For a few months I drove one, what a gutless machine, no power anything and brakes that would only work when you didn’t want them to.
I took on from Bremen in Germany to Tehran, oh my god what a trip, on the German Autobahns they were fast but put a pimple in the road and you were heading down the gearbox, biggest problem in this was that the clutch was only minimal at best and if the engine was hot from several hours running then the ckutch was next to useless, the braks the same. Once off of the central German plain, fairly flat and into Austria it would have been quicker with a donkey. Once into Bulgaria and Greece it was easier to get a tow than try to climb some of the mild gradients and definately the steeper ones were definately a chain pull job, thankfully I did not have to bring the ■■■■■ back, the company in Germany had arranged to sell it in Tehran and evidently many ‘bullnoses’ are still working there to this day but most have been re-engined mostly fitted with ■■■■■■■ lumps and Fuller boxes with Rockwell axles.
The cabs were so noisy and drafty, more bare metal than an ERF had in it whole body, and the seat was murder as for the bunk, it was so uncomfortable that I got better rest in my old Borderer with a plank over the engine cowling.
There are many of these old beasts in places like Greece and Turkey but most are 20 or 30 years old and most have been re-engined over the years but rarely retain their old running gear also they were produced under licence in Turkey and also South America. And no the ‘bullnose’ was strictly unofficial.
douggren50:
For a few months I drove one, what a gutless machine, no power anything and brakes that would only work when you didn’t want them to.
I took on from Bremen in Germany to Tehran, oh my god what a trip, on the German Autobahns they were fast but put a pimple in the road and you were heading down the gearbox, biggest problem in this was that the clutch was only minimal at best and if the engine was hot from several hours running then the ckutch was next to useless, the braks the same. Once off of the central German plain, fairly flat and into Austria it would have been quicker with a donkey. Once into Bulgaria and Greece it was easier to get a tow than try to climb some of the mild gradients and definately the steeper ones were definately a chain pull job, thankfully I did not have to bring the ■■■■■ back, the company in Germany had arranged to sell it in Tehran and evidently many ‘bullnoses’ are still working there to this day but most have been re-engined mostly fitted with ■■■■■■■ lumps and Fuller boxes with Rockwell axles.
The cabs were so noisy and drafty, more bare metal than an ERF had in it whole body, and the seat was murder as for the bunk, it was so uncomfortable that I got better rest in my old Borderer with a plank over the engine cowling.
There are many of these old beasts in places like Greece and Turkey but most are 20 or 30 years old and most have been re-engined over the years but rarely retain their old running gear also they were produced under licence in Turkey and also South America. And no the ‘bullnose’ was strictly unofficial.
I think it’s a classic case of they were just about ok in their day, but were quickly surpassed by other lorries.
yes,I drove one back in the day,probably late sixties early seventies,BOC at the time hired in a lot of tractor units from Avis Hertz and Godfrey Davis so instead of our staple diet of Fodens and Scammels we got to try some foreign exotica!!And,unfortunately,the only thing i remember is the gear lever coming adrift on Galley Bank on the A66,loaded,and the the handbrake unable to hold it,and a guy,whose surname was Atkinson,driving an Atkinson for Walls stopping and inserting a dry-stone wall behind my wheels for me,so not even a "rose-tinted"moment!! 
we have a restored one at lenham. never driven it yet, but will have to ask the boss if i can
This picture was taken at Darling Buds of May Classic Car Show, 11th July 2010. This years show is on July 8th 2012
A bit late to enter, but they’ll let you take it if nobody else is already doing so, Daddylonglegs. Just ask Andrew Fulcher, he brought it when this pic was taken and he asked me to take it last year, but I go in my Wolseley 16/60 car.
Cliff
okay thanks for that cliff.
DADDY LONGLEGS:
we have a restored one at lenham. never driven it yet, but will have to ask the boss if i can
I have seen a Lenhams tautliner with all of their Mercs throughout the decades- the “bullnose” represents the 70’s i think-Terry.
TautlinerTerry:
DADDY LONGLEGS:
we have a restored one at lenham. never driven it yet, but will have to ask the boss if i canI have seen a Lenhams tautliner with all of their Mercs throughout the decades- the “bullnose” represents the 70’s i think-Terry.
Picture of that trailer on Lenham thread.
Charlie poulter…Cawthorn & Sinclair…i drove part time for both companies…with the long bonnet… also drove the cawthorn Maggie deutz
Hi all,
I am attempting to make a scratchbuilt model of a Mercedes LS but have a queston for those of you who drove them or remember them well? How did the bonnet lift up? For example was it hinged at the front and the whole thing lifted upwards away from the cab (like most American trucks), or did it lift some other way?
cheers
Ian
scarren:
Hi all,I am attempting to make a scratchbuilt model of a Mercedes LS but have a queston for those of you who drove them or remember them well? How did the bonnet lift up? For example was it hinged at the front and the whole thing lifted upwards away from the cab (like most American trucks), or did it lift some other way?
cheers
Ian
hiya,
Just the same as a car bonnet lift and position the stay.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hi Harry, ah that makes sense! Thanks very much for your help.
cheers
Ian
I have made this model of a Merc bullnose, thought you might like to see it. I remember these things from when I was a lad. The model has been entirely scratch built:
And here is is with some of my other builds:
Without a doubt, the most difficult truck I have scratch built so far, those curves are a nightmare!
scarren:
I have made this model of a Merc bullnose, thought you might like to see it. I remember these things from when I was a lad. The model has been entirely scratch built:
And here is is with some of my other builds:
Without a doubt, the most difficult truck I have scratch built so far, those curves are a nightmare!
I think you’ve done a very admirable job there-well done!!
Jack Hanson ran a few bonneted mercs on the tipper job
Cliff Boulton:
This picture was taken at Darling Buds of May Classic Car Show, 11th July 2010. This years show is on July 8th 2012
A bit late to enter, but they’ll let you take it if nobody else is already doing so, Daddylonglegs. Just ask Andrew Fulcher, he brought it when this pic was taken and he asked me to take it last year, but I go in my Wolseley 16/60 car.
Cliff
Hey Cliff, is it in it’s original colours and was the company pulling roping and sheeting trailers in Belgium. Because we had in the '70’s a british haulier working here with Mercs with bonnets and forward controls in those colours.
Bye Eric,
Here’s a few from my travels in Turkmenistan…
They’re Iranian Mercs, the first one with the car transporter had crashed in a river one evening and been pulled out and was residing at a local TIR parking area the next morning…
The others were in the same park but on a different date…they seem to prop the bonnets open just slightly to help them cool down
That’s some size o seat belt in the transporter cab I canny see that catchin on. Eddie.
Bonnetted Merc was the first lorry I drove when I started for Himpsold Haulage in Gloucester. The job was loading trailers at Llanwern steelworks on night shift then dragging them back to Gloucester depot for the next day.
I found the things OK as long as you got used to not knowing where the front nearside was! And the lack of power. And the lack of brakes. And the noise from the struggling engine. They were quite comfortable to drive, though, that is after coming off a Mk1 Atki.
I never drove or travelled in it, but C B Morgan of Shaftesbury had a bonneted Merc 1418 with a 33ft Highway trailer on livestock in late 60’s, early 70’s. It was JYB 256D and came second hand in about 1967. Morgan’s also had a forward control 1418, HYA 584K bought new in about 71/72. These were later followed by many other various Merc models, through to early 80’s.