Froggy55:
Thanks! So, some KMs were Detroit-powered; maybe the 6V 53 or 71? I remember the first on a Berliet coach; a lovely sound and pushed hard (some 170 bhp).
i think it was a 6v71 , you had to see one in the flesh, not exactly an 'under the cab ’ engine , most of it was out the back of the cab, but it had its fans. one bloke came into our place with one , with the shelf and back of another TK welded on the rear to make a sleeper .
Froggy55:
Thanks! So, some KMs were Detroit-powered; maybe the 6V 53 or 71? I remember the first on a Berliet coach; a lovely sound and pushed hard (some 170 bhp).
Apparently this one had a Detroit plus 9-sp Fuller:
ERF-NGC-European:
Froggy55:
Thanks! So, some KMs were Detroit-powered; maybe the 6V 53 or 71? I remember the first on a Berliet coach; a lovely sound and pushed hard (some 170 bhp).Apparently this one had a Detroit plus 9-sp Fuller:
0
I wonder what the noise level was in that small cab?
essexpete:
ERF-NGC-European:
Froggy55:
Thanks! So, some KMs were Detroit-powered; maybe the 6V 53 or 71? I remember the first on a Berliet coach; a lovely sound and pushed hard (some 170 bhp).Apparently this one had a Detroit plus 9-sp Fuller:
0
I wonder what the noise level was in that small cab?
PARDON?
I don’t think the '71 was available in a KM, only '53, with 9 or 10 speed Roadrangers.
Couple of photos here which show the front bumpers being larger than the normal KMs, there were some Pre Star motors based at their Bedford factory, can’t swear to it but they certainly sounded like they had the Detroit engines.
essexpete:
I wonder what the noise level was in that small cab?
No worse than any other British built motor of that period, and soundproofed luxury compared to a Seddon or similar
And they promoted the TK cab as a place for Drivers to grab a ‘Nap’ - - - “They’ve Never Had It So Good”
Star down under.:
I don’t think the '71 was available in a KM, only '53, with 9 or 10 speed Roadrangers.
They had the 6V 71 at 202BHP in the UK.
whisperingsmith:
And they promoted the TK cab as a place for Drivers to grab a ‘Nap’ - - - “They’ve Never Had It So Good”BEDFORD TRUCK AND COACH-CHASSIS FACTORY VIDEO’s AND PHOTO’s | Facebook
OK for “just a nap”, but certainly not a night unless the driver was less than 5ft 6 in tall. That reminds me the night I had to spend lying across the cab of a Mercedes O608 somewhere on the side of gloomy North France road; in winter of course, c. 1980.
coomsey:
Never knew they ran these, are they still going? NMP off FB
0
Very much still going and thriving coomsey, quite a few depots around Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire and I think they have a depot in Witham in Essex. The Bedford depot do quite a bit for supreme concrete in kempston hardwick moving concrete fence posts, gravel boards etc.
Kempston:
coomsey:
Never knew they ran these, are they still going? NMP off FB
0Very much still going and thriving coomsey, quite a few depots around Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire and I think they have a depot in Witham in Essex. The Bedford depot do quite a bit for supreme concrete in kempston hardwick moving concrete fence posts, gravel boards etc.
My father worked for them at the henlow depot before he started on his own-was involved in an accident in a two week old TK artic and it was written off.
coomsey:
Never knew they ran these, are they still going? NMP off FB
0
Impressive fuel capacity on this smallish Bedford. I wonder why?
NMP off FB
Dipster:
coomsey:
Never knew they ran these, are they still going? NMP off FB
0Impressive fuel capacity on this smallish Bedford. I wonder why?
Probably away from the depot for most of the week, many folk fitted two tanks as it was cheaper to use their own fuel than buy it out. One well known Peak District haulier just carried drums of diesel on the trucks, either on the bunk in the cab as Rigsby can testify or under the body between the chassis rails. Their powder tankers strapped drums to the catwalk, if their driver’s ran short of fuel they had to buy it themselves and not get reimbersed.
Pete.
