[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by fx45

That TMB 312 or 1210D looks ex-army spec.

That is an Ex Army - Recovery Vehicle.

You may have noticed that in most parts of India, the accident recovery operations units (mostly privateers) are based around Ex Army Recovery Vehicles.

Before Tatas/TMBs most of these units were based on Ex Army Dodge or Nissan Trucks

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

Actually it was TATA Benz 312, it still carried the Mercedes logo.

The truck wasn't called "TATA Benz 312" but "TATA Mercedes Benz 312" or TMB for short. The info regarding introduction of 1210 in 1964 is from TM itself. The original model introduced in 1954 had lower payload. Tata on its own strengthened the chassis, axles and gearbox to increase the payload.

Originally Posted by SirAlec

Difference between 312 and 1210, 1210D was that the later had split windscreen.

1210D definitely had split windshield. Early TMBs definitely had single windshield. However, later TMBs probably had split windshield. This needs to be confirmed.

If you look at post no. 27 in the following thread, you'll find basically the same design cab with split windshield, that too in Germany, not India:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...nz-museum.html

Originally Posted by SirAlec

BTW it was mercedes 6 cylinder direct injection from beginning. There was never a model with a heater. Thats why it was so successful, especially in hills and with military.

All TMB trucks had indirect injection engines. DI engine (TATA 692) was introduced after the collaboration expired in 1969.

[SirAlec]

The link that you have posted is not 312 but LF3500, a completely different series. and LF3500 was introduced much near if not later than 31x series around 1954.

When model 312 was decided to be bought with collaboration with TATA in India, it was the current running model even in Europe and the most successful one. Dr. Wilhelm Haspel, then Charmain of Benz first decided to talk with HM due to their autocratic nature and problems with implementation decided to talk with Telco, then a locomotive company.

Basically OM312 was the engine that made Benz's fortune. Ironically the truck design and Engine was based on Opel Blitz which was used extensively by German Army. there is an interesting story about the prototype and blueprint of this engine designated OM 302, Will post that as and when time permits.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

The link that you have posted is not 312 but LF3500, a completely different series. and LF3500 was introduced much near if not later than 31x series around 1954.

I referred to that link only because of the similarity in cab front end design. Yes, 312 was a legendary truck.

Originally Posted by directinjection

1210D definitely had split windshield. Early TMBs definitely had single windshield. However, later TMBs probably had split windshield. This needs to be confirmed.

Now confirmed. Later TMBs had split windshield although they carried the Mercedes star and not the T. Will post pic later.

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by directinjection

I referred to that link only because of the similarity in cab front end design. Yes, 312 was a legendary truck.



Now confirmed. Later TMBs had split windshield although they carried the Mercedes star and not the T. Will post pic later.

yeah its confirmed, Family had two of them. It did had split screen and three pointed star without diesel written on it. And I specifically remember it had
Direct injection, it was a military auction 4x4. At that time in 4x4 truck category, there were no option for civilian.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Ive spotted this massive and unique Mack truck a couple of times in Pune, apparently belonging to the municipality (it bears Maharasthra Shasan painted on it).

Saw this truck today morning on the NH4. It appears to be much more rusty than it was in these pics.
I wonder for whom and what were these trucks imported for ?

It looks this Mack-B80/83 :



Source

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by sajo

Saw this truck today morning on the NH4. It appears to be much more rusty than it was in these pics.
I wonder for whom and what were these trucks imported for ?

Perhaps you saw this?

[sajo]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Perhaps you saw this?

Yep, Karl's post was what I was referring to.

[SirAlec]

many of these were bought by Govt agency.

i spotted one owned by Gujarat irrigation.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...tml#post802965

[harit]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

many of these were bought by Govt agency.

i spotted one owned by Gujarat irrigation.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...tml#post802965

ONGC is Gujrat also had a couple. I had seen one being patched up in the "Garage" area in Baroda.
A company in Trombay also had one, they removed the cab and had sent it to George Motors in Thane at his old place for tin-painting. He did the needful and returned it to them, got the Mack mascot through his nephew in USA.
There was also a Mack truck standing at Vashi near that show room, belonging to the family of contractors where one is a vintage car collector. It has been moved since maybe 8 years or so, but was visible from the highway for a couple of years, Kerala registered.

But still, Mack trucks are rare, they came to India mainly in connection with some project.

Cheers harit

[Prabal]

Majority of the Mack trucks in India were with the military, subsequently auctioned and re-commissioned in civilian use. Some Macks also came in directly for foreign-aided infrastructure projects. The military Macks were used as troops carriers, field gun-tractors, aircraft-tractors and tank-transporters, and initially came in with the Allied forces during WWII, integrated into the Indian Forces subsequently. The Indian Armed Forces acquired few of the later models too, but I don't remember the details very clearly off the cuff now. The red one in the picture here is a 1950s-onward model and more likely one of the civil infra-projects auctions.

Before the Tatras became popular in the Indian military from the mid-70s, Thornycrofts (British), Macks and Diamond T (American) and Kraz (Russian) were the mainstay for ultra heavy-duty haulages. And they weren't all that rare for people privy to the Armed Forces fleets.

Sorry, I guess, that's enough of unsolicited recounting for now, so I'll retreat!

Have a great Sunday, folks.

[harit]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Majority of the Mack trucks in India........ ......Armed Forces fleets.

Sorry, I guess, that's enough of unsolicited recounting for now, so I'll retreat!

Have a great Sunday, folks.

Why unsolicited? Why retreat? What if we all do that? No, all bits and pieces are welcome.

Cheers harit

[agspins]

Couple of pics from Flicker taken in 1975 around India, MB 0302 coach was on overland journey..

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by harit

ONGC is Gujrat also had a couple. I had seen one being patched up in the "Garage" area in Baroda.
A company in Trombay also had one, they removed the cab and had sent it to George Motors in Thane at his old place for tin-painting. He did the needful and returned it to them, got the Mack mascot through his nephew in USA.
There was also a Mack truck standing at Vashi near that show room, belonging to the family of contractors where one is a vintage car collector. It has been moved since maybe 8 years or so, but was visible from the highway for a couple of years, Kerala registered.

But still, Mack trucks are rare, they came to India mainly in connection with some project.

Cheers harit

AFAIK ONGC doesn't have Mack, they have purposebuilt Kenworth and Peterbilt. I have posted the images of them too somewhere.


I don't think Indian Army ever used Mack, They were provided with Russian trucks. As US will never have sold Indian Army or DoD any equipment whatsoever.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Majority of the Mack trucks in India were with the military, subsequently auctioned and re-commissioned in civilian use ...

Originally Posted by SirAlec

I don't think Indian Army ever used Mack, They were provided with Russian trucks. As US will never have sold Indian Army or DoD any equipment whatsoever.

You think wrong, sir! And, I know what I say; that's why I don't say much!!

Did the Indian Army have Ford and Willys Jeeps (before the Mahindra connection)? Did the Indian Army have Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Studebaker, etc. trucks (before their Indian assemblies?). Were there Indian and Harley bikes running errands/despatches here too? Did the Indian Air Force use the Packet and Dakota Aircraft (C-82 Packet, by Fairchild Aircraft and Douglas C-47 Skytrain) to give two examples from Aviation? Were these Russian or American?

In fact, it's not just military history, but the history (as it progressed through the decades) of our business and politics in totality that'll inform you better about our alliances, etc. Talking of which, I hope you noticed a Russian name also in my previous contri that you responded to (without quoting me of course) as well as another Eastern-bloc import.

The www is replete with a lot of hogwash, which is why I occasionally take the liberty to at least keep the readers here correctly informed. Bits and pieces indeed ...