AECs and Albions

...thanks for the clarification cemeNTepede.....cheers

CemeNTepede,

Regarding the short door Beavers. Are you saying they were Beavers with Comet Cabs. I never knew such a thing existed, but I do have an original brochure on a long door Comet SC20.

Yes,14B.That's what I'm saying.
Built up by LMA Melbourne.The wheel arch in the mudguard was moved forward about 8 inches.So too the whole front axle assembly.The original Beaver front spring hangers were discarded and replaced with a smaller version that I would guess belonged on an Albion Reiver.This was fitted to the extreme front tip of the chassis rail.On the few of these that I have seen there was no extra reinforceing to the chassis rail evident.Given how narrow the web is at the front tip,I'm surprised that there weren't stress issues.
The shock absorber mount also had to be relocated further forward.
Leyland used to stamp the chassis number into the LH chassis rail web,directly above the front axle beam.When the shock mount was moved forward it covered over the C/n so it was restamped directly above the,now relocated,axle.
As well,to get the shortest possible bumper-to-front axle measurement,the bumper was fitted below and flush with the front panel.
They had a full length engine cover in the cab rather than the 3/4 version that the Comets had.
I have a pic somewhere of one of these Beavers formerly owned by Sutherlands of Kyabram.I'll see if I can find it.

Re long door Comets....that was a six wheeler primarily intended ,I think, as a mixer chassis.Domestic (UK) market only.

LMA have brewed up some weird and wonderful machines over the years.
8X4 Contractors,CD91 8X2 Clydesdales,Ergo Low Weight Hippos (690/
SCG) and at least one Super Hippo 8X4 twinsteer (690/RR13) that I found in WA,are a few that come to mind,All are unique to LMA.
And don't leave the Kiwis out....LMNZ built the only series production 8X4
Crusaders.

^I would too like to see those, I can't even begin to imagine such a thing.

Not that I can say anything, Leyland Ashdod being known to have concocted its own special brew from time to time:




Both pics by I. Haramaty.

Rufo,

You probably have stumbled on this (which I believe was scanned by AtkiPete)?



There was also this thread: www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1216875513/0

cemeNTepede,
The six-wheel mixer chassis with the long door was called the Retriever, RMC readymix concrete had a lot of them

Long Door Super Comet.

Loosley.

...these classy looking set forward axle Beavers also had a flat bumper and longer cab mudguard behind the steer wheel and looked very much as if it was done at the factory.....

CemeNTepede,

Thanks for that information. You mention Sutherlands of Kyabram. There used to be a big colored photo of part of their fleet in the office of Leyland at Wodonga (approx 1970).

Following is a copy of the Sales Brochure for the Comet 20. There were a few of these brought in to Australia in the late 1960's and I think they were 'used' vehicles, not new trucks. It may have been 'UK Diesels' of Sydney who brought them in.

Sutherland's Beaver with short door Comet cab.
As modified by LMA.
Sorry I can't get the picture itself to come up.
Click this link..........

farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/11365495943_913df6b414_z.jpg