Restoring a classic lorry can be a minefield, this may sound completely stupid but usually the older the lorry the easier it is ! Restoring a Volvo 88 would for a start probably involve alot of welding and electrics work unless you’re lucky enough to find a barn stored item.Some of those old 50’s motors were very simple affairs mechanically and the cabs were nothing short of wooden sheds basically BUT easy to fix providing you have a rough idea on carpentry !! Flat screens can be made brand new fairly easily, not so on a more modern vehicle. Those 50’s trucks were originally built with the idea that they would be running for a long time time and companies often had them rebuilt, some times with a later version cab mounted on the original chassis. They lent themselves to be repaired without too much effort. Not so later motors. MOT’s is another problem, most restored motors built before 1st January 1960 are exempt. Modern engines are obviously a far more technical bit of equipment than say a Gardner 150 and although the joys of ploughing through a ‘ranger box’ is enjoyable when it comes to simplicity and restoration I think a David Brown 5 or 6 speed box is an easier option !! I have nothing but admiration for anyone about to restore any old lorry albeit an old Foden or a Scania, if your hearts in it then do it is my advise. I (along with help of friends) have restored three now and I’m getting too old to lay under another in freezing cold weather…people like you need to be enthusiastic otherwise this great fleet of classics we get to see at rallies and observe actually running on British roads will come to a grinding halt at some point. OH !! and I am no millionaire, I don’t have bottomless pockets and every penny counts but you don’t always have to spend thousands on those motors…hundreds is more believable but remember if you ever sell the motor you should calculate what you’ve spent and what you paid for the lorry originally to make sure you break even…I never expect to charge for labour otherwise every one of our restorations would be like talking telephone numbers !!
Hey Euromat, I can’t speak about a classic in GB, but think if you go for a Europian Volvo or Scania, it can be very expensive. Only if you have time to look out and can collect it by your self or as a return load, it would be cheaper.
Today in France or Sweden are the most still to find. Here mostly they as from 7000 Euro on for a wreck. And for parts it’s the same. Mecaniclly most side selling part aren’t aviable any more only at Scania so very expensive.
Last I did my V8 141 I could still by 90% of the parts made in Germany Mahle and so on. But if I had done it with Scania parts it had cost me 5 times the same price. 200 euro for one liner/piston kit, at Scania the piston alone was 500 Euro.
But Merc’s cost mostly only a 1/4 of a Sweed. Daf is expensive too.
Here sometimes there is a restored Sweed for sell, AND in restored condition for about 15000/20000 Euro, and believe me or not but that are wrecks. Yes the paint and sight is nice but underneath. 
That price will be only one thirth of that for a good done one if we old 50 / 60+ will die in some decades 
Than there will be hundreds 141’s for sell, because of the youngh never have known them and don’t want them any more. Same as we who never have known a pre WWII and don’t want to buy one.
1 buying price.
2 storage.
3 place and a lot of lorry knowlege to restore.
4 doing as mutch as possible by your self, or you need to have a big wallet.
5 you need at lot of tools and not the lightest as for cars.
6 fuel price depend as much you drive, and with or without trailer, and how high it is ( 4 meters ■■) and windy days.
( but an old American car with 7 liters engine will use as much as your truck ) Don’t know anymore the price
difference between petrol and diesel in Britain. But here the diesel is about 0.30 Euro cent cheaper as petrol at fuel
stations. But as you know, fill up at … I don’t mind cherry.
7 MOT if you need it, we not here, assurance is cheap here, but take never too cheap you need full security !!!
8 a lot of time off, otherwise it can take decades, and that can be disappointing after a while, many stay half restored.
9 be sure your truck is safely done, brakes, linkage etc…
10 and a lot more courrage as we have is needed.
