The third -and last- article in this series showing the European brands, opens with a 1963 Scania-Vabis LBS76 Super, towing a 1972 DAF semi-trailer. DAF started as a trailer and semi-trailer manufacturer in the pre-war decade, the company started to build trucks in 1949. The production of trailers and semi-trailers was phased out years ago, since then their full focus is on developing and building trucks. The Scania-Vabis 6×2 tractor is powered by a turbocharged 11 liter engine, good for 225 hp.
1971 Opel Blitz with a 6-cylinder gasoline engine, in this little truck it’s running on LPG.
1974 Commer Walk-Thru, powered by a 4-cylinder diesel engine. It wears the Van Gend & Loos outfit, once a very familiar sight in the Netherlands. The distribution company was founded in 1809 and was bought by DHL in 2003.
The most common big rig combination throughout Europe is a 4×2 cabover-tractor towing a semi-trailer with 3 axles and 6 super singles, just like the one above. The maximum GVM for European cross-border transport is 40,000 kg (88,000 lbs). Euro-countries have their own national weight limits, in most countries a similar combination has a 44,000 kg (97,000 lbs) maximum GVM.
1993 Scania 143 6×2 tractor.
1958 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404.
1969 Scania L110 Super. I like those classic wooden sideboards.
Betsy, a 1974 DAF FA2600, is still going strong.
1969 DAF A1900. The 1900 was the top-model of the Frog DAFs.
The Leyland Marathon was built from 1973 to 1979. Above a 1978 Marathon 2, the updated 1977-1979 model. The first owner of this LHD-tractor was a Dutch company; worth mentioning, since top-segment English trucks and tractors were very rare in Continental Europe.
1974 Scania L50. Powered by a 4-cylinder diesel engine, so with a short nose.
From the same year is this Scania L80 Super with an 8 liter 6-cylinder and longer nose.
And another 1974 Scania tractor is this LT111 Super 6×4 with the 11 liter 6-cylinder and the nose at maximum length.
The conventional Scania model from the seventies with the V8 was an entirely different and more modern truck. Pictured a 1979 Scania LS141 6×2.
1979 DAF FT2800 tractor. Back then this was the type of tractors that wandered around Europe and was also used to drive all the way to the Middle East and Africa.
A bright 1972 Ford D0707, 74 hp from its 4-cylinder diesel engine.
Mercedes-Benz L1513 recovery truck.
1986 DAF FA1300 Turbo with the Club of Four cab. Developed in 1974 by DAF, Volvo, Saviem (Renault) and Magirus-Deutz. Later also used on the Mack Mid-Liner range, both the cabover and the conventional model.
Four V’s on the left side…
…and four V’s on the right side. That’s a hammering Scania 14 liter V8 alright, in this case under the hood of a 420 hp 1986 Scania T142E.
1958 Magirus-Deutz A3500 Rundhauber with a 6-cylinder air cooled diesel engine.
A wonderful combination, this 1974 Scania 110 Super 6×2 truck, towing a Burg drawbar trailer. One of my favorites of the show.
The 95-series, introduced in 1987, was the first modern-era DAF. The cab structure is still used on DAF’s current top model, the XF. The 95-series was powered by the good old 11.6 liter engine, which was basically in a permanent state of evolution since its introduction in the late sixties. Above a 1996 DAF 95.400 6×2 truck with a roll-off system.
From the same owner, a 1989 Scania 93m, also with a roll-off system. The truck has the low model Scania 3-series day cab.
Fancy ! A 1995 Scania T143m.
The tractor is a 1976 Scania L111…
…but let’s have a closer look at the vehicles on the 1979 DAF low bed semi-trailer. First the legendary DAF YA328 artillery tractor. With the winch and tow hook combination, the 6×6 H-drive drivetrain and the spare wheels that can roll freely. This splendid example is from 1956 and its Hercules engine is running on LPG.
The second vehicle, in front of the DAF, is a 1958 Nekaf M38A1. Nekaf stands for the Nederlandsche Kaiser-Frazer Fabrieken, the Dutch Kaiser-Frazer Factory. No further explanation needed.
The tractor is a 1968 Scania-Vabis L76 Super…
…with a Caterpillar D4 on the low bed semi-trailer.
I remember vividly that trucks like this 1970 Bedford TK-series were used to collect the milk from the dairy farms, before they were all replaced by tanker trucks. Bedford (GM) built the TK from 1959 to 1986, it was available with 4- and 6-cylinder diesel engines and with a 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The milk hauler above is powered by the 3.5 liter gasoline engine.
There was actually a good number of these old milk trucks at the show. Above a 1967 Scania-Vabis 36 Super.
A 1955 De Soto S64 truck from Chrysler’s Kew plant in the UK, powered by a 3.3 liter 6-cylinder gasoline engine, 82 hp. Also sold as Dodge and Fargo, nicknamed the “Parrot Nose”.
1967 DAF A1600 with a 120 hp 6-cylinder diesel engine. The DAF 575-series of diesel engines, either naturally aspirated or turbocharged, originated from the Leyland O.350 engine. In 1957 that Leyland engine was actually the starting point for DAF as an engine manufacturer.
