I recently decided to try and obtain the full set of these marvelous little books, I already had the 1967 and 1971 editions so looked up on the internet for the 74, 78 and 81 dated books. I was surprised how many were available on the likes of E-Bay and Amazon etc and some in very good condition, I sent for the 1978 and 81 copies, one only cost 0.98p. I’m looking for a decent 1974 edition to make up the set. Looking through the later dated books though it becomes apparent how the British Commercial Vehicle industry had declined even between 1971 and 78 the manufacturers had almost halved from 22 to 12 and today all but extinct, very sad when you look back at some of the fine vehicles we produced. Franky.
Im in the process of moving house and have found some oldish Truck magazines and some older Commercial Motor magazines free to a good home .Some of the Commercial Motor magazines have seen better days . Theres also quite a few Heritage ,Classic and Vintage Roadscene magazines too but they are fairly new approximately 4 to 5 bags worth
Ramone I’ve just sent you a PM
Regards
Ed
EDTRUCK:
Ramone I’ve just sent you a PMRegards
Ed
I havent recieved 1 by the way its collection only im in Sunny Bradford
I had the 1971 edition great little book, loads of pictures 
-
Yeah Brian I’ll be interested to see what British motors are left since the 71 edition when the 74 book arrives sometime this week. I also like the few pages of info at the beginning of these books, its noticeable though how the thickness of the books reduces over the years they were published. Franky.
I have the 74 edition, only problem its in Switzerland
My 74 edition arrived today thanks to E-bay and in great condition too so that’s the set complete, at least I think so my original 67 book is a reprint of the 66 first published book, I wonder if there were any changes. Mmm this has got me thinking now! Cheers Franky.
Frankydobo:
My 74 edition arrived today thanks to E-bay and in great condition too so that’s the set complete, at least I think so my original 67 book is a reprint of the 66 first published book, I wonder if there were any changes. Mmm this has got me thinking now! Cheers Franky.
Thursday,27th April,2017.
The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles.
1966 Edition
1967 Reprint of the 1966 Edition.
The 1966 edition of this book has a photograph of an AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV 691/760,Park Royal-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry in the AEC section.
The 1967 reprint edition,however,has a photograph of an AEC Mammoth Major Eight 691/760 Ergomatic,GKN Sankey Ergomatic-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry in the AEC section.
As far as I can see this is the only difference between these two editions.Why did the publisher,Frederick Warne & Company Ltd,change the photographs? There was a production overlap of AEC Mk5 and AEC Ergomatic models in the 1965-1966 period:MkV models were produced at the same time as the Ergomatic models,but by 1967 the Ergomatic range,with the exception of the MkV Dumptruck,had fully replaced the MkV models - so the 1967 reprint edition of this book has an AEC Mammoth Major Eight Ergomatic lorry…not as impressive and as attractive as an AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV Park Royal! 
There is also The New Observer’s Book Of Trucks,Nick Baldwin,Warne,1986,Paperback (and Hardback?),the front cover photograph is of an attractive
woman lorry driver driving a red Kenworth T600A Aardvark,Conventional-Normal Control-Bonneted,Sleeper-Cabbed,Aerodynamic-Streamlined,6x4,
Boxvan-Bodied,Articulated Long Distance Heavy Duty Freight Trunking Motortruck-Lorry.
An hardback edition of this book was published in 1993 by Bloomsbury Books,and was just a re-print of the original 1986 edition.
This is a re-formatted book based on the original Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles.I prefer the original editions as they have more details
and were in alphabetical order of marques,which are easier to look up,plus most of these editions also cover motorcoaches and buses.
VALKYRIE
That’s interesting Valkyrie, why not just include the MkV, I wonder if AEC had some interjection here as the vehicle companies were consulted about the books and what went in them, maybe they felt they wanted to push the new Ergo line up. I have the 86 book too, again well turned out but as you say its a bit of a mix up compared to the ordered alphabetical older books and very noticeable the lack of British makes. Cheers Franky.
Frankydobo:
That’s interesting Valkyrie, why not just include the MkV, I wonder if AEC had some interjection here as the vehicle companies were consulted about the books and what went in them, maybe they felt they wanted to push the new Ergo line up. I have the 86 book too, again well turned out but as you say its a bit of a mix up compared to the ordered alphabetical older books and very noticeable the lack of British makes. Cheers Franky.
The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles.TruckNetUK,OldTimeLorries.Mk2.Friday,28th May,2017.
Hello Frankydobo.Thanks for your reply.I’ll quote myself:-
The 1966 edition of this book has a photograph of an AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV 691/760,Park Royal-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry in the AEC section.
