I had a G reg day cab version ex milk board i think,it was low mileage and a very good puller,much better than the F10 that i had before it,1 thing wrong with it though the drivers seat didnt go back far enough ,we have just got 4 brand new FMs and they are the exact same no leg room for the driver
Had a hook out while I’ve been off and found a load of old photo’s, I’ll put some up when I get chance. This was already in the computer.
This was my first motor at HTL (soon to be DFDS). I have a couple of interior shots that show enough gear to do the middle east! Fridge, bottle & stove, map box, suitcase, you get the idea. 
You couldn’t fault them as motor. They had a fantastic turning circle. Cab space and power aside, they were comfotable although I agree with a previous poster about the leg room for Bigguns.
A mate of mine 
, told me that while flat out, if you turned the key forward just short of the starter, all manner of bells would sound and miraculously the limiter would stop working for about 5 or 6 seconds. Repeated use of this party trick could see you hit 70 odd mph! 
Obviously I never tried this myself, as this would be completely irresponsible and a danger to other road users. 
Goaty wrote;
A mate of mine , told me that while flat out, if you turned the key forward just short of the starter, all manner of bells would sound and miraculously the limiter would stop working for about 5 or 6 seconds. Repeated use of this party trick could see you hit 70 odd mph!
Slightly off topic, but I used to be able to do a similar thing with a Magnum 500–got it up to 85mph regularly–didn’t do the ignition switch much good though!
My first run out after passing test sacry thing is it was less than 2 years ago
midgeteler:
Drove one for 2 years and had many nights out in it–thought it was fine–but I was used to AEC Ergo’s and Buffalo’s.
Remember those motors when new.Dawson Rentals had contract with Autocar
Had the pleasure of doing the pre delivery inspections
At the same time Dawsoms also had a sizeable number of FL10 s
on hire to Vauxhalls at Luton and Ellesmere Port
pictures anyone ■■?
euromat:
TREVOR BISHOP:
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theres a rave from the grave! i remember seeing them down at felixstowe all the time when i used to work in an office there, always thought they looked well presented and smart
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Had one of these myself for taylors when i worked out of bryn depo, was a n reg 4 x2 360 wasnt a bad motor at all had many a night out in it the bunk was about 3 ft thick
also had one at swifts in Leigh
midgeteler:
Drove one for 2 years and had many nights out in it–thought it was fine–but I was used to AEC Ergo’s and Buffalo’s.
Richborough depot had a load of them, much better than the daf 95 you didn’t get so much roll with em, nice load from Bridlington.
Our yard shunter still in use 
saw this today still working (although its an fl7!)
my first drive FL
fitted with a 280 & a 16speed gearbox although only 6 were useable 
6,7 & 8 then up to14,15 & 16 it certainly made the climb out from teignmouth docks slow going & haldon hill was a nightmare. it had a fold down bunk & i’d only night out it three or four times a month as it had no night heater or curtains , i used to hang blankets around the windows & keep the engine running
E509UTJ
i really loved this lorry , there wasn’t anywhere it wouldn’t go & it was a great drive, everything just where you’d want to find it only wish it was on & construction chassis & had a suspended seat , rue the day i gave it up for an ERF e10 8 wheeler
ex bosses last FL
i’ve driven a fair few fleet FL’s & a few real dogs from hire fleets, but as plain white units they were pretty un-inspireing so never took any pics 
like most this age, retired now resigned to shunting
or semi retired for ‘to & from’ the test center with trailers
still working Mansel Davies FL
did any one here have an FL Globetrotter ?
i never saw many about, M Way of South Molton had one but i think they may have only been fitted to the late FL12’s
ERF Lover:
E64 DRB replaced the F12 (A530 ATV)…
My dad worked for this firm who had a fleet of FL10’s an F10 and an F12 although my dad did end up on a MAN F90 after an FL10. He must ave been the bosses blue etyed boy! When the driver of the F12 went on holiday the boss traded it in for a new FL. The following week the boss was suprised to find this driver back a week early from his holidays handing in his notice as he didn’t want to “drive one of those wendy houses!”
pretty certain trevor pye had a high roof fl,
was a great looking truck.
![2147237473_1172003124521_lj[1].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/trucknetuk/original/4X/e/3/2/e32be5e4fe03ba1665785930c2eef44b8c7e51a5.jpeg)
I had the pleasure(or should that be mis-pleasure) of taking one on my first continental trip to Padborg in Denmark,reloading at Danish Crown in Norresundby.
Only used it for 6 days,wasn’t that bad i suppose for my first trip,i can remember about having to move my gear about when i wanted to goto bed and the lack of a permanent feed for my fridge (was frightened of leaving the ignition on in case i flattened the thing).
It went well upto Denmark as i only went up with 3plts of pork on,but coming back with 33 plts of the same stuff was a ballache!!
When i phoned up on the Friday and was told i would be turning round at Felixstowe and going straight back to Denmark in it,and would i mind going back in the FL,i said no thank you,can i have a MAN and sure enough a man was sitting there on the quay with my trailer.
Oh happy days!!
This pic was took on the way back down on a service area just North of Hamburg.
And before some smart alec says a man,i meant a MAN truck!!
FL10 with a Metalair non tip cement tank
On balance they were quite a good vehicle with first class visibility, well that is if the driver had the brains to drop the offside mirror right down to the bottom of the arm (as seen in a few pictures on this thread)
The early FL’s had a good number of electrical gremlins & leaking doors as they fitted where they touched (I exaggerate a little) but within a year Volvo had cured the bulk of these minor issues.
It was liked by the vast bulk of drivers as it was an easy vehicle to use & drive, that was aided by its nimble turning circle / light controls / Vis as mentioned / everything close to hand & for its time a fairly good adjustable steering column. It pulled fairly well and was just acceptable for the odd night out.
It of course hit the spot for fleet operations due to its low weight and could take a tidy piece of abuse 24/7 & I had a test unit for a spell that had the fully auto 16speed fitted, but to be honest I never found it had much (if anything) over the standard 8 speed fitment for fleet use.
IMO one of the best fleet vehicles of its generation. (apart from that abomination of Bowkers picture with the rabbit hutch over the cab 
)