AEC V8

[@paulwilson3083]

Isn't that just typical of British industry, that is not investing in their products to improve them, I brought a Gardner 6LYT 350bhp in 1987 and had all the modifications done on it before taking delivery, that engine did over a million and a half miles (not Kms) without any problems and returned remarkable fuel consumption that today's trucks couldn't get close to, there must be a good business man in this country to revive the once superior British truck industry using the Gardner engine designs, we're an independent country again and are in need of manufacturing industries.

[@zopEnglandzip]

Why would anyone bother? Government mergers ruined everything, yours must have been a Hawker sidley engine, those guys misread the market and failed to invest in real development dooming Gardner, lister, petter, Mirrlees, national. The subject of this video is another manufacturer doomed by mergers, the same merger the wrecked the automotive industry. The only engineering that survived did so by safeguarding themselves from the idiots in government by investing overseas.

[@Draxindustries1]

The UK truck industry finished years ago and with good reason. Neither ERF, Foden or Sudden Accident built their trucks as a whole. All were a mish mash of parts like Gardner, Rolls Eagle, Cummins Perkins engines plus Rockwell axles, ZF, Fuller ect gearboxs whereas European truck makers life Volvo DAF Iveco Renault and Scania produced everything in house and built a far superior product which drivers took to. Ref Gardner, these were very old out dated low power sloggers most without turbocharging. British trucks were always a low quality poorly screwed together product. Very few hauliers would take these into Europe as the support was virtually non existent...

[@Sjanzo]

Except for Scania, Volvo and Mercedes, every other make use a ZF gearbox and most use Meritor axles. Daf in fact, started building a license of the Leyland 680 of 1952 . When they finally bought Leyland in the 1987, the new Leyland engine would become the Daf 620 replacing the 615 engine, but before release they changed every bolt and nut to Metric. I think the biggest reason for demise of British trucks is the fact that they were surrounded by a left hand steer continent, which offered right hand steer where many of the small British makers werent interested in the continental market for cost reasons.

[@Draxindustries1]

@RenzeZielman The reason European trucks were taken to was their driver appeal, ride comfort, ease of operation, higher power/ torque outputs and build quality. I doubt many euro hauliers would have even considered anything British. That's the real reason they were overlooked not because of lack of lhd. (Imho) 👍

[@Sjanzo]

@@Draxindustries1 the British truck industry didnt have the economy of scale to invest in the things you mention, because they didnt focus on export to the mainland. Daf started in the 50s with trucks, and in 1962 they introduced a long haul truck of world level in order to fight their way into the European market. First with Leyland O.680 engine, which were retrofitted with their own O.680 based successor to keep customers with failed engines happy. Why newcomer Daf succeeded where the Leylands they were based on, failed, was because Daf knew they had to fight their way into the European market because they werent on an island.

[@peterjones8546]

Watching this just sends my brain into a time warp. My biggest problem I had as a kid in the mid 70's was do I go into the toy store with my Mum so she can buy me a toy truck or do I stand outside and watch trucks climbing the hill outside. I remember seeing many of these.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Those chrome rear hubcaps were a masterpiece in design. An Engler Hubodometer looks good on them.

[@jamesneale6993]

Excellent commentary by AEC expert, Graham Edge. I was lucky enough to go for rides as a teenager in Turner`s prototype NGJ 294D. There was nothing to touch it in East Anglia at the time.

[@checker3694]

I remember as a kid, my father had an ergo Albion, and going to Arlington motors in Wilsden in early to mid 70s I think in NW London for parts and lines of new Leyland lynx and other ergo Leylands all came from factory in that primer beige colour, where recent years every truck is white gloss.

[@petersmith4455]

i worked at AEC in the 70s. if leyland had not interfered this would have taken off,regarding overheating, all ergomatics were fitted with a header tank mounted to the rear of the cab on a bracket,in the 70s. this certainly helped the cooling system on the av 505, 506 and 760 engines. we also gave Guiness Brewery in Park Royal a v8 to use,

[@ivanrowland6353]

Used to have a V8 in a ex NCB crane , good tool

[@DaveGreeneramblingcarpenter]

I love this v8, such a shame it wasn't developed properly,, 8mpg fully loaded, amazing for such a revvy engine,,

[@aswclassicsdorset1743]

Took my class 1 in an AEC Mandator in 1976, but not the V8 model it was the AV760

[@fenpikey]

Only one mirror on the nearside, and two on the offside????? Looks odd to me.

[@dailyraillive1492]

Brilliant. Many thanks. Is that a 11 engine?

[@rogerstreet2147]

This brings back many memories working for AEC as a fitter having to fit modified bellhousings on at least a dozen or more v8 from Roger street

[@fatlad5090]

only BL spent more time to develop this engine and dropped it in the marathon.

[@essexpeter6116]

The problem was BL.