Didn’t Drinkwater become Drinkwater Sabey iirc…
RJ
5thwheel:
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!David
What would be the point in doing that. That’s like fitting a jet engine to a restored Spitfire and then saying “look, here’s what we could have done” Why did they not go all the way and fit a sofa in the cab along with a flat screen tv.
Guy Big J 8lxb:
Didn’t Drinkwater become Drinkwater Sabey iirc…RJ
yes, that’s right
Dennis Javelin:
5thwheel:
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!David
What would be the point in doing that. That’s like fitting a jet engine to a restored Spitfire and then saying “look, here’s what we could have done” Why did they not go all the way and fit a sofa in the cab along with a flat screen tv.
Not sure I follow that argument, as 8LXBs were available at the time; and in any case there were Guy Big-Js running around with even more powerful ■■■■■■■ 250s. And wasn’t it Pickfords who ran at least one with a ■■■■■■■ 335 in it. R
One of the six Big J’s we ran at Bewick Transport was able to operate as a semi submersible, a very rare beast indeed more so than an 8LXB Big J. And of course I am able to provide photographic evidence which is more than the 8LXB believers can do ! 
Bewick:
Trev_H:
I like the ■■■■■■■ engined Guy, exactly the same set up as the 290 I had, the exhaust stack,air intake, header tank at the back of the cab is totally original as I remember it. That exhaust in your right ear was loud, we used to get pulled by the law about the noise.
My mate done a regular run through Whitchurch every night, the law pulled him up and told him they had complaints from residents having their windows rattled every night, was his exhaust faulty? My mate replied no its not faulty its a new truck and tell the residents of Whitchurch they get it for 5 mins every night, I’ve got it for 11hrs
I wonder if the blue one in the Photo is ex. Pickfords they had a few with the 335, god knows what they went like, the speedo went to 80mph, the main beam warning light was at 6 o clock they were still pulling past that, unlike the gardner they had a real good heater too.
Wish I still drove one!If it was ex Pickfords Trev it would never have been over worked while in their service as it would have just paddled about at 30MPH with a police ■■■■■■ and they would have parked up at 4PM washed and changed and sat in the digs waiting for opening time .And I dare say when it came out of service it still had the polythene on the seats and engine !! When the next owner opened it up for the first time I bet there were cobwebs , birds nests and god knows what else come out of the exhaust stack !! Cheers Bewick.
Now this was just a total waste of one fine powerful motor ! As far as Pickfords were concerned a Scammell Highwayman would do the same work as the Powerful Big J because there was more work in three Soluble Asprins than a three man crew on Pickfords ! I stopped in a number of digs when I was at Brady’s as a trailer mate and have first hand knowledge of the lazy ■■■■■■■■ that worked at Pickfords ! Cheers Bewick 
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.
The relevant measurement is going to be more like inner face of the radiator to rear axle flange.The engine can’t go any further forward than the radiator allowing for fan clearance and much of it obviously sits well forward over the front axle.So total distance from rad to axle flange minus fan clearance v total length of dressed 8 LXB + bell housing and 9 speed fuller box and output flange.That will leave roughly prop shaft length.
ERF-NGC-European:
Dennis Javelin:
5thwheel:
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!David
What would be the point in doing that. That’s like fitting a jet engine to a restored Spitfire and then saying “look, here’s what we could have done” Why did they not go all the way and fit a sofa in the cab along with a flat screen tv.
Not sure I follow that argument, as 8LXBs were available at the time
So were Griffon engines but they never put one in a Mustang but one or two air racers did after the war fortunately for the Germans.
Nmp [emoji4]
Its on here a few pages back. Badge Engineered i believe ■■?.
Trucky Mc truckface:
Its on here a few pages back. Badge Engineered i believe ■■?.
Nope.Badge engineered does mean the real deal like an Austin Westminster v Wolseley 6110.That example is more like sticking a Westminster badge on a Cambridge. 
Carryfast:
Trucky Mc truckface:
Its on here a few pages back. Badge Engineered i believe ■■?.Nope.Badge engineered does mean the real deal like an Austin Westminster v Wolseley 6110.That example is more like sticking a Westminster badge on a Cambridge.
Similar to changing the name of Leatherhead to Windsor I suppose !
Denzil. You owe me a new keyboard. Spat my Wine out reading that. Bloody Brilliant 
Trucky Mc truckface:
Denzil. You owe me a new keyboard. Spat my Wine out reading that. Bloody Brilliant
But 100% true! Sorry about your key board though and where are you still buying wine from or is it out of your saved up stash maybe or it could be “home brew” ■■ Don’t sup too much of that home brew it will send you blind Mate ! Cheers Dezil.
