- Posts: 3374
- Thank you received: 1468
Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
14 years 6 months ago #15568
by mammoth
Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia was created by mammoth
My F86 is a great pony with a big heart but the mountains up here give her a good work out. The reason for the planned sale is that waiting in the wings I have an F86 8 wheeler, and being built in dec 89 has the twin plate clutch and sixteen speed spec. 4.11 diffs are going in so should be a good highway cruiser.
Now to the 88's. I always thought that the F models were imported before the G models and then stopped but mine is a '75 model so that can't be the case. According to the Pedr Davis book the first F88 arrived in 1968 (and 10 years later had done 2 million k's). Assembly of knocked down kits started at Wacol in 1971 (elsewhere in the book he says the plant opened in 1972)Sweden had similar axle regulations to Australia so the G88 was already available but it would seem that once the Brisbane plant was fully running a lot more Australian design went into the Volvo trucks, including using American rear ends to get the tare down to meet the market.
There were never any right hand drive F89 because the bigger motor fouled the steering, whereas it wasn't an issue with the G. The poms never took to the G layout so were given an F88 puffed up by 30hp
If anyone has more info on the early years of Volvo please let us know
Now to the 88's. I always thought that the F models were imported before the G models and then stopped but mine is a '75 model so that can't be the case. According to the Pedr Davis book the first F88 arrived in 1968 (and 10 years later had done 2 million k's). Assembly of knocked down kits started at Wacol in 1971 (elsewhere in the book he says the plant opened in 1972)Sweden had similar axle regulations to Australia so the G88 was already available but it would seem that once the Brisbane plant was fully running a lot more Australian design went into the Volvo trucks, including using American rear ends to get the tare down to meet the market.
There were never any right hand drive F89 because the bigger motor fouled the steering, whereas it wasn't an issue with the G. The poms never took to the G layout so were given an F88 puffed up by 30hp
If anyone has more info on the early years of Volvo please let us know
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15569
by
Replied by on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
Gday Mammoth
Just as a matter of interest..
Many UK operators who did European and Middle East runs bought LHD F89s and use them because they spent most of their miles on the other side of the road.
Cheers
RS
Just as a matter of interest..
Many UK operators who did European and Middle East runs bought LHD F89s and use them because they spent most of their miles on the other side of the road.
Cheers
RS
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15570
by bigcam
Replied by bigcam on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15571
by Swishy
Dont like to correct the BigC
(But I'm probly rong again)
LOL
RE:Rockwell diffs and Hendrickson suspension to keep the Australian content up
These B imported from Yanky land n not made here
Reason I heard twaz the Volvo stuff twaz just too heavy for hwy work compared to there competition useing the yanky imported stuff
ButEyeDoSt&2BCorrected
LOL
Cya
[ch9787]
OF ALL THE THINGS EYE MISS ................. EYE MISS MY MIND THE MOST
There's more WORTH in KENWORTH
Replied by Swishy on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
Dont like to correct the BigC
(But I'm probly rong again)
LOL
RE:Rockwell diffs and Hendrickson suspension to keep the Australian content up
These B imported from Yanky land n not made here
Reason I heard twaz the Volvo stuff twaz just too heavy for hwy work compared to there competition useing the yanky imported stuff
ButEyeDoSt&2BCorrected
LOL
Cya
[ch9787]
OF ALL THE THINGS EYE MISS ................. EYE MISS MY MIND THE MOST
There's more WORTH in KENWORTH
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15572
by VicHung
Replied by VicHung on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
Swishy, I don't like to correct Cam either because he knows a lot! However I can say that here across the ditch we used to put Rockwell diffs in just about all the Europeans to keep the weight down; Volvo, Fiat, Mercs just for starters.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15573
by bigcam
Replied by bigcam on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
I`m cool with being corrected,just ask SWMBO,LOL.I had the feeling they used to assemble the Rockwell diffs here,AtkiPete may know,which is why the Acco,s,whites,Volvo`s etc,all got them,and the horrible wedge brakes,which arn`t really brakes at all.In the article I can`t find,Volvo where saying that if they could have used their components the truck could have been built cheaper.If I get a chance I`ll have a bit more of a look.There was also a pic taken of an open day at the factory,with all the new G88`s and F 86`s with different bodies and trailers.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15574
by Swishy
WellHungVic
GuddayM8
RE I don't like to correct Cam either because he knows a lot!
I nose a lot also
Well
I've been told n shown alot
But me memory bank is old n slo n little rusty n seems to drop a lot of files
Ifn I could only remember most of it
Seems like I only remember not important thingz n BS
LOL
Cya
[ch9787]
OF ALL THE THINGS EYE MISS ................. EYE MISS MY MIND THE MOST
There's more WORTH in KENWORTH
Replied by Swishy on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
WellHungVic
GuddayM8
RE I don't like to correct Cam either because he knows a lot!
I nose a lot also
Well
I've been told n shown alot
But me memory bank is old n slo n little rusty n seems to drop a lot of files
Ifn I could only remember most of it
Seems like I only remember not important thingz n BS
LOL
Cya
[ch9787]
OF ALL THE THINGS EYE MISS ................. EYE MISS MY MIND THE MOST
There's more WORTH in KENWORTH
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15575
by JnrMack
Replied by JnrMack on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
Just a bit more info to add. Truck and Bus August 1972 has an article about the official opening of Volvos truck assembly plant in Wacol Queensland. With a pic of a G88 Volvo with a sign on it saying 1st truck of the production line.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
14 years 6 months ago #15577
by mammoth
Replied by mammoth on topic Re: Volvo F86/G88/F88 in Australia
The Truck & Bus Transportation guys obviously didn't know the difference between F88 & F86 - any picture will do. The first shipment of F86 was in 1966 (or 1967 according to another source) when two went on trial with Mayne Nickless double-shifting on the Melbourne-Adelaide run and two were used as demonstrators and truck show exhibits.
No knowledge of the F88's then?
No knowledge of the F88's then?
Please Log in to join the conversation.
Time to create page: 0.482 seconds