Saviem:
Hello all, dont want to be boring but I think that Carryfasts unremiting love of all things Detroit needs a little historical context adding. Gingerfold is quite right in setting the scene,in legislative and historic terms, but lets look at why products are produced and how they reach the market. Post WW11 export or die was the position, look how many markets our manufacturers featured in, and not just Commonwealth countries, and how strong was the following. Collaboration in Europe, Willeme/AEC and BMC in France, Licence built Gardners for Bernard, Leyland with DAF, no major quality issues but what happened at home? The impact of the 1964 Transport Act was enormous, the transport market was completly opened up, and product supply was a major problem. Assemblers could not source components due to production and labour problems, (remember just how bad they were). No two vehicles off the line were the same, (in my office I still have three Atkinson Borderer parts manuals, considering all three were ■■■■■■■ 205 Eaton RTO610 spec the difference in detail is breathtaking . Warranty issues were enormous and chaotic, sometimes it was the manufacturers responsibility, other times the component supplier, pity the poor operator! Ever been a young hopeful entering the portals of a Main Distributor wanting to buy a lorry? then you will remember the disdain with which you were treated. 12months delivery would be quoted, or longer, every thing would be pre sold, no hope son, “but weve a second hand” So the imports arrived, some via operators who had suffered the laissez fair attitude of UK Distributors and manufacturers,Jim McKelvie with Volvo, Mercedes with Normand, Frank Tinsdale with Magirus Deutz, MAN with TKM, Scania via independent Concessionaires Berliet with Citroen Citax, the list can go on and on. Individually no threat to our domestic manufacturers, but collectivly the impact on home market share of the TIV (total industry volume, the means by which market penetration and share is measured by new chassis registration) was significant. Why? well the majority of importers appointed fledgling Dealer networks, some operators, some repairers, some investors, but they all shared one thing, they were hungry for success, they needed that new sale, and any customer was well looked after. Personal contact sold many vehicles, and provided that the client was well supported in aftersales the product became almost secondary to the business relationship. In themselves not all products were better than their UK equivelent,but almost universally the attitude of the Dealers staff, and the Importer was more receptive and positive the customer was king, something very new in our industry. The volume Distributors of UK product, Ford, Bedford, Dodge, really did not view the importers as a serious threat, they did not in the main compete in the same market segment most importers concentrating on the booming Tractor market post 1964 Transport Act. ?(When they did it was too late, a parallel of the UK motorcycle industry and the Japanese)! The assemblers, well they produced a reasonable quality product, and could sell their production capacity, and more, so why worry! oh dear oh dear! And what of Leyland? I am amazed that no insider has ever written a true expose of what really did happen! it would be a best seller. Political interference leading to irrational decision making, poor R&D To many competing products, Distributors, Production Plants, many can speculate, but no one really knows, all we know is that product and service deteriorated and importers sliced up the Leyland client base. What a tragedy in National, Human,and Industry terms. So in broad terms “Were the Continental lorries much better” No. but their UK Dealers were more active, had shorter lines of communication to the Importer, or Concessionaire, and thence to the Factory. They could respond to a problem more quickly, and positivley, and the customer was in the main happy, and remained loyal to the brand.My dear Gentlemen, you will have noted that I have not resorted to individual vehicle comparison in my missive, but now I must respond to Carryfasts opinions. The F88 Volvo was not over rated, as many who enjoy this forum, and have experienceof this vehicle in the 60s and 70s will explain. 230 240 8 or the sensational 16speed, F FB or G models.The Italian market,(of which I have some experience) mainly concentrated in the Northern Industrial areas, in the 70s to 90s one of the highest concentrations of owner drivers and small operators in Europe.Biggest seller in the tractor market in the 70s, Fiat 170.35 350HP 13 speed Fuller 4x2 (suedehead if ever you get a chance to drive one in preservation do so!! they are wonderful! (and re exporting new ones back to Italy earned many pounds for UK Fiat dealers in the 70s, much to the dispair of dear late Dr Giovanni Brasca in Grosvenor Square).Followed by Scania V8, vOLVO, MAN, Saviem Berliet, Mercedes, Bedford hardly figured! True they sold some, but reliability issues, did not help sales. American specifications, Carryfast this is an old chesnut,In retirement in the 90s I indulged an old interest and started to import US trucks, cab overs and conventionals. Mainly ■■■■■■■ Fuller Rockwell, easy specs. My one mistake was two K100 long coffin cab 8V92 DDA 13 speed od Fullers with 8 bag air. Love the sound, what horrible (no Orrible lorries) totally unsuited to European application.They ended up with a French Circus, I hope the Lions enjoyed them. As for American operations, my eyes were opened in the 80s whilst working there, seeing the day shift clocking on carrying blow up seat cushions, plug in CBs as they made their way over to the still warm K100s 86inch BBC tractors, then 20years old!! Its all about productivity and profit, not day dreams dear friend!!Sorry to go on so long, Cheerio bye bye.
Don’t worry, its never bothered Carryfast. Sorry, I was desperately trying to sit on my hands like Wheelnut but sometimes…Well, you know 
mutts nutts in their day apparentley.