Austin Morris BMC

windrush:

Bewick:
Just to stimulate further debate,which was the better motor for it’s time,the BMC (Austin & Morris) or the Thames Trader,they were both in the same market place 50 odd years ago and sold in large numbers.I always think of the Trader as the better of the two but there will be,quite rightly,equal and opposite opinions !! Cheers Bewick.

Couldn’t really say Dennis, only drove the BMC’s though I have worked on Trader’s. I guess that the Ford was stronger in tipper form, though Derbyshire Stone ran plenty of BMC tipper’s as well, I guess that there wasn’t much between the engines but the Ford had a synchro gearbox as opposed to BMC’s constant mesh one. As has been said it was the FJ that caused their downfall against the D series Ford but before that I would think it was just a case of whatever took your fancy and what dealership’s were local?

Pete.

The BMC with the 5.7 under slung engine was a powerful motor in its day Pete,as you know.I also drove a Thames Trader and road shotgun in one as a kid.I wouldn’t like to say which was the best.They were both stronger built lorries than the Bedford TK which outsold them.
Chheers Dave.