Information to id truck

[Little Jo]

Hi All

Is there anyone out there in MLU land who can identify the truck in the atttached photo. My young brother has asked me for assistance as he and his mate are interested inrestoring the vehicle. From the photo he sent me I suggested it most probably been a British Bedford. I recall seeing some civilian versions of similar trucks on the road in the 1960's

It would be interesting to know if there were any types used in the army. Hard to tell much from one phto supplied. I asked my brother for more information such as emblems or any manufacturing plates. He advises that items like plates, grill, dashboard and vehicle ID badge have already been removed by persons unknown. Any information would be very much appreciated. Particularly any military information.

Cheers

Tony

[Lionelgee]

Hello Tony,

The truck could be either a Model RL or a Model S Bedford from around the mid to late 1950s. In Australia they were frequently used as bush fire tankers. There is one advertised in Queensland through Price's Truck parts in Dalby. Well, it is on their website, I am not sure if it is still available.

Accessed 6th January 2022 from, http://pricestruckparts.com.au/wp-co...ford-4x4-2.jpg

In their fire fighting livery Accessed 6th January 2022 from, https://www.justtrucks.com.au/trucks...4wd/JTM3945607

Citing Wiki... https://thereaderwiki.com/en/Bedford_RL In Australia, R series Bedfords were used during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s by Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA).They were built as 800 gallon water capacity, 4 wheel drive bushfire tankers and designated "State Spare Tankers". They were also used in New Zealand as military trucks in variants including a wrecker (Army Sustainier Magazine. RNZALR. August 2010. p. 41, Issue 2.)

Kind regards
Lionel

[Grant Bowker]

These are only guesses, not firm knowledge or fact:
The general shape reminds me of Bedford RL or similar. But, the rust streaks over the windshield look as if the cab might have started life narrow and been widened by adding a slice in the middle. The headlights look to be on panels that have been put into modified fenders, possibly to allow for height of light laws on a raised vehicle. Combined, the effect is of a low production vehicle, whether one-off or small series, I've no idea.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Grant.

I wondered about those rust lines also. Then I finally noticed in the first photo Lionel posted, the truck sports a formed metal sun visor along the top of the windscreen, so those rust lines might just reflect where one of those visors was cut away.

David

[Lynn Eades]

If you look at the box that supports the passenger seat, there is a tag riveted to it with the vehicle info on it. An "S" Bedford is only rear wheel drive. An "R" Bedford is 4wd. The models for the "R" series were: RLB, RLC, RLD, RLF, RLHC, RLHZ, and RLW.
As will your specimen, the Front wheels are bigger in Dia. than the rear duals. This is as per the N.Z. Army wreckers, and so a different rear axle with a suitable ratio to match with the front diff. I would guess that this would make the truck in question an RLHC or an RLHZ. That's the best I can do.
As I recall you can see the plate when you open the door.
The "S" models sit much lower and without looking, the headlights might be situated at the top of the headlight mounting plates? I haven't checked.
Grant, I very much doubt the cab width has changed. The rust marks on the roof, I cant explain, but the rest of the cab is std.

[Lionelgee]

Hello Lynn,

I am not sure whether the models were named differently in Australia as they were in New Zealand? Both the vehicles I posted photographs from two different sellers who are located in different states of Australia are advertised specifically as four wheel drive "S" model trucks.

Queensland - Bedford Truck 4x4: Bedford Truck 4×4 S Model, runs well Accessed from, http://pricestruckparts.com.au/bedford-truck-4x4
New South Wales - 1956 Bedford S Series 4wd Accessed from, https://www.justtrucks.com.au/trucks...4wd/JTM3945607

The truck in Tony's brother's photo may not be an S Model - it certainly looks like either an R or and S model Bedford though. I only have experience with the TK Bedfords that came after the S model in Australia. When I worked for a local council's Parks department it was a former garbage truck that had been modified for a new role as a woodchipper truck. It was only two-wheel drive. It was hot, noisy, rough as guts and it developed a unique smell during the summer inside the cab as lingering tribute to its former role.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

Thanks for your updates and ID of the truck being a Bedford, much appreciated. Also that it could be possible ex army. Definately something to ponder over. Once I get some more information from my brother in WA could helpt. He did look at some sort of fitted plate but he said it was too rusty to read. I suggested a bit of elbow grease. I would like to have a look myself because I would know what to look for, but he is a bit to far from here in SA for a Sunday drive. I will post more when I hear more from the west.

Tony

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Little Jo

Hi Guys

Thanks for your updates and ID of the truck being a Bedford, much appreciated. Also that it could be possible ex army.

Tony

AFAIK, either British Army or NZ Army. The Australian Army did not use the Bedford RL, but that is not to say that this could not be a RAAF Bring-Back from Malaysia or such. Who knows what those guys got up to in Butterworth and Singapore.

[William Ormsby]

Here is an example of NZ Bedford RL's in Malaya, probably mid 1960's. There were British owned and NZ owned units that got swapped around a bit. Dad I recall saying had the shiny painted ones and the British ones they got temporarily swapped (Borneo?) were matt finish.

The unit on the left is a RL "pig" armoured Bedford, built by Royal Engineers? in Singapore. NZ looked to have a small fleet of these but photos seem to be a bit rare on the ground.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

AFAIK, either British Army or NZ Army. The Australian Army did not use the Bedford RL, but that is not to say that this could not be a RAAF Bring-Back from Malaysia or such. Who knows what those guys got up to in Butterworth and Singapore.

All the British Army RL's had a large military air cleaner known as the FVRDE type, this meant that there was a large panel in front of the windscreen secured by Dzus fasteners to access it, with a small flap in it to access the radiator filler. The RL in the photo shows the standard type cab with the civilian market access panel. It appears that military RL's supplied to other countries did not have the FV filter, not sure about NZ ones though. Also no cupola in the roof.

I worked on a good many British army RL's in the 70's/80's.

[Lynn Eades]

Lionel, the info I presented was from an "Authorised" Service parts book for the Bedford 3 ton four wheel drive "R" series trucks printed in October 1958 issued by Vauxhall Motors. So I believe it covers all "R" models, available to the world market, at the date of print.
Inside is a letter from the Army to the Manager of G.M. NZ. and mentions the 180 Bedford vehicles on order No. 260387 (6th April, 1960)
The truck in the subject photo would be an "R". It shows the front diff and if you look at the bumper it sits well above the center of the front wheel. An "S" model cab sits much lower and the bumper sort of lines up with the wheel center. The oval that the front lights mount in is an "R" Bedford feature.

[Richard Farrant]

Just as an add on regarding headlamp positions, I have seen photos of RL's that were supplied to Danish and Belgian armies which had the headlamps in same position as an S type. I believe they were lowered for British use to comply with road traffic regulations, the Bedford QL headlamps had to be lowered in postwar use.