Bewick:
Well I thought this “dead horse thread” had finally died a death!!! Apparently not ! but seeing as we are now experiencing difficult times I suppose it is as good a time as any to rekindle— no— regurgitate this Unicorn thread !
There is obviously some serious discrepancy with the arithmetic as it yo yo’s about between 37 and 40 chassis but funnily our long gone pal Trev H from Penkridge was adamant that the BRS apprentices that attended the Wolverhampton Tech with numerous fellow Apprentices from Guy Motors never heard them EVER mention Guy Big J’s having the 8LXB engine ! And for what it is worth, apart from maybe the odd one ( very odd) there is A) no way would Guy Motors be allocated 37/40 8LXB’s, one or two maybe. And B) United Transport Group the parent of SOM were large ■■■■■■■ users so on price alone they would not see any financial advantage of paying a premium for the 8LXB over the 205/220/250 ■■■■■■■ engines. And that is just supposing for one nano second that Guy Motors could even persuade Leyland Motors to allow them to even consider Gardner 8LXB engines which the combined forces of Foden, ERF and Atkinson had a strangle hold on the delivery of as all three of them could never obtain enough 8LXB engines to satisfy their many operators ! So Lads we are back at square one (1) as the believers are up “[zb] creek” without a photograph. I can’t believe I am getting involved in this futile discussion as it is like standing a’top of Shap Fell trying to ■■■■ into the wind ! Bewick.
I thought i would give you something to do Dennis with the current ongoing situation.
You were a crafty bugger posting the question to begin with. As you well know the chances of someone actually
taking a photo of the engine are probably zero !
However you never know one may turn up wih a side view ?
Dipster:
Presuming the picture recently posted was taken by the magazine article writer or photographer I find it hard to imagine that s/he would not have taken a few pics of the vehicle from different angles, perhaps including one that would meet Bewicks´quite reasonable request. Is it just possible the negatives or prints of such a pic might be in an archive somewhere? But where?
“Dipster” You have to remember how expensive it was back then having photos developed,so if you ask Bubbs,Paul Gee etc they
tended to take pic’s from the front and side most of the time,rather than the rear of the cab. We can only hope that someone
did manage to take a side shot that show’s the engine sticking out !
I hate to think how many thousands of pounds they spent on having pic’s developed over the years !
If you google Guy Big J and look at the pics apart from the one showing a cab tilted there are few that actually show the rear view of the tractor units. To me (a Foden rigid man, so what would I know anyway?) the Guy in the Smiths pic doesn’t look to have any different a wheelbase to the standard ones and I thought that a 8LXB engined chassis would be longer, like the detroit engined Bedford KM’s were?
Bewick:
Well I thought this “dead horse thread” had finally died a death!!! Apparently not ! but seeing as we are now experiencing difficult times I suppose it is as good a time as any to rekindle— no— regurgitate this Unicorn thread !
There is obviously some serious discrepancy with the arithmetic as it yo yo’s about between 37 and 40 chassis but funnily our long gone pal Trev H from Penkridge was adamant that the BRS apprentices that attended the Wolverhampton Tech with numerous fellow Apprentices from Guy Motors never heard them EVER mention Guy Big J’s having the 8LXB engine ! And for what it is worth, apart from maybe the odd one ( very odd) there is A) no way would Guy Motors be allocated 37/40 8LXB’s, one or two maybe. And B) United Transport Group the parent of SOM were large ■■■■■■■ users so on price alone they would not see any financial advantage of paying a premium for the 8LXB over the 205/220/250 ■■■■■■■ engines. And that is just supposing for one nano second that Guy Motors could even persuade Leyland Motors to allow them to even consider Gardner 8LXB engines which the combined forces of Foden, ERF and Atkinson had a strangle hold on the delivery of as all three of them could never obtain enough 8LXB engines to satisfy their many operators ! So Lads we are back at square one (1) as the believers are up “[zb] creek” without a photograph. I can’t believe I am getting involved in this futile discussion as it is like standing a’top of Shap Fell trying to ■■■■ into the wind ! Bewick.
I thought i would give you something to do Dennis with the current ongoing situation.
You were a crafty bugger posting the question to begin with. As you well know the chances of someone actually
taking a photo of the engine are probably zero !
However you never know one may turn up wih a side view ?
Dipster:
Presuming the picture recently posted was taken by the magazine article writer or photographer I find it hard to imagine that s/he would not have taken a few pics of the vehicle from different angles, perhaps including one that would meet Bewicks´quite reasonable request. Is it just possible the negatives or prints of such a pic might be in an archive somewhere? But where?
“Dipster” You have to remember how expensive it was back then having photos developed,so if you ask Bubbs,Paul Gee etc they
tended to take pic’s from the front and side most of the time,rather than the rear of the cab. We can only hope that someone
did manage to take a side shot that show’s the engine sticking out !
I hate to think how many thousands of pounds they spent on having pic’s developed over the years !
I really imagined professional photographers would have had a wee dark room and developed their own. My brother did this when we were kids.
windrush:
If you google Guy Big J and look at the pics apart from the one showing a cab tilted there are few that actually show the rear view of the tractor units. To me (a Foden rigid man, so what would I know anyway?) the Guy in the Smiths pic doesn’t look to have any different a wheelbase to the standard ones and I thought that a 8LXB engined chassis would be longer, like the detroit engined Bedford KM’s were?
Pete.
An earlier post quoted that they had spoken to Phil Rogers who is very knowledgeable about all things Guy and he had remarked how short the propshaft was on these vehicles.