Eric,
i have been thinking about getting a classic truck to go to shows etc. as much as i would love an f88 or 141 or something of that age, im guessing they will need a bit more money to maintain? i have been thinking along the lines of an early volvo or daf, as i know whos livery i would get it painted in as a tribute to his company (and they never had scanias)
does anyone have any experience of this sort of thing? i would not be looking to buy for at least a year or so (unless something came up which i couldnt refuse!) so any info on pitfalls etc would be greatly received
Euromat,
Can’t say for a classic truck but having experienced classic car ownership, the chief problem was availability of parts - if it’s an old model, so finding a few good breakers is the key thing.
Second thing was owners clubs, worth researching to see if there is an active owners club for the model you choose as they are great for parts/advice etc, especially if they have a website/forum.
Insurance, again classic cars are quite good on this generally (unless it’s a very expensive model) cause I would imagine the mileage would be fairly small and you may find limited mileage policies available - careful where you store it though as this can have a big effect on premiums.
Tax - again can the vehicle get any exemptions on road tax?? Probably not given the age of trucks you are talking about so another cost.
The above link is an example of the sort of thing, there may well be more modern owners clubs as well, you’ll have to do some Googling…
Hope this helps.
PS Which company’s livery are you thinking of??
chorcheela:
Euromat,
Can’t say for a classic truck but having experienced classic car ownership, the chief problem was availability of parts - if it’s an old model, so finding a few good breakers is the key thing.Second thing was owners clubs, worth researching to see if there is an active owners club for the model you choose as they are great for parts/advice etc, especially if they have a website/forum.
Insurance, again classic cars are quite good on this generally (unless it’s a very expensive model) cause I would imagine the mileage would be fairly small and you may find limited mileage policies available - careful where you store it though as this can have a big effect on premiums.
Tax - again can the vehicle get any exemptions on road tax?? Probably not given the age of trucks you are talking about so another cost.
The Historic Commercial Vehicle Society
The above link is an example of the sort of thing, there may well be more modern owners clubs as well, you’ll have to do some Googling…
Hope this helps.
PS Which company’s livery are you thinking of??
tell me about classic cars! im a volkswagen man (got 9 of them!) and run a suffolk based club!
i dont want to give too much away about the livery at this stage as i want to try and suprise the chap if i ever manage to get it done, but maybe ill let you know short;y…
I think that you can tax them as private vehicles if it is for private use only.
you could always tax it as a showmans motor and tow a trailer as living space(home) far cheaper…
Lets hope I can give you some useful info, euromat.
I own a 1971 Atkinson Borderer and have had it now for nearly 9 years.
These old wagons can at times be expensive to keep. However, in other respects they can be quite inexpensive.
There are obvious difficulties in obtaining parts and some can be expensive. Some parts can be obtained for next to nothing if you are prepared to trawl scrapyards. You may also find that reconditioning some parts is the only alternative.
Day to Day running costs depend on many circumstances.
If you get a pre-1973 vehicle, it will be tax exempt, giving you about a £170 head start on newer vehicles.
Insurance is relatively cheap if you use the specialist insurers. I use Randall Butcher Jones who operate a special scheme for the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society. I get fully comp insurance with an agreed value of £5000 (lorry is probably only worth half that) for about £100 a year.
The main expense is of course fuel. However, as you would be mostly running empty, the fuel bill shouldn’t be too big. My Atki does about 14mpg running solo, yet only returns about 10mpg running with an empty 40ft box trailer.
Storage can also be a problem. I don’t have space to store my lorry at home so it has to stay on a local farm.
My advice would be to get Classic & Vintage Commercials and Heritage Commercials magazines and then get out to some of the rallies. Talk to the owners and do your research before jumping in!
Hope this helps
8wheels:
I think that you can tax them as private vehicles if it is for private use only.
The taxation class is Private HGV and is similar in cost to PLG.
killsville:
Lets hope I can give you some useful info, euromat.I own a 1971 Atkinson Borderer and have had it now for nearly 9 years.
These old wagons can at times be expensive to keep. However, in other respects they can be quite inexpensive.
There are obvious difficulties in obtaining parts and some can be expensive. Some parts can be obtained for next to nothing if you are prepared to trawl scrapyards. You may also find that reconditioning some parts is the only alternative.