I was wondering when SoM ordered the 8LXB GUY Big Js did Gardner’s say to GUY we will supply you with a large amount of 8LXBs so long as your customer orders them
Was it a ploy by Gardner to get another foothold in the door as SoM were also operating “A” Series ERFs powered 8LXBs
You’ll probably know better Dennis but wasn’t ERF charging a premium for Gardner’s and that’s why ERF were pushing operators to fit ■■■■■■■ engines as supply was more available?
I can remember reading an article in a Truck magazine when ERF launched the “EC” Series Gardner’s weren’t an option but it was stated that if an operator wanted a large order for Gardner’s then ERF would of considered it
Cheers Gary
gazsa401:
I was wondering when SoM ordered the 8LXB GUY Big Js did Gardner’s say to GUY we will supply you with a large amount of 8LXBs so long as your customer orders them
Was it a ploy by Gardner to get another foothold in the door as SoM were also operating “A” Series ERFs powered 8LXBs
You’ll probably know better Dennis but wasn’t ERF charging a premium for Gardner’s and that’s why ERF were pushing operators to fit ■■■■■■■ engines as supply was more available?
I can remember reading an article in a Truck magazine when ERF launched the “EC” Series Gardner’s weren’t an option but it was stated that if an operator wanted a large order for Gardner’s then ERF would of considered it
Cheers Gary
Hi Gaz, are you keeping your head down and avoiding this bloody virus ■■ Peter Foden once told me at a lunch I attended that the best favour UK Hauliers could do ERF was to order chassis with either ■■■■■■■ or RR ( ugh!) engines ! And your right they did along with other manufacturers charge a premium for the Gardner engined chassis which IIRC was in the range of £1000 to £1500 depending on which Gardner engine was fitted. But the dyed in the wool Operators knew that the extra cost was covered by the frugal diesel consumption and reliability plus a Gardner engine chassis always commanded a premium in the second hand market. I have said previously that ■■■■■■■ engine Guy Big J’s were the backbone of the SOM fleet throughout the years and I do not believe that Guy Motors could have got their hands on anymore than an odd 8LXB as Fodens/ERF & Atkinson were always clamouring for more Gardner engines than they were strictly allocated by Gardners rationing system. Cheers Dennis.
Total annual Gardner engine sales to UK lorry assemblers from the announcement of the 8LXB in 1970 until 1975 were:
Sales Year 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Atkinson 883 1,036 877 424 475 525
ERF 1,219 1,283 1,164 586 733 875
Foden 870 902 1,004 521 581 527
Guy 522 525 680 270 298 395
Scammell 120 98 70 45 10 Nil
Seddon 247 373 221 129 247 271
1973 was the year of the 12 weeks strike at Gardner
The Seddon totals will include engines for the Pennine bus
Sadly I don’t have totals of engine types supplied.
Sorry it won’t line up correctly, but you should be able to work it out
gingerfold:
Total annual Gardner engine sales to UK lorry assemblers from the announcement of the 8LXB in 1970 until 1975 were:Sales Year 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Atkinson 883 1,036 877 424 475 525
ERF 1,219 1,283 1,164 586 733 875
Foden 870 902 1,004 521 581 527
Guy 522 525 680 270 298 395
Scammell 120 98 70 45 10 Nil
Seddon 247 373 221 129 247 2711973 was the year of the 12 weeks strike at Gardner
The Seddon totals will include engines for the Pennine bus
Sadly I don’t have totals of engine types supplied.
Sorry it won’t line up correctly, but you should be able to work it out
I was told by a former Atkinson employee of the strange way that Gardners sold their engines to the various manufacturers and this was based on the number of cylinders and not actual engines. I’ve no reason to doubt this individual but I always thought it strange ! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Carryfast:
Trucky Mc truckface:
Its on here a few pages back. Badge Engineered i believe ■■?.Nope.Badge engineered does mean the real deal like an Austin Westminster v Wolseley 6110.That example is more like sticking a Westminster badge on a Cambridge.
Similar to changing the name of Leatherhead to Windsor I suppose !
Berkshire perish the thought.No wonder she prefers Scotland.
gingerfold:
Total annual Gardner engine sales to UK lorry assemblers from the announcement of the 8LXB in 1970 until 1975 were:Sales Year 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Atkinson 883 1,036 877 424 475 525
ERF 1,219 1,283 1,164 586 733 875
Foden 870 902 1,004 521 581 527
Guy 522 525 680 270 298 395
Scammell 120 98 70 45 10 Nil
Seddon 247 373 221 129 247 2711973 was the year of the 12 weeks strike at Gardner
The Seddon totals will include engines for the Pennine bus
Sadly I don’t have totals of engine types supplied.
Sorry it won’t line up correctly, but you should be able to work it out
Interesting figures there for ERF,Atkinson and Foden 1970,71’,72’.Could see the writing was on the wall from there.