1962 Bedford TK-series, like the one further above also powered by the 6-cylinder gasoline engine. Bedford’s direct competitor was, of course, Ford. The Bedford TK and the Ford D-series were both in the same truck-segment.
The last of the classic milk trucks is this 1962 DAF A1600.
Old vs new, a 2016 DAF XF 460 and a 1960 DAF Torpedo. The new DAF is powered by the 12.9 liter 6-cylinder engine, known as the PACCAR MX-13.
This Scania 141 with a vintage farm tractor on its cargo bed came from Belgium.
In 1911 Hofherr-Schrantz AG from Austria merged with the UK farm tractor builder Clayton & Shuttleworth and the HSCS tractor brand was born. According to some information I found on a Dutch website the HSCS R30-35 above has a 7 liter single cylinder 2-stroke hot bulb engine.
A small sign on the truck said that the first owner of this 1974 Scania 140 Super 6×2 truck was a Swede. Not uncommon of course, for a Scania. But the tall and painted sideboards, the shape of the fenders and the chains already say that this truck started its career in Sweden.
This DAF model is often called the Zevenstreper, referring to the seven stripes on the front. Pictured a 1955 DAF A50 with a 4.62 liter 6-cylinder Hercules gasoline engine.
1964 Scania-Vabis LB76 tractor.
The last of the Euro-trucks is this 1975 DAF 2800, with an appropriate afterword. Next: the Americans.
Nice series. Styling a COE is a challenge – I like how Ford pulled theirs off.
Have…important…work to do! Must…resist…sweet…sweet…eye candy!
Ditto. But it was worth it!
Truly spectacular array of vintage Euro trucks. I’d never dreamed that CC would host content like this, as it’s among my favorite things to peruse. I spent some time on Old Lorry Blog back in the day when it was interesting.
Thanks so much for this, Johannes!
UK built DeSoto and Fargo? Mind blown. I hadn’t a scooby.
The whole GVW thing confuses me. The fact that UK international hauliers use 4×2 40 tonners meant I always stupidly assumed 40 tonne was the norm on most of the continent, especially having seen 4×2 tractor units pulling tipper trailers in Spain, something you would never see in the UK. For some reason I knew Finland had 60 tonne logging trucks, I learned on here that the Netherlands has heavier trucks, and now that cross-border transport is 40 tonne max. Why is that? If you’re going (for example) from one 44 tonne country to another, why do you have to lose 4 tonne?
The 44 ton cross-border GVM has been discussed in the EU, didn’t happen though: 40 ton it was, and 40 ton it will be. Only the Benelux-countries (you know who they are) allow a 44 ton cross-border GVM.
Sweden and the Netherlands also permit 60 ton (132,000 lbs) GVM, these rigs are max. 25.25 meter long.
If the axle spacing is correct, 5 axles will do these days for a 50 ton straight truck or rig in the Netherlands. In the past you needed 6 axles. But thou shalt not cross any border !
I still don’t get the logic though – it’s as if border crossings are all weak bridges.
Some countries just don’t like (or better: hate) heavy trucks. Germany comes to mind. And the UK in the past. Wasn’t the max. GVM just 32 ton for a long time ?
Consider a government policy difference between 44 tonnes domestic commerce versus 44 tonnes from a business in another country.
Theres a 15cwt Kew De soto rat rod pickup around here definitely different. Its on the cohort somewhere.
A scooby, a scooby… »snaps fingers« Scooby-Doo, clue!
Love seeing the old Bedfords, Ive spent quite a bit of time in those, along with D Fords they were the kings of the Kiwi short haul industry when govt mandated long haul was done by rail, Theres not a lot of changes to TKs over the decades the most noticeable was the early models had air over hydraulic service brakes and a mechanical carden shaft parking brake and the later models were full air with parking brake on the drive axle. That Commer is a rare van here I saw one in Napier recently, Great lineup Johannes thanx.
The Bedford TK and Ford D-series sold well here too. Popular “Jack of all trades”, both of them.
Also, they both aged very well. The Bedford was introduced in 1959 and the Ford in 1965, and yet they still don’t look hopelessly outdated to me.
During the apple harvest they come out of the woodwork around here I saw four on a regular basis the last two seasons either taking fruit to the packhouses or returning to orchards loaded with empty bins, they cant carry much but for small growers they still do the job.
Same here. The TK and D-series were popular among horticulturists to transport their products, regardless the trucks’ age.
Especially in the western part of the country, with all the greenhouses.
Bigger UK-trucks have always been rare, like the Leyland Marathon pictured in the article.
Matchbox is why I recognize the Bedford TK; don’t remember if they offered any Ford UK counterparts. Leylands were common, of course.
The Cat D4 looks familiar to me as a WW2 buff. With all the runways they helped build, the postwar land-plane boom was on, replacing flying boats like the Boeing 314 & Short Sunderland.
Do yourself a favor and look up a video of a HSCS R30-35 running. Makes a Harley sound like a wind-up toy.
