AEC Mandater Info please

All

My knowledge on older Pommy Lorries is very limited, so any info will be greatly appreciated.

Approx when did the last model (year) Mandator were avail sold (new) in Aust?

Can anyone provide a photo of such a machine?

Like a lot of the Brittish Breads - did the AEC Mandater have any cousins like Leylands etc?

The particualr unit that has been described to me supposedly had a tilt cab - but one where the drivers seat and steering column didnt actually tilt with the rest of the cab?

Again - was their any similar Pommy units that used a similar set up?

Hope those questions make some sense - and re a photo - a good qlty pic would be truly appreciated.

Oldfulla

The Mandator was originally named the Matador but was changed on account of the war time 4x4 gun tractor taking the name. The model was introduced pre war as a 4x2 built for towing, originally dog trailers and latterly semi's. As the decades passed the cabs and technology changed but it's place in the makers catalogue (There was mk ll to 1949, mklll to 1959, mk v to 1966) remained the same. AEC was bought by Leyland around 1962 and although the cabs became common AEC was allowed to run it's own race until closure in the early '80's.
AEC didn't have a factory cab as such as they either supplied with a scuttle only or passed to Park Royal (and others) who built standard pattern cabs. In Australia Hasting Deering usually built the cabs.
The tilt 'Ergomatic" cab made by Sankey but designed by Leyland was introduced around 1966. That cab was really what we would call today a distribution type so not suited to long distance in hot climates, It wasn't until the Leyland Marathon in the late 70's that the cab was lifted up but by then the long distance market had been lost to the likes of Volvo & Scania.
There were bonneted versions which carried different names (all AEC model names start with 'M' which was part inherited from Maudsley, a company they bought out) and in the early 60's were more than equal to Mack & Kenworth in the logging and outback road train game. Unfortunately it was a time when they could sell more than they could make and being too far from their market they failed to keep the improvements coming so lost that market.

My old man had a couple in the early seventies ive got some photos but can work out photo bucket to upload them if someone has some easy instructions i will put them up cheers

All the photos ive got of the old mans aec ,Did one a week Melbourne to Adelaide,1971 to 1974 subbied for TNT ,Top speed about 35 miles an hr

One more

Good pics there I see you got photo bucket thingo working OK thanks for sharing

Paul

I don't agree with the 35 mph bit. The ones that I drove had the 6 speed o/d box and were good for about 58mph (before you threw it out ). I actually rounded up the bosses son in a KW one night (floating) and got into all sorts of trouble when I got home .

Well done Chawty. That is a mk v (notice that the cab step is in front of the wheel). Supplied with a scuttle and rest of cab is Hastings Deering. The early examples of these with the 590 motor put out 125hp but not long after the retuned 690 was good for 170 and by mid 60's was putting out 200hp. Being so slow was most likely due to having a low speed diff.