How do you choose your favourite lorry?
Like most drivers, I have a favourite. I’ve always had a favourite, but over the years that favourite model of lorry has changed countless times as I’ve refined my preferences for what was on offer.
There are any number of criterion by which to make that choice, including: certain engines, gearbox type, cab style / size, vehicle manufacturer, axle configuration, economy of operation, driving position, appearance (cab style) etc. And of course all those factors come into play.
But I have a suspicion that most people have a starting place; that one of those factors is just a bit more important than everything else. Identifying that single factor makes it much easier to start working out what one’s real favourite is.
For example, Driver ‘A’ might identify Scania as his starting place and from there he can narrow things down by choosing the model with the cab, engine, gearbox etc that he prefers. Driver ‘B’ might identify ■■■■■■■ as his starting place. This would give him a massive choice and he would have to eliminate lorries that were uncomfortable, or whose gearboxes didn’t match well etc etc. Driver ‘C’ might identify big, high cabs as his starting place. From this position, he has only to isolate all the high-cabbed units ever built and then start making sub-choices about engines, manufacturers etc. Driver ‘D’ might identify double-drive 6x4 as his starting place…
The next stage is deciding what the second most important factor is. If Driver ‘A’ wants a Scania no matter what, he might decide that his second priority is a high cab so that’ll narrow it down to Top-liners. Then what is the third priority? It might be a LWB 4x2, so that narrows it down further.
For what it’s worth, my starting place is the gearbox! I start with constant-mesh manual Fuller / Eaton ‘boxes and then look at what’s on offer. My second criterion is driving satisfaction (which includes driving position and the x-factor). My third criterion is that it should be LHD (just a preference). My fourth criterion is that the engine is a ■■■■■■■■ You can see how I ended up with ERF ‘Europeans’ then can’t you!
What are your favourites and how do you arrive at your conclusions?
Robert 
I choose anything with a fibre glass cab ,so that narrows it down to just 2 for me !
Favourite truck would have to be this…
I was only 20 when I bought it, it wasn’t the most powerful truck I ever run, or the biggest, or fastest, and it broke down from time to time.
Probably because it was the first truck I had that was capable of doing everything I asked it to do.
385 bhp, Volvo 16 speed box, dif lock, Galashiels to Hilton park 4 hours 29 minutes ( through the night )… loaded… Same time from Galashiels to Nairn.
Jeff…
Robert you could of had a Kenworth, left hand drive ■■■■■■■■ Road Ranger, Rockwell. big cab as well…
Jeff…
Jelliot:
Robert you could of had a Kenworth, left hand drive ■■■■■■■■ Road Ranger, Rockwell. big cab as well…
Jeff…
Yes, there are several models that were not available ‘off the shelf’ here that I keep in reserve in case I ever drive one, and the K100E Aerodyne is one of them! Robert
Started of driving a petrol engine O type Bedford and ended up when I retired after 50 years with a DAF, but was lucky enough to be one of the first to get a Scania Vabis 76 when they came over here, big change from what I had been used to but a nice motor to drive, but if I had to choose, it would be a Volvo F88 or F89 preferably an F89 for No.1 reliability, No.2 comfort that was me happy, never been an owner driver or ever wanted to be so other factors never came into it, modern motors are like the cars all look the same and you cant work on them like you used to be able to do, and they call that progress.
Ossie
Simple, made in Sandbach by Foden… and I don’t mean Ford Trancontinentals.
Pete.
My favourite lorry is the scania ls vabis beautiful lorries
Hey, As I already said, on the continent you can’t build your choise. At yours it was better as in the States.
The marque of lorry,box,axles and cab.
I have driven many different lorries. A favoriet was of course the 89, but many other were right good.
In the '70’s we dreamt of a F89 with a Scania cab. But after the Volvo 10/12 was a favoriet cab.
The Scania V8 was a dream of course, but never liked the box with only 10 speeds, if I could do it again
it was a V8 with a RTO 13 speed. Or a Volvo 12 Intercooler with a 16 speed, but with the 12 speeds you had enough.
because it were exactly 14 in it with the crawlers AND 16!!! without locker. But never tried.
Sorry but never liked high roofs, nevertheless sometimes weeks away from home.
Cheers Eric,
Atky. or Foden, 350 ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, and a Jake brake. What more could a lorry driver want?
I drove a K100 for 14 months when I was America, not the most comfortable truck to drive but it went pretty good and the overnight accommodation was a lot better than anything that Europe had to offer at the same time. I took loads of photos of it all over the place, but Fed Ex decided that they couldn’t be bothered to hold up their end of the deal. The last I saw of the photos and all the other stuff I accumulated was their depot in Pamona.
■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell + overdrive, good to cruise at 77 mph all day on the inter-state.
I built this one a few years ago…
Jeff…
Beautiful model, as always Jeff! I sat in one once and I have to say that I remember thinking that the B-series ERF had the edge on it for driver comfort!! Robert
Here a realy beast in its time, even without turbo. Everyone looked surprised as we
went to Ireland with them, not me on the pic.
Yoy had the king here in the '60’s with it, surely with turbo, pitty everything behind the engine
was a bit weak with a heavy driver behind the wheel ,surely on construction work.
Cheers Eric,
Hey, A top machine in the '50’s here,
Cheers Eric,
Here the best memories with this one,
Cheers Eric,
Here’s another Belgian AEC Mandator of the same period to go with your picture, Tip-top! Robert
Whoops! I left it in my trouser pocket and it’s shrunk in the wash. 
tiptop495:
Here a realy beast in its time, even without turbo. Everyone looked surprised as we
went to Ireland with them, not me on the pic.
Yoy had the king here in the '60’s with it, surely with turbo, pitty everything behind the engine
was a bit weak with a heavy driver behind the wheel ,surely on construction work.
Cheers Eric,
Very nice is it right hand drive
irish lorries:
tiptop495:
Here a realy beast in its time, even without turbo. Everyone looked surprised as we
went to Ireland with them, not me on the pic.
Yoy had the king here in the '60’s with it, surely with turbo, pitty everything behind the engine
was a bit weak with a heavy driver behind the wheel ,surely on construction work.
Cheers Eric,
Very nice is it right hand drive
hey Irish, Were never built right hand drive, even as Sweden drove on the left hand side.
Cheers Eric,
tiptop495:
irish lorries:
tiptop495:
Here a realy beast in its time, even without turbo. Everyone looked surprised as we
went to Ireland with them, not me on the pic.
Yoy had the king here in the '60’s with it, surely with turbo, pitty everything behind the engine
was a bit weak with a heavy driver behind the wheel ,surely on construction work.
Cheers Eric,
Very nice is it right hand drive
hey Irish, Were never built right hand drive, even as Sweden drove on the left hand side.
Cheers Eric,
Was thinking that it’s a shame they could of had a market in the UK and Ireland
robert1952:
Whoops! I left it in my trouser pocket and it’s shrunk in the wash.
That’s a good excuse. I’ll use it in the future.
