Hi Dennis, congratulations on the 11th anniversary of this particular blog. In an effort to find the answer, I have been looking in my little black book, and, at a number of bits of paper out of my loft. So as you are not under any apprehensions, I will confirm that I returned to Patricroft at the start of 1977 reporting to Dion Houghton the Sales Director. As such, Guy Motors were on my radar regarding the Guy Victory chassis, which our customers in HKG, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa took in large numbers until Guy’s demise in August 1982. All these chassis used the 6LXB engines. My paperwork starts with the 1978 figures, I assume I must have been abroad at the point where “my” bits of paper with the sales 1977 totals did not reach me. In the early part of the '70’s I was with the well known American (4 Stroke) engine people and the OEM just down the road from you, so what went on specifically sales wise at Patricroft was unknown to me.
Picking up the 6lxb sales to Guy Motors for the Victory chassis the Figures for '78 to '81 are as follows:- 474,651, 974, 1081. No 8LXB’s noted.
I suspect early '70’s sales had been around the 400/450 figure, based on what i found already working in these territories that had gone into service from the early 70’s.
The uplift in the last three years was down to the impending South African Atlantis engine scheme coming on stream in 1981. only locally manufactured engines could be used under threat of excessively high tariff barriers for imported engines. You can see from our sales what our customers thought of the Merc. engine that would substitute for any imported units of equivalent power.
Gardner ,at that time, still sold engines to OEM’s by “Lines”, i.e. by number of cylinders. E.g. say ERF wanted to buy 4’s, 5’s, 6’s, or 8 cylinder engines then they would have to decide the mix of types, based on the total no. of lines they had been given. I cannot see that the OEM in question, Guy, would opt to buy an 8LXB at that time due to demand for the 6’LXB chassis. Any thoughts of someone having float engines lying around at that time, just in case, is risible. 3 Day week - remember! (You get 4x6’s for 3x 8’s)
As no one has come up with positive photos of the mythical beast all I can suggest is that I try to find out if the original Master QL - Quantity List, books are in a Museum somewhere awaiting discovery. P.S. If Boris sanctions a Jab for me we might get an early answer!!! Regards, Peter