gas turbine marathon
ramone:
I think ive mentioned this before , i could never understand why AEC never went down the same path as Scania, with the Marathon cab , if they lowered it they could have used it right through the range , in its normal form it wasnt far off being a walk thru cab so there was plenty of scope to drop it down quite a bit just like the 80 - 81 / 110 - 111 Scania cabs ,having said that it was `73 when it was introduced so they probably knew the writing was on the wall
Hiya…they did Ramone it was called a Mandator or a Buffalo.
John
3300John:
ramone:
I think ive mentioned this before , i could never understand why AEC never went down the same path as Scania, with the Marathon cab , if they lowered it they could have used it right through the range , in its normal form it wasnt far off being a walk thru cab so there was plenty of scope to drop it down quite a bit just like the 80 - 81 / 110 - 111 Scania cabs ,having said that it was `73 when it was introduced so they probably knew the writing was on the wallHiya…they did Ramone it was called a Mandator or a Buffalo.
John
Ha ha yeah they did , but if they had used the Marathon cab complete with dash ,doors and interior and just lowered it so the engine hump wasn`t intrusive they would have had a much better cab than the Mandator or Buffalo , The Marathon was nearly a walkthru so there was plenty of scope to lower it a bit 
ramone:
3300John:
ramone:
I think ive mentioned this before , i could never understand why AEC never went down the same path as Scania, with the Marathon cab , if they lowered it they could have used it right through the range , in its normal form it wasnt far off being a walk thru cab so there was plenty of scope to drop it down quite a bit just like the 80 - 81 / 110 - 111 Scania cabs ,having said that it was `73 when it was introduced so they probably knew the writing was on the wallHiya…they did Ramone it was called a Mandator or a Buffalo.
JohnHa ha yeah they did , but if they had used the Marathon cab complete with dash ,doors and interior and just lowered it so the engine hump wasn`t intrusive they would have had a much better cab than the Mandator or Buffalo , The Marathon was nearly a walkthru so there was plenty of scope to lower it a bit
Hiya…i don’t know what was wrong Ramone.maybe the engine was quite tall. the top of my AEC engine is level with the seat height.
it was maybe the sump. it has a huge cube shape about 18inches in front of the axle. maybe if the lump wa lower somehow it would have worked. the mandator did waste about 10 inches from the engine to the bonnet cover but the air filters sat on top of the rocker boxes.
scania went with the V8. look what happened with the cab interior with the V8 mandator…if Leyland had tried a V8 maybe the cab could have been lower…the cab was a botch any how. a bit of this that and the other.How about a V8 AEC in a mk5 park royal cab… spot on
John
John
3300John:
ramone:
3300John:
ramone:
I think ive mentioned this before , i could never understand why AEC never went down the same path as Scania, with the Marathon cab , if they lowered it they could have used it right through the range , in its normal form it wasnt far off being a walk thru cab so there was plenty of scope to drop it down quite a bit just like the 80 - 81 / 110 - 111 Scania cabs ,having said that it was `73 when it was introduced so they probably knew the writing was on the wallHiya…they did Ramone it was called a Mandator or a Buffalo.
JohnHa ha yeah they did , but if they had used the Marathon cab complete with dash ,doors and interior and just lowered it so the engine hump wasn`t intrusive they would have had a much better cab than the Mandator or Buffalo , The Marathon was nearly a walkthru so there was plenty of scope to lower it a bit
Hiya…i don’t know what was wrong Ramone.maybe the engine was quite tall. the top of my AEC engine is level with the seat height.
it was maybe the sump. it has a huge cube shape about 18inches in front of the axle. maybe if the lump wa lower somehow it would have worked. the mandator did waste about 10 inches from the engine to the bonnet cover but the air filters sat on top of the rocker boxes.
scania went with the V8. look what happened with the cab interior with the V8 mandator…if Leyland had tried a V8 maybe the cab could have been lower…the cab was a botch any how. a bit of this that and the other.How about a V8 AEC in a mk5 park royal cab… spot on
John
John
The Marathon cab was a much improved version of the original Ergo as far as the driver was concerned , it was quiet and more comfortable for a start , the TL12 was fitted and the floor was virtually flat so there must have been scope to lower it for say the mandator or mercury much the same way as Scania did with the 111/112 s to the 81/82 s it was just a thought there`s probably a very good reason why they didnt do this 
3300John:
ramone:
I think ive mentioned this before , i could never understand why AEC never went down the same path as Scania, with the Marathon cab , if they lowered it they could have used it right through the range , in its normal form it wasnt far off being a walk thru cab so there was plenty of scope to drop it down quite a bit just like the 80 - 81 / 110 - 111 Scania cabs ,having said that it was `73 when it was introduced so they probably knew the writing was on the wallHiya…they did Ramone it was called a Mandator or a Buffalo.
John
Surely the main reason why there where no AEC Marathon variants is that by the time it was launched everything was badged as Leyland?
I had dealings with Marathons from day one, once we got rid of the cable operated brake valve(mounted on the cross member over the gearbox) and the cable operated clutch there was a vast improvement I found them to be very reliable motor,had a bit of messing with brake valves to get every thing working right, the last of them the Guy built(GHV chassis number prefix were a cracking motor) a firm local to me Swains ran loads of them!
By far the most loyal Leyland-operator of Holland, Mart v.d. Linden from the region of the flower bulbs: Lisse!
TL12 was a great engine. I started off on a MK1 as my very first vehicle then drove a Leyland Riever for my sins then had a MK2 PRH470R how sad to remember that after 30 odd years!! went like a rocket but couldnt stop it empty or solo and with having such a small steering wheel if ran low on power steering fluid was an animal to steer. loved the room at the time when Leyland dropped Marathon and went T45 was a backward step. Wish someone would gather the finance to put together a genuine UK manufactured truck based on either this motor or ERF or Foden modernised
Pulling hard! Regards Chris
DEANB:
This marathon tipped over in a scrapyard when I was a kid.
Did they leave it there ?
Suedehead:
DEANB:
This marathon tipped over in a scrapyard when I was a kid.Did they leave it there ?
No it was sold.From memory I don’t think there was that much damage as it went over on pretty
flat ground.However it actually turned over whilst tipping 2 or 3 times !!! I believe they found a
weak spring on the unit and that was the reason it kept going over.
gingerfold:
[zb]
anorak:TIDDERSON:
EDTRUCK:
I apologise up front if I am having a memory fade moment - didnt Pickfords Heavy Haulage run some Marathon 6x4 tractors with ■■■■■■■ 335 engines - any pictures to back up my vague memories would be appreciated. Im sure sammyopsite would know!!Any good?
So a few 6x4s actually went into British fleets. That is the first one I have seen, apart from the “original”, WTJ120L. Oh dear- I remembered that registration number. What a sad old git.
Were any 335s fitted into general haulage chassis, I wonder?
I recall that WTJ 120L was originally a works demonstrator
Didn’t ■■■■ Rivers take it to Iran on a test run and for some publicity shots?
Also at the time I believe he was an AEC test driver so that would tie in with it being built by AEC.
Also IIRC the one he drove in Destination Goha was a specially equipped on doen for the run.
IIRC Astran offered Leyland a bit of product placement and Leyland sprayed it in Asdtran colours and got a cut of the load money.
They also sent a Range rover full of spares along and it did break down far more than you saw on screen.
gazzer:
From FB. Sorry if they’ve been on before.
Is that ex Boc/Transhield ?