To quote German engineer Fritz Huber (Lanz farm tractors): “Ein Schlepper kann nicht einzylindrig genug sein !”
Ok, I got a translation “a tractor cannot be single cylinder enough!”, but I can’t quite say I understand it.
“A farm tractor is as simple as possible, or it isn’t a farm tractor”, that’s what he meant.
A big, single-cylinder, two-stroke engine: can’t get simpler than that. Note that Huber’s quote is circa 100 years old.
All this according to a German website about the Lanz farm tractors.
The hood and grill on the Opel reminds me a lot of a 1960’s Chevrolet pickup.
That V8 picture is pure awesome. Let’s see what’s in there: turbocharging – tick, direct injection (it seems) – tick, separate heads – tick. Would love to hear the rumble of that beast.
Interestingly, not a single Fiat/OM/Lancia trucks. Weren’t they sold in the Netherlands?
Big Fiat trucks were rather thin on the ground in the Netherlands. Most popular in the top-segment were DAF (of course), Scania, Volvo, MAN and Mercedes-Benz. Brands like Fiat, Saviem, Berliet and Pegaso did of course much better in southern-Europe. More specifically: in their homelands.
Here’s a short video of a Scania T142 (T = torpedo/conventional), so the same model with that 14 liter V8 engine as pictured:
Thanks for that video 🙂
It would be interesting to see a European Ford D & a US Ford C next to each other.
There is clearly some family resemblance, but I’m not sure how they compare sizewise.
The D series pictured is one of the smallest examples they came in six and eight wheel configurations plus tractor units with single and bogie drive, it would be interesting to compare the two, both exist in New Zealand however surviving Cs are quite rare never having been very common to begin with.
Outstanding pictures and and insightful commentary – thanks Johannes!
1971 Opel Blitz. Another new shape for my eyes; thanks Johannes.
I really enjoy your articles JD. I never stop being surprised when I see things like 11 liters/225 hp. I understand the difference with diesel/gas engines and torque/hp (discussed a lot on CC) but it still surprises me. Keep them coming Johannes. Well done.
That Commer Walk-Thru is interesting, and RHD presumably for ease of frequent delivery drops?
Good to see some old English iron on show, and to hear (again) about the lack of penetration of the British industry into European markets
RHD for ease of frequent delivery drops, absolutely.
Now Roger, we did have shiploads of Bedford TK-series and Ford D-series ! Heck, dad drove an Austin flatbed truck in the sixties, before his boss switched to a Frog DAF in 1967.
Top-segment UK trucks just never made it to mainland Europe. Better come up with something really good to beat brands like Volvo, Scania, Büssing, Krupp, Magirus-Deutz and all the others on their own territory.
Thank you, Johannes, for this wonderful distraction. Maybe I’m the just the first to comment on it, but I love the masterful use of color on most of these trucks and trailers. For example, take another look at the 1974 Scania 110 / Burg drawbar trailer pictures. Someone really sweated the details on that one. There are many others here.
A question: Which of these trucks are strictly/mostly for show versus those that have to pay their own way? Most of them look like they could go back to work tomorrow (they’re trucks after all!) but how many will actually do so?
When scrolling through the pictures of part 3 -so this article- I’d say that the next trucks are still used as work trucks, daily or on a regular basis:
-The 1986 Scania 142 conventional (the V8 engine pictures).
-The 1989 Scania 93 (the red 4×2 truck with the roll-off system).
-The 1993 Scania 143 cabover (the blue tractor).
-The 1995 Scania 143 conventional (the fancy tractor).
-The 1996 DAF 95.400 (the red 6×2 truck with the roll-off system).
The main problem for keeping old(er) trucks on the road are the emission standards, especially in the cities. Older trucks are just not allowed to drive into the cities. So these trucks leave Europe at some point and are exported to other parts of the world, like the Middle East or Africa.
Typically Dutch trucks are painted in multiple colors. Not too wild, but very well executed. The rims, tanks, grille, bumper etc. included. Most companies have their own color scheme and you can recognize their trucks from far. You also must have noticed the complete lack of chrome and shiny parts. The Scania + Burg trailer you mention is a sublime example of a “Dutch big rig”.
Excellent, I was going to ask the same thing. The 1995 Scania is interesting – you wouldn’t run lights so low here in Australia, they wouldn’t last long. Probably get taken out by a blown tyre carcass.
A while back I saw a circa 1975 Kenworth cabover out working. No picture, I didn’t want to end up underneath it! Also have seen a Bedford TK being used commercially, plus some old Austin/Morris trucks still used by inner-suburban plumbers for example, where mileage covered is very low.
I never knew of Desoto trucks–most fascinating. And that tractor! 7 litres and one lone cylinder? Wow.
Hallo Johannes.
I am Brazilian, work as engineer at MERCEDES-BENZ Trucks Brazil, also a big fan of classic trucks.
Do you have Facebook?
I need to talk with you.
If you have Facebook please send me a message , my profile is Affonso Celso Parpinelli or you can contact me by email.
Parpinelli_trucks@hotmail.com
Thanks!!!
Affonso, I just sent you an email.