The 1967 reprint edition,however,has a photograph of an AEC Mammoth Major Eight 691/760 Ergomatic,GKN Sankey Ergomatic-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry in the AEC section.
As far as I can see this is the only difference between these two editions.UNQUOTE.
CORRECTIONS:-
Yes,well,as far as I was seeing I only saw,and was looking at,my 1967 reprint edition of The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles because I could not find my 1966 edition of this book,and was relying on my memory…but memory can play tricks 
I didn’t know where the hell my original 1966 edition was!
But EUREKA! I found this book! - It will not go missing again! 
The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles 1966 Edition And 1967 Reprint Edition AEC Section Differences:-
1966 Edition:Page 20.
AEC Mercury 505/471 Ergomatic 4x2 Lorry in chassis-cab form.
Page 21.
AEC Marshal 505/471 Ergomatic LWB 6x4 Lorry in chassis-cab form.
AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV 691/760,Park Royal-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry.
1967 Reprint Edition:Page 20.
AEC Mercury 505/471 Ergomatic,Bulk Tanker-Bodied,SWB,4x2 Lorry,Tunnel Cement.
Page 21.
AEC Marshal 505/471 Ergomatic,Concrete Mixer-Bodied,SWB 6x4 Lorry,Hall Ham Concrete Ltd.
AEC Mammoth Major Eight 691/760 Ergomatic,GKN Sankey Ergomatic-Cabbed,Tanker-Bodied,8x2 or 8x4 Lorry,Yorkshire Tar Distillers Ltd.
I also mentioned an AEC ‘MkV Dumptruck’ remaining in production after 1966… No,no,no. This is wrong,and I should have checked
with my copies of certain Graham Edge - Gingerfold AEC books! The model that I was thinking about was the AEC 4G6R4B,AV760-Engined,Tipper-
Bodied,6x4 Lorry model with cab options of the Park Royal MkV Cab or the Motor Panels MkII Cab (and/or possibly the later,similar and wider MkIII Cab).
I’ve got it completely right this time
And I think AEC must have demanded that Frederick Warne Ltd just had to get the AEC section of The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles
just right! - One of the reasons for the 1967 reprint edition!
Photographs of AEC Mercury and Marshal lorries in chassis cab form were less credible as commercial vehicles in the view of AEC,hence the bodied
Mercury and Marshal photographs in the 1967 reprint!
The AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV model was being phased out,and by the 1967 edition,it had been phased out.But the publishers had made a mistake with this model’s engine options in any case:The last AEC Mammoth Major Six and Eight MkV models were produced in 1965 and 1966 and
were powered by the AEC AV691 Diesel Engine. According to Graham Edge Mammoth Major MkV models were never fitted with the AEC AV760 Diesel Engine. And yet the 1966 edition,of course,shows a magnificent AEC Mammoth Major Eight MkV 691/ ‘760’ - both the AV691 and AV760 engines
were only available in the later AEC Mammoth Major Six and Eight Ergomatic 691/760 Lorry models
About the ever dwindling number of British commercial vehicle marques in progressive-successive editions of The Observer’s Book Of Commercial Vehicles through the years…please don’t get me started - I could go in to orbit!!! 
The demise of the British Commercial Vehicle Industry is a tragi-comedy in the Grand Manner! A terrible concoction of misguided politicians,trade unions and mis-management that criminally
destroyed such illustrious,revered and successful marques as AEC,Leyland,Foden,Scammell,etc…the list goes on,and caused the marque-loyal customers of these makes to buy European,Scandinavian,Japanese,American,Chinese,etc,marques instead! 
Oh yes,marques such as Volvo,Scania,Mercedes-Benz,are now well and truly established in the British commercial vehicle market,and have been for years,many people in the lorry,bus and motorcoach - operating sectors don’t know any differant - have they ever heard of an AEC or a Scammell?
Volvo,Scania,et al make superb lorries,motorcoaches and buses and are thriving,mainly for the benefit of their home countries.Great Britain was in the same position once…before Leyland mis-management (to name one of a number of guilty parties) criminally wrecked the successful (SUCCESSFUL! mark you! ) British Commercial Vehicle Industry
Phew! I’ve just managed to stay on planet Earth
VALKYRIE
Even clearer after that Valkyrie and I agree on the industry comments. I wonder though how rare the 66 edition is now, I know my 67 book has lost its newness and the cover went many years ago so I decided to make a new one with a cover pic from the internet and using my PC photoshop, it was that which got me looking for the later books I didn’t have and made another two covers when they turned up. I might just have a search to see if the 66 edition is still around! Cheers for that, Franky.