Commer Truck Books - History and Models

The Commer Story

"The Commer Story" charts the evolution and history of one of Britains principal commercial vehicle manufacturers.
This fascinating book is not just the history of one vehicle marque, but the story of a company that underwent several name changes, as it acquired and was acquired by several other companies, whilst creating some of the worlds most innovative commercial vehicles over a continuous ninety-year manufacturing period.

Truly a history of the company and its people, as well as its products, "The Commer Story" provides this famous firm at last with a well-deserved tribute. Well researched and lavishly illustrated, no commercial vehicle enthusiast will want to be without it.

The Rootes Group : Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Commer, Karrier

The Rootes Group once dominated the British motor industry, and its legacy lives on in thousands of carefully maintained cars - most notably Hillmans, Humbers, Singers and Sunbeams.

In this book, using beautiful images from the Rootes Archive Centre, Richard Loveys details the Group's history and leading car models, from its creation as a car dealership by William and Reginald Rootes, through its transition into motor manufacture, and expansion by taking companies over and developing their car and commercial vehicle ranges.
It was a significant contributor to the war effort in 1939-45, producing large numbers of military aircraft and vehicles, and in its post-war heyday produced such icons as the Sunbeam Alpine and Hillman Imp.

Rootes Commercials (Nostalgia Road)

Rootes commercial vehicles - Commer and Karrier - were one of the most innovative UK truck makers of the 1940s and '50s. Often regarded as a cautious, conservative bunch, only producing conventional designs that they were sure unadventurous customers would want to buy, Rootes trucks never the less, came up with some brilliant flashes of innovation, including in 1948, the QX underfloor engine concept.
That was followed with the TS3 engine, an opposed-piston two-stroke diesel whose power, torque and fuel efficiency was still beating conventional four-stroke diesels a decade after its launch.

At the end of the 1950s, came the Walk-Thru van, a piece of lateral thinking that took an American style urban delivery van, and adapted the idea to British conditions.
None of this did Rootes much good in the long term, however, as they struggled in the 1960's to compete with UK market leaders Leyland, Ford and Bedford and by 1976, when the Commer name was dropped, less than 10,000 of the Dunstable-built trucks found buyers.
But Commer/Karrier had their strengths too, with their flashes of innovation, a new factory in Dunstable, a family feeling in the long-established factory at Luton where Commer had set up business back in 1906 and terrific brand loyalty. All combine to ensure Rootes commercial vehicles remain a fascinating part of Britain's post-war truck industry.

This book tells the complete story of an iconic British automotive manufacturer, from early innovative design concepts to the company's ultimate demise. It contains a wealth of contemporary photographs.

Commer Vehicles

Commercial Cars Limited was the name of a new company set up in 1906 in south London to build a motor lorry, using what was then known as the Linley gearbox, which had degree of pre-selection in its use.
The design was successful enough to require a relocation of the company to Luton and larger premises. Commer Car was the chosen name for the vehicle, and a range of lorries and buses were developed at Luton.

Over the following decades, Commer produced a wide range of vehicles including lorries, buses, trolleybuses and light vans. The name passed hands on a number of occasions and enjoyed a long and successful period as part of the Rootes group, eventually being dropped in favour of the Dodge name in the 1970s.

To the truck enthusiast, the history of Commer has always been of great interest, with the Linley gearbox, the development of the two-stroke engine and the machinations of ownership being a constant cause of fascination over the years.
This lavishly illustrated volume explores this history with a wealth of rare and unpublished images.