Flatbeds with a 4×2 drivetrain, the oldest and most elementary form of trucking. Commercial vehicles with a full-size bakkie, like several classic MAN trucks at the show I visited in May. Four of them were red- and short-nosed M.A.N. Diesels, starting with a 626 H from 1966.
In the pre-ratched strap days, freight was tied down with ropes, hence all the small hooks underneath the whole bed. These were also used to secure a tarp.
A 1969 M.A.N. Diesel 415 H. Just like the 626, powered by a 5.9 liter inline-six.
That’s a serious rear overhang. The truck must have hauled long or voluminous items, rather than weighty goods.
Another ‘Ponton Kurzhauber’, yet clearly the series’ heavy-duty model, this beefy 735 H from 1965.
A flatbed in its purest form, sans dropsides. Dropped off at Soetens’ place, I guess.
Sweet, this 1971, two-tone 415 H.
A decorative cargo instead of a real, full load. But I like the idea and the execution. The three digit telephone subscriber number must be period correct (these days, six or seven digits).
A nice detail is that the truck bed has two retractable steel bars to support the rear dropside tailgate when needed.
The last one, modern times. A 1991 MAN M90 12.232 with a pile of wooden pallets on its bed.
So far the overview of some full-grown VW Transporter pickups (any generation). Bakkie doen?
Nice trip back in time. Thanks, Johannes!
Love these. That “horn” to guide the tow bar of the trailer into its hitch is a familiar sight, and looks very much like the ones used on trams and old-school rail cars.
An old, proven and widely used design for sure, here’s one on a modern truck.
I like the Dutch word for these, ‘vangmuilkoppeling’. Catch-mouth-coupling. That’s exacty what it does.
Called a ring feeder they are sprung not solid so you still have to be accurate lining up with the towing eye or it will break they are cast metal. especially the cheap n nasty European versions.
Ring feeder? As in Ringfeder from Germany (the company name)?
are those radiator cover on the Man’s are do they open somehow. Isee on closer blowup there are slots.
Yes, open.
Those red radiator grilles look great against the cab shape