servo88:
012
A nice Mickey Mouse, one of the first things we wanted to know about a cab in those days before sleepers was ‘is it a good kipping cab?’ The answer in the case would be yes, nice flat bonnet and not too much building up on the seats to make it into a comfy bed. Whether it would be warm enough in the days before continental quilts is another matter though. 
BTW, I love those double armed mirrors, reduced vibration.
servo88:
012
I assume the massive box by the passengers right knee is the heater unit. What is the box below and to left of steering wheel. As a kid I thought the S21 stood out in the crowd. Looking inside it looks a bit pokey!
essexpete:
. Looking inside it looks a bit pokey!
By today’s standards, yes, but cosy I would say and easily convertable for nights out. 
essexpete:
servo88:
012I assume the massive box by the passengers right knee is the heater unit. What is the box below and to left of steering wheel. As a kid I thought the S21 stood out in the crowd. Looking inside it looks a bit pokey!
That’s the air cleaner on the passenger side, the box by the steering wheel I’m not too sure about though as that looks like something added. It does resemble a voltage regulator though so maybe that is what it is? No there wasn’t much room in them, at 6’4" tall I struggled to get my knees under the steering wheel. No interior headlining etc either, just bare fibreglass and they got rather warm in summer and ice dropped on you in winter.
Pete.
What was the Foden design shop thinking of putting a gretol air cleaner in the cab!
Have you all seen Steve Maley’s youtube clip of the 2 stroke S21 they restored?
windrush:
That’s the air cleaner on the passenger side, the box by the steering wheel I’m not too sure about though as that looks like something added. No there wasn’t much room in them, at 6’4" tall I struggled to get my knees under the steering wheel. No interior headlining etc either, just bare fibreglass and they got rather warm in summer and ice dropped on you in winter.Pete.
I realised about the air cleaner Pete, but I assumed Essexpete was referring to the square box which probably had to do with clearance for the fan although it is true the demister emerges from it. As to the box to the left of the steering wheel, I too am mystified by that and think you are right, some sort of afterthought.
But as to being over six feet tall and having trouble with getting your knees under the wheel, I am 5’ 6", like many lorry drivers of the day, but had chunky little legs which also fitted rather tailormade under the wheel, but I always loved the tendency in those days to have the wheel horizontal and set low, much easier without power to get the full force of strong shoulders into pulling them round. If anything that wheel looks higher than I would have expected.
But back to personal height, I noticed that most tall people had their extra length in the legs, not the upper body, and that sat next to my 6’ 7" mate in the car we were the same height. Also, in those days, 60s etc., I found that I was the perfect height always looking through the top of the screen, which goes to prove (?) my theory about body height. I had another mate, Bootsie Brown, very tall with large feet, who boasted he could sleep north/south on the engine cover with his feet against the screen in his Invincible. Never saw it proved myself, or measured my own Invincible, but I doubt it.
As to the lack of insulation and warmth, what was needed was a greatcoat and a flat cap, a la BRS, as we used to joke.
Nevertheless, until the Swedes arrived, we knew nothing better and to me the British lorries of the day were the bee’s knees. And I loved every minute of my time in them. 
I wondered about the air cleaner , iirc those with the Gardner had an oil bath air filter on top of the engine . Maybe the one in the picture had a Leyland 680 . Having demisters fitted would seem a tad optimistic if it were a Gardner .
rigsby:
Having demisters fitted would seem a tad optimistic if it were a Gardner .
Hence the greatcoat, flat cap…and the back of a gloved hand.
essexpete:
What was the Foden design shop thinking of putting a gretol air cleaner in the cab!
Have you all seen Steve Maley’s youtube clip of the 2 stroke S21 they restored?
They were not alone, some AEC’s had the aircleaner above the drivers right foot and Guy fitted some on the back wall of the cab. On the later S39 cab Foden fitted them under the cab infront of the nearside front wheel where they collected all the spray and ■■■■, at least they kept clean inside the cab!
Pete.
Spardo:
rigsby:
Having demisters fitted would seem a tad optimistic if it were a Gardner .
I used to carry the obligatory Fairy Liquid bottle “screen wash”,on bad mornings when the screen misted up constantly I just squirted it to stop it misting for a while , especially the passenger side where I couldn’t reach . I also used dispatch rider’s gauntlets from the ex army shop along with said flat cap and bus driver’s overcoat . Windrush wouldn’t know about these things ‘cos he’s only a sprog .
rigsby:
Spardo:
rigsby:
Having demisters fitted would seem a tad optimistic if it were a Gardner .
I used to carry the obligatory Fairy Liquid bottle “screen wash”,on bad mornings when the screen misted up constantly I just squirted it to stop it misting for a while , especially the passenger side where I couldn’t reach . I also used dispatch rider’s gauntlets from the ex army shop along with said flat cap and bus driver’s overcoat . Windrush wouldn’t know about these things ‘cos he’s only a sprog .
Having just used a selfie stick with a GoPro on the end to check below the surface of my pond, if only they’d been available then, with a soft cloth clipped on the end.
rigsby:
Spardo:
rigsby:
Having demisters fitted would seem a tad optimistic if it were a Gardner .
I used to carry the obligatory Fairy Liquid bottle “screen wash”,on bad mornings when the screen misted up constantly I just squirted it to stop it misting for a while , especially the passenger side where I couldn’t reach . I also used dispatch rider’s gauntlets from the ex army shop along with said flat cap and bus driver’s overcoat . Windrush wouldn’t know about these things ‘cos he’s only a sprog .
Quite true Dave, I’m very much a junior member on here. However being in my (admittedly late) forties isn’t all it’s cracked up to be either, but Dan and myself do like to hear from you ‘oldies’ about what life on the road was like back in our grandfathers time.
Pete.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Big Foden users in the past, long gone now though. I used to do vintage rallies with one of their former drivers, Wilf Edwards, now passed on alas. 
Pete.
