jj72:
you should’ve changed up a gear or two mate
Classic ROFPMSL 
- Sk stands for “Schwere Klasse” which translates into “heavy class”
2)“B” on a rigid stands for… Pass
Just like being in school !!!
Excellent photos Chaps. the older the better. I knew you wouldnt let me down. we havent had one of the V10 1632 yet though!
Dave, did you work for John Brown?
They had a couple of trucks on for Maenhout, always Mercs.
Wheel Nut:
Dave, did you work for John Brown?They had a couple of trucks on for Maenhout, always Mercs.
'Fraid not Wheel Nut, that’s another Barco truck.
I seem to remember John Brown as a name, but I’m not sure I remember seeing them in Maenhout’s. The firm I definitely recall is one that had large graphics of “Looney Tunes” cartoon characters on their cab roof spoilers, the name of the firm escapes me at the moment, but I think they were from the West Country.
We didn’t actually work for Maenhout, but we collected air-conditioning units imported from Japan on behalf of Space-air in Guildford.
At the time, it was the usual nonsense, the imports had been “part duty paid” then we got a T2L, then we waited in Dover until the customer came up with the V.A.T. 
dozer:
- Sk stands for “Schwere Klasse” which translates into “heavy class”
The translation is spot-on, but I’m under the impression that “SK” stands for something else in German 
(I could be wrong.)
I’ll leave that one to run for a while and see what other ideas come. 
dozer:
2)“B” on a rigid stands for… Pass
This is fun
dozer:
Just like being in school !!!
OK, here’s another question then
When did the SK model first come out in the UK 
(I’m not absolutely certain of this, but I’m interested to see what the consensus is. 
)
dozer:
Excellent photos Chaps. the older the better. I knew you wouldnt let me down. we havent had one of the V10 1632 yet though!
Barco had one of the 1632s you mentioned, but I only drove it a time or two on UK, so I’m almost certain that I don’t have a pic of it. IIRC, the 1632 didn’t look any different to a 1633, but it had 2 extra cylinders and no turbos.
When I was on Chiaramello’s, he had a 2223 that had the old square cab. That truck stayed in the UK collecting unaccompanied Caterpillar imports from Ramsgate to (I think) Desford.
The earliest I can remember seeing them on was a S-reg. so thats 1978. My old man drove G268MHH which was a 1735L 4x2 for David Hatswell (now FTS Hatswell) at deeside on bulk tipper work. It used to pull like a train for a 350, It used to come up the warren on the A55 southerly bypass (Broughton slip) loaded to 38 tonnes at 36 -37 mph. My 370 kerax can only manage 33 mph at 32 tonnes. 
Ive got pictures of it but dont know how to get them on here.
The difference between a v8 1735 and the v6 1834 (supposed to be 10 bhp difference) is more like a 100 bhp difference. the 35 used to eat the 34 on hills.
Diesel dave - Ive just noticed you started a thread about sk’s aswell . sorry I should of looked first
dozer:
:oops: Diesel dave - Ive just noticed you started a thread about sk’s aswell . sorry I should of looked first
Hi dozer, I didn’t start that thread, but that doesn’t matter.
There’s a PM on its way to you.
dieseldave:
I’m under the impression that “SK” stands for something else in German
I can think of something
Would probably get past the auto-censor, but Simon would be down on me like a ton of bricks
jj72:
Rikki-UK:
top end was 50mph while screaming its guts out with the rev counter nearly in the red…you should’ve changed up a gear or two mate
I would have done if I could have found any more
I do remember Martin Plummer the depot manager at FVS telling me he was disappointed with the fuel figures at the end of the trial, I dont think he realised it was geared down and in the 3 weeks I had it I never done a heavy load, it was all C&U or just long.
One other problem with it is that it couldnt pick up any of our trailers as it was too high and the run up skids couldnt get underneath the front of the trailers.
I got pretty fit winding the buggers up by hand…
Inselaffe:
Would probably get past the auto-censor, but Simon would be down on me like a ton of bricks
I’ve noticed that too
(So my mate tells me… )
dozer:
:oops: Diesel dave - Ive just noticed you started a thread about sk’s aswell . sorry I should of looked first
That was me Dozer…some how you and had the same idea a few minutes apart …spooky Thats probably why I didn’t see a thread when I went to post…never mind people its MERCFEST!!
diesel dave has kindly shown me how to post a picture. so here goes!
taken at truckfest in 1990
my old man drove this 1735L for David Hatswell. Taken at TNT depot in deeside in 1991
This was Dingle Garages 1735 Demonstrator. F-Reg
This 1644 was taken at truckfest in 1988.
Taken at truckfest in 1992. 1729. A natrually aspirated V8.
A tidy 1735 taken at truckfest taken in 1992
A V6 1834 next to the then top of the range V8 2550 eurocab taken at truckfest in 1992 (I think)
Blue skies in all the pictures, it never rained in them days!!
Thanks to diesel dave who cropped these pictures to size and talked me through how to post them. Cheers dave.
roders:
sorry 2 go of the merc thing but seeing them cfs motors i worked 4 them 4 abouut 6 months got 2 say they were a great firm good truck & lovely people 2 work 4 i had a left hand drive super space cab daf & was home most weekends . & when i told em the wife wanted me 2 get a job in the uk they offered me 1 but after years of european work being home every night done me in i lasted about a month & then got a job 4 a firm doing 2 or 3 night out a week but [zb] motors . img][/img]
You was home most weekends■■? blimey you couldnt have been on there when i was there, it was 3 weeks away and then 3 days off if you kicked up fuss, but must admit once to struck a deal for time off they stuck too it, and i have to say your right they were a good firm to work for and nice people that treated you pretty well.
My book, roughly translated called German Lorries and Vans 1970-1989, doesn’t seem to mention the term SK it just calls them the “new generation”. 
Some good pictures though, including one of the day cab, mid length and long cabs together.
Also according to the book the B on some rigids stands for Betonmischer-Fahrgestell, i.e. Concrete Mixer Chassis.
Andyroo:
Also according to the book the B on some rigids stands for Betonmischer-Fahrgestell, i.e. Concrete Mixer Chassis.
I think the SK stands for “Super Kraut” Andyroo
Andyroo:
Also according to the book the B on some rigids stands for Betonmischer-Fahrgestell, i.e. Concrete Mixer Chassis.
Congratulations Andyroo, that’s the correct answer
I’m intigued by your answer Andyroo, what does your book say about the other rigids not designated with a “B”
Isn’t it strange there’s no mention of “SK” then
The SK was the last version of the “New Generation” range.
That cab shape came out in Germany in 1973, but didn’t turn up here until 1975 the first demonstrators were N reg. The first facelift was NG2. After that it was known as powerliner, then powerliner 2 and the last facelift was SK in 1995 until Actros came out in 1998.
The half sleeper cab was designated M for mittel, the day cab being S and the full sleeper L, then the full width cab which came out much later was G for grossraum.
B means that when it left the factory it was intended to become a concrete mixer.
Sad isn’t it.