Eric, you are right…OMT, MF, but also Breda, Astra, Cristanini, magnificient engineering but past tense unfortunately
ERF-Continental:
Eric, you are right…OMT, MF, but also Breda, Astra, Cristanini, magnificient engineering but past tense unfortunately
Hey ERF, they made very special design engine and advanced technic, but mostly of low quality.
Fiat was the best, but all it weaknesses too. Of course in that time lots had there weaknesses, but worked on it.
Here you had three Fiat’s for only two Volvo,s and don’t forget the highly priced Scania’s.
So some moved here from Scania to Fiat’s.
In the Nederlands you had lots with the small cabbed and lower gross weight 643, because of the lower gross weight
for the four axle combinations here in this pic, or ERF ■■?
Bye Eric,
I will scan and sort out more on the 643 …Catrabel-times revive!!!
Some extractions out of an old “Uso e Manutenzione” from 1958…in the '70s
a series with names of young animals (Cerbiatto, Daino, Leoncino, Orsetto…)
was very popular in Netherlands.
Some scans out of an original and so beautifully illustrated brochure of 1954.
Alfa Romeo intended to compete with the VW van, as well as Fiat’s models
for all kind of purposes…roughly 35.000 Romeo’s (Romeo, Romeo 2* and
Romeo3*) were made from 1954 till 1964…for carabinieri, guarda di finanza
(actual dogana/customs) and for a variety of merchants…enjoy this heritage!
We could do with some of those artists today to create some graphic novels for us, set on the '70s Middle-East run, or just a set of decent lorry comics would be nice!! Robert 
Hey, First OM / UNIC 190 340) and with a nice load of Artois
Engine did over 800.000km but with the small Italian weaknesses, repaced with a OM / Fiat V8 330hp.
Bye Eric,
@Eric, were those Stella Artois crates empty?
Herewith an Alfa Romeo with Giullietta’s as cargo, just outside Portello-works in Milano
Hey ERF, They were Always empty if at home after a days work, But can be possible that it were a load
new empty crates.
In those days you had to offload still in some places by hand,or had to put your own forklift at the depot.
If you remember Transeurop (Verhelst Oudenburg today) had at the back of the trailer a cage for the
forklift if needed. In those days a moffet or kooiaap didn’t exist, and it was done with an F86 in front
twice a days Spa, Chaudfontaine,Stella Gent now Coca cola four or five times a day.
Bye Eric,
According to the Belgian-registration LYY.491 was operational from 1973-2011 but I discovered
this Lancia Esadelta (ex Vanderstraeten-Verhaeghe from Kortrijk-region) mid '90s near Lier.
Lancia’s were imported/distributed by Desot of Gits and quite rare in BeNeLux. As often old
lorries and bodies were used for storage during building-activities, also here. Unsure if this one
survived from the scrapyard.
@Eric/Tiptop495…it took some time but herewith a special 642M and one of the last 682T4
before the next cabs came in, pictures are made during my frequent trips to Italy I guess '98
these were snapped
Picture of an Italian-show with from left to right, Lancia Esatau, Lancia Esatau, Lancia Esagamme, Alfa Romeo 950
Picture of Lancia HQ at Via San Paolo 140 Torino. An old but nice building where also the Lancia-museum is located!
tiptop495:
Hey ERF, They were Always empty if at home after a days work, But can be possible that it were a load
new empty crates.
In those days you had to offload still in some places by hand,or had to put your own forklift at the depot.
If you remember Transeurop (Verhelst Oudenburg today) had at the back of the trailer a cage for the
forklift if needed. In those days a moffet or kooiaap didn’t exist, and it was done with an F86 in front
twice a days Spa, Chaudfontaine,Stella Gent now Coca cola four or five times a day.Bye Eric,
Loading at Spa you are familiar with Frans Beiten as well as G. Snel? The last also being in charge for Coca-Cola
opposite to AZ Gent-factory, Drongen?
Hey ERF, Think the importer of Lancia was Mannes Overijse not far from Sogetra now CAT uses the building I think ■■
My bier and drinks transport is long ago. But in SPA you saw a lot from Holland.
Bye Eric,
@Eric…Mannes was longtime the distributor of Maserati and Lancia for cars, but I have some copies
from Lancia-camions (starting with Esagamme) from Desot-Gistel. Mr Clicteur of Jabbeke-Brugge told
me that THEY were the men behind the Lancia’s poids lourds and now TurboHoet
Remi Desot from Gits imported also Alfa Romeo bus chassis, but not sure they imported lorries.
I have been told that Belgium had three dealers for Alfa Romeo dealers one of them being Van Steenkiste of Gent since 1953
ERF-Continental:
@Eric…Mannes was longtime the distributor of Maserati and Lancia for cars, but I have some copies
from Lancia-camions (starting with Esagamme) from Desot-Gistel. Mr Clicteur of Jabbeke-Brugge told
me that THEY were the men behind the Lancia’s poids lourds and now TurboHoet
Hey, can be from Desot, but think he was only a dealer, I was there many times in the '60’s en '70’s and it
never looked as an importer, but can have it wrong.
And Mannes imported Unic and Hino, and thought did Lancia too■■?
Clicteur and his trash:D Lancia, Zastava, DDR trash and Volga with a good engine because
it was an Indenor. And if I remeber good he did an American marque too. And had a cartransporter
OM (Leoncino■■?) Büssing bagded think an import from Germany.
Bye Eric,
You are well informed Eric! I have been told that Alfa Romeo had three importers in Belgium, Van Steenkiste, something
with Spitaels and unknown for me. Lancia …Clicteur was special however very informative with his exposition on many
exhibitions with Lancia light-pub on an old axle-standard.
When you’re interested in the docs, give me a PM…A-J
A Lancia Esagamma in Belgium, but I don’t know if it was imported by Mannes.
