Bedford TJ
Encyclopedia
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
that was produced by the Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
-owned Bedford
Bedford Vehicles
Bedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
company.
History
The Bedford TJ was first manufactured in 1958 and was an updated version of the TD range. The TJ was available in the United Kingdom up until 1975, after 1975 it was manufactured only for export. Production continued until 1986, after then it was manufactured by AWD into the early 1990s.Petrol and diesel engines were available, the lightest (J0 designation) could be specified with the 2.6 litre (later 3.3) straight six petrol from the Vauxhall cresta and offered saloon car levels of performance. TJs were not large sellers within the UK however some high profile fleets did utilise them- notably the AA and British Telecom.India and Pakistan
An Indian company, Hindustan MotorsHindustan Motors
Hindustan Motors is an automobile manufacturer from India. It is part of the Birla Technical Services industrial group. The company was the largest car manufacturer in India before the rise of Maruti Udyog....
also produced the larger versions (J5/6) of the vehicle in that country from 1968; production was stopped after the vehicle proved unable to compete against Tata
Tata Motors
Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
and Ashok Leyland
Ashok Leyland
Ashok Leyland is a commercial vehicle manufacturing company based in Chennai, India. Founded in 1948, the company is one of India's leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, as well as emergency and military vehicles. Operating six plants, Ashok Leyland also makes...
commercial vehicles. In Pakistan, however, the J5/6 proved popular and dominated commercial vehicular traffic.
Australia
The TJ was widely exported. In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
they were distributed by General Motors-Holden's.
1958 To June 1967
- J1 30cwt.
- J2S 3ton.
- J2L 3ton.
- J3L 4ton.
- J4L 5ton.
- J4E 5ton.
- J4A 8ton tractor.
- J5S 6ton.
- J5L 6ton.
- J6S 7ton.
- J6L 7ton.
A 3rd or 4th number indicates engine type;
- 1=300cu.in Diesel
- 2=214cu.in Petrol
- 3=300cu.in Petrol
- 5=330cu.in Diesel
- 7=200cu.in Diesel
- 10=220cu.in Diesel
July 1967 onwards
Chassis codes changed in July 1967 to ensure Bedford complied with new legislation introduced in the UK (Construction and Use Regulations).- CDD/CHD 30cwt.
- CDJ/CHJ 3ton.
- CDL/CHL 4ton.
- CFM/CJM 5ton.
- CFN/CJN 6ton.
- CFQ/CJQ 7 ton.
The 2nd letter indicates engine type;
- D=214cu.in Petrol
- F=300cu.in Petrol
- H=220cu.in Diesel
- J=330cu.in Diesel
Engines
The engines available included:- 214cu Petrol
- 300cu Petrol
- 300cu Diesel
- 330cu Diesel
- 200cu Diesel
- 220cu Diesel