Saviem:
for Rubery Owen produced the chassis frames for ERF, and cab structures),to realise a tilt cab version of the Rubery Owen Motor Panels “Transcontinental” cab, the 7MW, or colloquial name, European.
Now that’s very interesting. Did Motor Panels acquire the name, ‘Transcontinental’ earlier than I thought? While they were still designing and creating the 7MW cab (a tall version of their Mark 4) in '72, they were also developing their new Mark 5 cab, one of which they displayed at the motor show fully kitted out for long-haul work (kitchen etc). Apparently, Ford showed an interest in it before finally choosing the French cab and calling it the ‘Transcontinental’. Did they beg, borrow, steal or buy that name from Motor Panels I wonder? As for the name ‘European’: that was its model name, given to it by ERF; I suppose one could claim that its colloquial name was, ‘Sandbach Scania’! All good stuff - keep those posts coming Saviem, and you go carefully on those burnished sods now! Robert 
Please note re-acknowledgement of pictures in my post of May 08 at 8:16. I suddenly remembered that Backsplice, not Mick had provided these three photos! All the best. Robert 
I have been invited to ‘meet and greet’ this splendid LHD ERF B-series. It is top of my list of nice things to do this summer. I may report on this occasion later! Robert
Following the check/research of Casual Observer (ERF 5MW RHD) I proceeded
with some LHD B’s and found out that the attached (same) vehicles have been
registrated from 24/03/1981 to 01/06/2011 (>30years!) Enjoy the pictures,
which I ‘borrow’ out of Robert’s earlier input and with courtesy of the owner?
Now if ERF could have advertised their Euro-spec units as 30-year grafters, perhaps they would have been onto something! Robert
In 19 years (from 1933) it would have been a century or is this just a cricket-remark?
Quite a different question…I notice some differences on the head-lights, some vehicles
with plain lenses and (as attached) the ones (export?) in a box or casting. Perhaps just
what was in stock to apply and use? 3300John?
En-Tour-Age:
In 19 years (from 1933) it would have been a century or is this just a cricket-remark?
Quite a different question…I notice some differences on the head-lights, some vehicles
with plain lenses and (as attached) the ones (export?) in a box or casting. Perhaps just
what was in stock to apply and use? 3300John?
The first B-series had the box around the lamps. After about 1978, they deleted the box, for some reason.
Thx! Nice to know…I wondered it had someting to do with the two-bin-principle or what was available.
[zb]
anorak:
En-Tour-Age:
In 19 years (from 1933) it would have been a century or is this just a cricket-remark?
Quite a different question…I notice some differences on the head-lights, some vehicles
with plain lenses and (as attached) the ones (export?) in a box or casting. Perhaps just
what was in stock to apply and use? 3300John?
The first B-series had the box around the lamps. After about 1978, they deleted the box, for some reason.
They changed the complete lower panel section i think. The whole headlight panel tilted forward for maintenance, this was changed and the headlights reverted back to the A series type. I seem to recall that it was changed because of beam distortion caused by the panel movent??
I mutch prefer the later type as far as looks are concerned. Chris.
STRAIGHT EIGHT:
[zb]
anorak:
En-Tour-Age:
In 19 years (from 1933) it would have been a century or is this just a cricket-remark?
Quite a different question…I notice some differences on the head-lights, some vehicles
with plain lenses and (as attached) the ones (export?) in a box or casting. Perhaps just
what was in stock to apply and use? 3300John?
The first B-series had the box around the lamps. After about 1978, they deleted the box, for some reason.
They changed the complete lower panel section i think. The whole headlight panel tilted forward for maintenance, this was changed and the headlights reverted back to the A series type. I seem to recall that it was changed because of beam distortion caused by the panel movent??
I mutch prefer the later type as far as looks are concerned. Chris.
IIRC the original lower panels with the headlights in had to be hinged down to tilt the cab. The top of this panel was clipped into place with a couple of large plastic clips which, after a while, became worn and made the whole panel and headlight assembly vibrate…it was like driving on a dirt track on even the smoothest of roads! As said previously, the design was changed in 78 or 79 and the lower panel, including the headlights became fixed from then on…
I prefer the look of the earlier ones…
From a pure ‘looks’ point of view, I prefer the recessed double headlamps panel adopted when the C-series arrived - a subtle but visually effective change! BTW there is a separate thread for LHD C-series. Robert 
I have no clue, but checking the registration, assuming it was Belgian, I found out that this
vehicle was ‘in charge’ till july 2007…the registration might be a “garage”-one, but sure
not French, nor Swiss…perhaps some Euro-test? Happy research though
Louis Huys also had ZZA…registration, but purchased a day-cabbed B-tractor.
Picture is out of “World Truck #1 ERF” by Pat Kennett
En-Tour-Age:
I have no clue, but checking the registration, assuming it was Belgian, I found out that this
vehicle was ‘in charge’ till july 2007…the registration might be a “garage”-one, but sure
not French, nor Swiss…perhaps some Euro-test? Happy research though
Louis Huys also had ZZA…registration, but purchased a day-cabbed B-tractor.
Picture is out of “World Truck #1 ERF” by Pat Kennett
Thank you for including this picture. I have been meaning to scan it for ages and never got round to it. I have always assumed it was Belgian registered. You may well be right about the Euro-test because I know TRUCK magazine conducted a Euro-test that included a B-series ERF but I hadn’t realised that it was LHD. TRUCK uniformly used those French-manufactured Trailor tilt trailers in their early tests, so this is another clue that it might well have been a Euro-test. Incidentally, the sticker on the bumper reads, ‘Another ERF supertruck’ alongside a Union-Jack flag. Robert
@Robert…it was a coincidence, being ‘cleaning’ documentation/books and trying to be of any assistance here.
ZZ…registrations might indicate ‘garage’-plates (white with green) but at that time (Van Steenbergen had DEA…)
it was merely a registration of the seventies. I doubt if it is a plate of CDB, perhaps (Tiptop■■?) still a Louis Huys?
Please PM me with your UK-post-info, as A-J has some stuff for you to send.
This puzzles me a little. Why, as late as 1976, would ERF be trying to market a day-cabbed ‘Euro-truck’ at the Amsterdam show? Carryfast had some scathing things to say on this subject on the ERF European thread a while back! Robert
En-Tour-Age:
@Robert…it was a coincidence, being ‘cleaning’ documentation/books and trying to be of any assistance here.
ZZ…registrations might indicate ‘garage’-plates (white with green) but at that time (Van Steenbergen had DEA…)
it was merely a registration of the seventies. I doubt if it is a plate of CDB, perhaps (Tiptop■■?) still a Louis Huys?
Please PM me with your UK-post-info, as A-J has some stuff for you to send.
I tried to PM you, but the system tells me that you have disabled your ability to receive PMs. Don’t worry, I’ll email him. Robert
robert1952:
This puzzles me a little. Why, as late as 1976, would ERF be trying to market a day-cabbed ‘Euro-truck’ at the Amsterdam show? Carryfast had some scathing things to say on this subject on the ERF European thread a while back! Robert
0
Only my point of view…the sleeper was not available yet and also DAF was active with only day-cabbed F1600, F2000 etc
even MB’s were day-cabbed (think of Van Gend & Loos) and Scania for milk-collection etc.
I always think those Volvo style haedlamp surrounds on the early b series look better than the later chrome ones .
