Hi Everyone,
My father had a TK with Leyland 400 engine, which I am the new owner now.
I want to pass it as vintage (here in Malta) and the licencing dept has not accepted it as vintage, as it is saying the engine is not original.
People with alot of passion for old trucks have told me that from my truck’s cross member, how its mounted, the radiator, etc it shows that it is original.
Now the dept want me to show this by a written proof- that TKs used to come out with leyland engine.
If somebody can give me a link, details or a proof will be alot of help for me. As it is important for me.
My email is # charles.d.gauci@hotmail.com #
THANKS ALOT
Best Regards
Some model early TKs were fitted with Leyland engines, however the licensing dept if being pedantic will notice the incorrect indicators, sidelights, steering wheel, badges, mirror arms and heads and possibly expect you to prove that you have the original cab fitted; which by the look of it is not the case.The coolant header tank looks wrong as well. The chassis should also have a mechanically-operated, drum-type, transmission handbrake. This is what an early TK cab looks like, notice the door handles too.
flickr.com/photos/semmytrailer/3628781765/
Hello,All. Ref. TK’s with Comet engines,in the sixties,Sainsburys at Basingstoke had a fleet of them ex.Factory.The engine drove the fridge too through various hydraulic pipes.Hope this is of some help.Regards,900x20. 
Hi, Folks , We had a new TK 350 leyland comet engine ,5 speed box ,it had a schammel coupling when she came new but was fitted strait away with a fifth wheel coupling ,the chassie was very short and was a ■■■■■ to start off on a hill ,It used to jump and buck like a horse ,it was bad news from the start head gaskets all the while ,clutches ,half shafts ,just a bit of usless info ,Cheers Barry
Jack Jones of Unicorn Transport from Weobley, Herefordshire ran a Bedford TK with a Leyland engine, which was driven by Lew Jones RIP.
Possibly one of these seen with owner Jack Jones.
Cheers Dave.
I think Bedfords stopped using Leyland engines when they brought out their own 466 engine,never heard of the Leyland 400 being used though always the 350 and was there a 375 Leyland engine ? Cheers Bewick.
There were certainly operators around who bought Leyland Bedfords to save weight compared to the “proper” Leylands and to gain power over the usual 330 Bedfords which were just about on their limit at 12 tons. Apparently, considerable time was spent in tightening cab parts after being shaken apart!
Leyland 400 powered TKs are quite unusual - only used in the KH (in the UK anyway) for about 3 years prior to the introduction of Bedfords own 381/466 engines. (The 400 was also used in early (VAL 14) twin-steer coach chassis).
Very early sixties we had a couple of TK’s bought new. Reg nos were TNL 360 & VJR 711.
Sure TNL 360 had a Leyland 375 power plus engine. I know there is one or two people on these forums can access the old registration details, perhaps they could find the original spec.
HELLO everyone,
Thanks alot for your replies . Very helpful indeed. As i DONT know in depth about old trucks.
Today i spoke witha person that talks and dreams about old trucks day and night. He told me that my truck’s cross member is for a leyland engine. The coolant fan is 8 panels and facing downwards, while how the radiator is, shows its for a leyland engine. He added that it has a sims pump and its compressor with 1 piston not 2.
Tomorrow im going to speak with a mechanic of certain age and experience and see what he tells me.
But from your replies it already shows that tks used to come with leyland engines.
Also, I think my leyland is not 400,as someone indicated in his reply.
Thanks all.
Regards
Hiya get the Bedford running. rev then let her tick over if she whistles she a 350 Leyland
to which i’d think is right. i take it she’s on 8 stud wheels. i’d have thought the heavier model
with ten studs would have the 400. any idea what year she is.
John
Hello everyone,
My friend has a Commer Q4 (1941) all original except for the engine. It was fitted with a diesel engine.
He cannot pass it as a vintage vehicle here in Malta.
Can anyone tell me if such old lorries of 1941 (but not with original engine) in UK are passed as vintage trucks?
If you can prove it with paperwork or photos or anything, would be great. As he can have something in hand.
He will be happy to know. He does not use computer and e-mails.
Thanks a lot everyone for your attention.
Kind Regards
Charles Gauci
If your vehicle has an original Leyland engine the chassis number will end with a 13 if it was the 370 cu in engine
or 14 if the 400 engine was installed
The 370 engine would normally be fitted to the KG series so a chassis number prefix would be something like KGLC13
where K means TK. G means 12.5tons GVW, L means 167 inch wheelbase, C means chassis cab and 13 means Leyland 370 engine.
if the prefix is KH followed be the letters and then 14, its a 14ton gvw vehicle fitted with a leyland 400.
Its a long time since I sold these but I had a customer who bought quite few, and the numbers stick in my mind
as I recall they were fitted until 1968 when Bedford fitted the 381 and 466 engine
if you find the Adams butter site theres a write up about adams testing the leyland engine in the bedford.
i can’t think of the drivers name (i sold him a car years ago) he was the only driver for the lorry while been tested.
he kept blowing it up…
John
When I first came to Australia the Company I worked for had 2 Bedford TK tippers both had Leyland 400 engines and were worked very hard …I don’t know what year models they were… I think late 60,s early 70,s ■■
hi
so what happens if they dont pass it as ‘vintage’ , surely not going for scrap.
Hi
if it does not pass as vintage classic vehicle, the road licence would be higher to pay. Not to scrap.
Does trucks without original engine in UK, pass as vintage classic vehicles?
Regards
Haydons had an E reg TK cattle truck with a Leyland 400 in - long gone now though …
Charles Gauci:
Hi
if it does not pass as vintage classic vehicle, the road licence would be higher to pay. Not to scrap.
Does trucks without original engine in UK, pass as vintage classic vehicles?
Regards
In the UK a vehicle is classed as “Historic”, ie free of oad tax, if the chassis number was built 40 years ago. Still having it’s original engine is not relevant as far as this is concerned. Of course in most cases it will be worth more if it’s still original.
Funny this should come up now, only last week I was looking at a Leyland 401 on a pallet in a commercial dismantler’s workshop, he said it came out of a Bedford. Anyway, I’ve attached some scans of a TK sales brochure in my archives, they clearly show Bedford offering the 400 engine in the TK as well as the 370, they’re not admitting to it being a Leyland but the photo shows that it is, and of course Bedford didn’t make a 400 of their own. Maybe you can print these off and show them to the inspector? Click on the pictures to enlarge. Hope this helps.
Bernard
