Hello all, hello Monsieur SAVIEM,
Thanks for that post. For a farmer engaged in of his busiest periods of the year, you have still taken the time to write such an extensive response.
I am sure the other readers were as amused as I was about the Red Leg Partridge chicks and their caring mothers.
La Locomotion, what an event it was. In fact I approached it with a degree of caution since I had not been too impressed with Interlaken the year before, but that is another story. What I did look forward to was catching up with Terry / Neil / Glenn and meeting Pete & Steve, and that kept more than its promise!
And not only were there beautiful vehicles on display, the atmosphere in general was just splendid.
Now to answer some of your points:
- The “cabine de pigeonnier” or birdhouse Sed Atki cabs - well they certainly caught much attention especially when I explained to some visitors that they were actually made of wood. That is something the French abandoned well before the Brits I think, so they were really surprised. The irreverent questions here and there about who between Pete and Steve slept on top (on the single bunk) made for some good fun too.
Saviem:
Your friends “Le Centaure” really is a find! Lee Centaure `s could be ordered from the local Dealer, but to a variety of specifications. You could have the basic Lamberet roof, with the raised bunk and kitchen, or just the standard trim inside, depended upon the depth of your pocket! I love the look of a vehicle that has been worked, and she has that look. I seem to remember a sub contractor for Stouff having a Centaure spec V8…could this be that same one…the colours right. When Julien gets around to the cab, make sure he puts the missing pair of spot/fog lamps on!! Good luck to him, he has a real beauty there, and a real rare one indeed.
- His was probably the basic execution, he has no kitchen or chemical toilets by way of passenger seat. No further amenities just a lot of space. Worth noting that the interior is in surprisingly good condition as you might have noticed if you opened the video link. Much to my amusement, they re-used many commands which I remember very clearly from my parents’ Renault 14 TL back in the late 70s. Exactly the same design!)
One thing I doubt is whether Stouff would have ever used a Centaure, even as a Subbie. I think they went bust as early as 1976, whereas did the Berliet Centaure not come out only in 1978? Might it be another Customer this Centaure subbed for? I might persuade Julien to share a few of the older pictures, and with his agreement I would post them on here.
Another important thing is that Julien doesn’t own only this Renault lorry (though it’s his only Centaure), he has a whole fleet of beauties including an R390 V8 and a Berliet municipal bus to name but a few.
Saviem:
Those V8 Unic T270 6x4s were an imposing, (but with a look never to be forgotten with that Geneve cab), I hope that you heard her running, for (like your own handsome R142E), that Unic V can sound really good to the afficianadoes ear! Were there any of the later versions of the T340 V8 Izoard at La Loco? The one where Unic, (with a little help from Geneve), made the Fiat 619 cab tilt over that wonderful sonerous V8.
- Yes we were lucky enough to hear her drive by. A very peculiar sound.
In fact, I have been in Russia quite frequently in the early 2000s and got used to hearing those old KAMA3 V8s plodding by, and at first I thought it was one of them! The same raw, crude sound. Really nice.
And yes there was also a T340 and beautifully restored, but somehow I cannot find back my photo.
Saviem:
Your picture of the chauffeur sleep testing the Relax cab TR250 of about 68/69…seems modest in size, yet was a sensational cab in its day…just remember, (and I can so vividly), what the equivalent Foden, ERF, and Atkinson cab was at that time…not in the same league…or world!
- I once was able to lie down in one and my 6ft8 fit in quite nicely, I could readily spend a night (or a week) in one without any problem. I was very impressed. And I love those chromed dials and the general appearance of the dash.
I have started a few chats with the other guys and it seems everybody is looking forward to joining again next year, so there should be some fun.
Cheers
David