As an aside does anyone know if Phil is still alive? I dealt with him a lot when he was with Multipart and always enjoyed talking to him.
windrush:
If you google Guy Big J and look at the pics apart from the one showing a cab tilted there are few that actually show the rear view of the tractor units. To me (a Foden rigid man, so what would I know anyway?) the Guy in the Smiths pic doesn’t look to have any different a wheelbase to the standard ones and I thought that a 8LXB engined chassis would be longer, like the detroit engined Bedford KM’s were?
Pete.
The Big J, Seddon 32/4 and both the A & B Series ERF’s were all 9’6" wheel bases regardless as to what engine was fitted. Only the Borderer was 10’ 8" W.B. again regardless of what engine was fitted. Cheers Bewick.
windrush:
If you google Guy Big J and look at the pics apart from the one showing a cab tilted there are few that actually show the rear view of the tractor units. To me (a Foden rigid man, so what would I know anyway?) the Guy in the Smiths pic doesn’t look to have any different a wheelbase to the standard ones and I thought that a 8LXB engined chassis would be longer, like the detroit engined Bedford KM’s were?
Pete.
The Big J, Seddon 32/4 and both the A & B Series ERF’s were all 9’6" wheel bases regardless as to what engine was fitted. Only the Borderer was 10’ 8" W.B. again regardless of what engine was fitted. Cheers Bewick.
That’s finally settled things then, we have a pic of a Smiths Big J with a 240 Gardner badge on the grille so we now know they 100% existed and have the proof. End of thread at last, ONTO THE NEXT CONUNDRUM NOW!
windrush:
If you google Guy Big J and look at the pics apart from the one showing a cab tilted there are few that actually show the rear view of the tractor units. To me (a Foden rigid man, so what would I know anyway?) the Guy in the Smiths pic doesn’t look to have any different a wheelbase to the standard ones and I thought that a 8LXB engined chassis would be longer, like the detroit engined Bedford KM’s were?
Pete.
The Big J, Seddon 32/4 and both the A & B Series ERF’s were all 9’6" wheel bases regardless as to what engine was fitted. Only the Borderer was 10’ 8" W.B. again regardless of what engine was fitted. Cheers Bewick.
That’s finally settled things then, we have a pic of a Smiths Big J with a 240 Gardner badge on the grille so we now know they 100% existed and have the proof. End of thread at last, ONTO THE NEXT CONUNDRUM NOW!
Pete.
Had the “proof” a long time before now Pete,his original request has been honored,DRIVER.
I’m going to buy one of the build sheets off the C V Museum. I’ll let people look at it for a fiver a go. Viewings will be at Charnock Richard Services, no more than three at once. Fifth cubicle from the basins.
Edit- customers from North of Lancaster pay double.
[zb]
anorak:
I’m going to buy one of the build sheets off the C V Museum. I’ll let people look at it for a fiver a go. Viewings will be at Charnock Richard Services, no more than three at once. Fifth cubicle from the basins.
Edit- customers from North of Lancaster pay double.
If this is an outdoor viewing I think Boris will only allow you two people together at once now for the next while… You could do souvenir photocopies and t-shirts too!
Why haven’t any come to light? Because most were exported to Australia, where they were utilised as triple road train prime movers, delivering groceries to supermarkets in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
One of these rare Guys has recently come into my possession. The paint and tyres are in less than pristine condition, but it is complete and running.
Dennis, as the richest man, north of the Thames, if you deposit 100,000 (A$, € or GB£, I care not which) into my Swiss bank account, I’ll pop it in the mail. Should the dosh not be in my account by Friday (AES time) I shall offer the truck to the forum populous.
Kindest regards, Ian.
Hiya,
Er’ I once drove an Atki with 150 Percy built in, it had a 240 badge on the
grill and not fitted by me, I wasn’t in to modifications and it wasn’t my
regular drive either, mine had a proper engine a ■■■■■■■■
[zb]
anorak:
I’m going to buy one of the build sheets off the C V Museum. I’ll let people look at it for a fiver a go. Viewings will be at Charnock Richard Services, no more than three at once. Fifth cubicle from the basins.
Edit- customers from North of Lancaster pay double.
If this is an outdoor viewing I think Boris will only allow you two people together at once now for the next while… You could do souvenir photocopies and t-shirts too!
Don’t know if this has been posted before. Same air vents as the SOM unit discussed previously. Sorry but struggling to send it as an actual picture. Scroll down to the 33rd row.
Yes it’s on here somewhere,the Big J had a big Percy fitted in order to put on the show circuit,just to prove it can be done,but Dennis is still in denial!
As Ive mentioned before WW Drinkwaters of Willesden,had a Guy 6 wheel tipper with a 240
They weren’t known for purchasing hi spec vehicles, but they had a fleet of over 250 at one time and
Im guessing this Guy was a cancelled order or some such.They would never have ordered it.
At least 3 people have confirmed its existence including the brother of its now passed driver
Apparently, and understandably it was a flying machine.
I know its not a T/U but worth a mention
they did some with Gardner 240’s but not many. One was exhibited at a Commercial Motor show.
Hi Dennis,
You are going to have to find another little conundrum for them,now that Steve appears to have solved that one.
Cheers Dave.
Yea Dave I think this thread is just about played out !! I am going into the garden shed to put my head in a bucket or maybe I will take up cage fighting it will be a lot less painfull Cheers Dennis.
finbarot:
As Ive mentioned before WW Drinkwaters of Willesden,had a Guy 6 wheel tipper with a 240
They weren’t known for purchasing hi spec vehicles, but they had a fleet of over 250 at one time and
Im guessing this Guy was a cancelled order or some such.They would never have ordered it.
At least 3 people have confirmed its existence including the brother of its now passed driver
Apparently, and understandably it was a flying machine.
I know its not a T/U but worth a mention
Were Drinkwaters motors painted in a dark green with white signage?
