced should be leading us to the truth.
Even in the last B-series brochures from 1980 the lower front panel joints were valid and
as said mainly on day-cabs where the necessity of a front coupling was minor?
The first B series had the boxed lamps and the front panel joints were about 6" inboard of the corners of the grille. The 1978-on B series did not have the boxes, and the joint was close to the corner of the grille. The one in the picture above, with the A-series lorries in the background, has the panel joints inboard, so it is a boxed-lamp model. The boxes are missing, that is all.
Someone explained the boxed/unboxed lamps issue on this forum, some time ago. Can I remember who? Of course not! Apparently, the design of the front panel was flawed on the first B series, so the whole lower arrangement was changed.
Edit- we’re on the wrong thread, ERF-C! 
The vehicle we’re discussing is here:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=83810&p=1975759#p1975759
robert1952:
Jerry Cooke sent me this picture of EWR112Y, which if you remember was originally a 4x2 unit with Millfield. Later it acquired a tag-axle and ended up with Nick Bull who used it on Middle-East recovery work. This picture is interesting. Jerry and I were chatting on the phone this morning and reckon that it was probably taken before Nick Bull took it over. Nonetheless, it had a Middle-East export style double bumper when both Millfield and Nick Bull had it, so the picture could still post date Nick having it. Note what looks like an F12 air intake behind the cab. It also has a huge fuel tank and head-lamp stone-guards so its clearly going somewhere interesting. Would the Mirlin reference have anything to do with Wirlinmirlin by any remote chance? The headboard shows a name Jerry believes is still going today. Any further thoughts on this intriguing picture? Robert
2
Here it is in its other guises:
01
Just to let you know I bought the lorry from Millfields and put the tag axle on. It had a 8 cylinder gardener in whitch did a piston in Spain. I put a 290 ■■■■■■■ with 9 speed fuller box in it . I ran it for a few years and sold it to Alan barber at Bridlington who put it in Doncaster auction. A lad at boughton camp ended up with it and put new tanks on and painted it black. I saw him on the way to Bulgaria and he was pulling for rj at Stockport and never seen it since.cheers Nick
[zb]
anorak:
ERF-Continental:
The lower front panel joints were on the early and later B-series, mainly on the day-cabs.
The moment that the boxed headlamps were replaced should be leading us to the truth.
Even in the last B-series brochures from 1980 the lower front panel joints were valid and
as said mainly on day-cabs where the necessity of a front coupling was minor?
The first B series had the boxed lamps and the front panel joints were about 6" inboard of the corners of the grille. The 1978-on B series did not have the boxes, and the joint was close to the corner of the grille. The one in the picture above, with the A-series lorries in the background, has the panel joints inboard, so it is a boxed-lamp model. The boxes are missing, that is all.
Someone explained the boxed/unboxed lamps issue on this forum, some time ago. Can I remember who? Of course not! Apparently, the design of the front panel was flawed on the first B series, so the whole lower arrangement was changed.
Ermmm…that may have been me
To recap briefly - when the b-series came out they had the boxes fitted. To tilt the cab you had to lift the grill and lower the headlight panel to stop the cab fouling it as it (the cab) came over. This lower panel was held in place with two large plastic clips which just needed a smart push/pull to locate or detach. When these clips became worn - after only a couple of cab tilts along with a few months normal running - the whole lower panel, including the headlights would vibrate very badly. In the dark this created an interesting effect but was totally useless for seeing the road ahead!! Also changing a headlamp bulb was a complete pain in the ■■■■ because the boxes were held on with, I believe, six Philips screws that would always NOT undo and round off!
In 1979 ish ERF re-arranged the lower panel and tilt mechanism so you didn’t have to pull the lower panel at all. They also removed the boxes and fixed the panel so in the dark you could actually see! It was quite a revelation 
At the same time, ERF offered a modification for the early B-series to do the same. It was a vast improvement but I always preferred the look of the early ones…
Nick bull:
robert1952:
Jerry Cooke sent me this picture of EWR112Y, which if you remember was originally a 4x2 unit with Millfield. Later it acquired a tag-axle and ended up with Nick Bull who used it on Middle-East recovery work. This picture is interesting. Jerry and I were chatting on the phone this morning and reckon that it was probably taken before Nick Bull took it over. Nonetheless, it had a Middle-East export style double bumper when both Millfield and Nick Bull had it, so the picture could still post date Nick having it. Note what looks like an F12 air intake behind the cab. It also has a huge fuel tank and head-lamp stone-guards so its clearly going somewhere interesting. Would the Mirlin reference have anything to do with Wirlinmirlin by any remote chance? The headboard shows a name Jerry believes is still going today. Any further thoughts on this intriguing picture? Robert
2
Here it is in its other guises:
01
Just to let you know I bought the lorry from Millfields and put the tag axle on. It had a 8 cylinder gardener in whitch did a piston in Spain. I put a 290 ■■■■■■■ with 9 speed fuller box in it . I ran it for a few years and sold it to Alan barber at Bridlington who put it in Doncaster auction. A lad at boughton camp ended up with it and put new tanks on and painted it black. I saw him on the way to Bulgaria and he was pulling for rj at Stockport and never seen it since.cheers Nick
Welcome to the thread Nick! And thanks for the detailed update info on your overland ERF - much appreciated.
Robert 
The TRUCK July/August 1977 Trans Euro test included a LHD B-series. DEANB has managed to scan me a copy and I’ll put it on here later. Meanwhile here are a couple of pics from it to whet the appetite. Robert
As promised (courtesy of DEANB), here is the Euro Test from TRUCK July / August 1977, which includes a LHD B-series ERF. Robert
A few little details struck me whilst reading through this mammoth test.
- How many references were made to the superb performance of the ERF NGC which was now replaced by the B-series!
- How well the Fiat with the big-banger performed.
- The fact that the 13-speed Fuller in the Fiat required use of the clutch to activate the split-shifts; which means that it must have been routed through the clutch servo instead of directly to the sender.
- How significantly the overall fuel consumption had dropped in the short time since the 1975 Euro Test.
Robert
OK, you’ve had time to study that Euro Test from TRUCK. If you thought that one was complementary about the LHD B-series Euro truck, you just read this December 1980 Euro Test! At the end, Pat Kennett declares it the best lorry of the bunch. Thanks to DEANB for kindly putting this article my way. Enjoy! Robert
Sorry chaps - I don’t know why half of them are upside-down. I scanned them and then rotated the upside-down ones to the correct position as I’ve always done. However, this is a new computer because my old one crashed over the weekend so I’ll have to work out what’s going on! Robert
OK. For those frustrated by my upside down pages in the above Euro Test, I have now turned them the right way up. Here are some highlight pics from it, enlarged. Robert
I was kindly given this page from an ERF brochure yesterday, by a REVS member, George. It’s quite interesting because it features the Rolls Royce 265 and 290 installations in the B-series but shows an interior shot of a LHD cab. The picture may, of course, have just been one of their most flattering cab interior images (the Euro-spec ones were better appointed!) - normally, the European B-series were fitted with ■■■■■■■■ However, it does leave one wondering if some Rolls examples went to France, for example. I say France because the Leyland Roadtrain sold well there with Rolls 300 and 350 lumps, so it may well be that they like Rollers in ERFs too! Go to work on an ERF (ouef) - never mind! Robert