Day to Day running costs depend on many circumstances.
If you get a pre-1973 vehicle, it will be tax exempt, giving you about a £170 head start on newer vehicles.
Insurance is relatively cheap if you use the specialist insurers. I use Randall Butcher Jones who operate a special scheme for the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society. I get fully comp insurance with an agreed value of £5000 (lorry is probably only worth half that) for about £100 a year.
The main expense is of course fuel. However, as you would be mostly running empty, the fuel bill shouldn’t be too big. My Atki does about 14mpg running solo, yet only returns about 10mpg running with an empty 40ft box trailer.
Storage can also be a problem. I don’t have space to store my lorry at home so it has to stay on a local farm.
My advice would be to get Classic & Vintage Commercials and Heritage Commercials magazines and then get out to some of the rallies. Talk to the owners and do your research before jumping in!
Hope this helps
lovely, some very useful info there cheers!
storage wont be a problem, i have plenty of room and a haulage yard round the corner, and running costs would not amout to too much for the amount of use i expect it would get during the course of a year.
by the looks of it, i would go for an 80s daf/volvo, im presuming bits will be slightly less expensive and more plentiful (i know a couple of local firms who still run old stuff), and i will look out a copy of c&vc mag
thanks for the info!! 
Try here for the magazine.
If you don’t want to subscribe to it, WH Smiths stock it or try your local newsagent.
Here is a picture of a recently restored DAF, just to get you interested!
The national farmers union also do good deals for insurance for classic trucks. The F12 the I have is only £130 per year fully comp, the road tax is less than I pay for my Sabb 9000!
Hi, currently I own the following trucks:
Leyland Marathon mk 2
Leyland T45 Roadtrain 19.35
Ford Transcontinental
Ford Cargo
DAF 2600
Volvo F88
plus
3 Rovers 827
1 Fiat Ritmo Strada 130 TC
1 Fiat Ritmo Strada 105 TC
Hi Leyland…a nice collection you have there…i have driven most of them you mention…but i especially love the daf 2600…and have a photo of the one i used to drive…if only i could post them on here…i havnt a clue…even though i have tried many times…i need help in that department…my scanner is not too clever.
truckyboy:
Hi Leyland…a nice collection you have there…i have driven most of them you mention…but i especially love the daf 2600…and have a photo of the one i used to drive…if only i could post them on here…i havnt a clue…even though i have tried many times…i need help in that department…my scanner is not too clever.
Hi there Truckyboy
If you mail your photo to me I’ll post it for you.
Am really looking forward to that pic!
Renay
that 2800 daf is a beuty
killsville:
8wheels:
I think that you can tax them as private vehicles if it is for private use only.The taxation class is Private HGV and is similar in cost to PLG.
Should be on a freebie if it’s 1972 or earlier - surely your Atki will qualify??
240 Gardner:
Should be on a freebie if it’s 1972 or earlier - surely your Atki will qualify??
Correct! I love going to the Post Office for my free tax disc every June!
Shows how daft the law is when mine is free and Bowker 34 has to pay £170 or so, especially considering they are the same vehicle with barely 18 months age difference.
My father owns a 1982 f12 Globetrotter. Heres a link to my webshots album whit pics of the old girl-
rides.webshots.com/album/470008699fCXvnr
We bought It of a fella called Stuart Knight from Barnsley two years ago who restored her from the ground up.
Also does anybody have any contact details for Stuart knight as I have lost it.
stuarty500:
My father owns a 1982 f12 Globetrotter. Heres a link to my webshots album whit pics of the old girl-rides.webshots.com/album/470008699fCXvnr
We bought It of a fella called Stuart Knight from Barnsley two years ago who restored her from the ground up.
Also does anybody have any contact details for Stuart knight as I have lost it.
that is a fantastic looking tuck you got there, great resto and pics, cheers!!
thats exactly the sort of thing im looking for, hopefully an unfinished project which needs paint!! been told there are a lot around italy, so may have a little holiday down there to investigate