Latil H14 and H16 A1
Overview
TypeMedium-duty/heavy-duty truck
Manufacturer
Production1948–1960
AssemblySuresnes, France
Body and chassis
Body styleCOE
Layout
Powertrain
TransmissionManual
Chronology
PredecessorLatil H3 A1 B5
SuccessorSaviem JL

The Latil H14 and H16 A1 is a range of medium-duty/heavy-duty trucks with a forward control design for road transport produced by French manufacturer Latil and later Saviem. The Latil H14 and H16 A1 were the last road trucks of Latil origin produced by Saviem. The range was heavily modularised, with standardised pieces and mostly using just a couple of engines throughout its run.

History and technical details

After World War II, the Pons Plan imposed limits to the French commercial vehicle manufacturers, which were divided into various groupings. Latil was made part of a Peugeot-lead grouping, and limited to produce large goods vehicles from 5 to 7 tonnes payload along with Saurer. As a result, in 1947 the company launched its first new road truck after the war, the forward control H3 A1 B5. That year, Latil introduced the H14 diesel engine, a monobloc inline-four engine based on the pre-war H1 which instead had two separated heads for each couple of cylinders. The H14 engine had a 108 mm bore and a 152 mm stroke. The H14 took the direct injection system licensed from Gardner from the H1. An inline-six variant, the H16 ( a H14 with a couple of cylinders added) made its debut shortly afterwards. The first Latil H14 and H16 A1, the H14 A1 B5, appeared in 1948, being a slightly modified H3 A1 B5 with the H14 engine.[1]

In 1950, Latil introduced a new forward control cabin designed by the coachbuilder Aérazur. Its lines were simpler and more modern-looking than the previous design used by Latil. The Latil range of forward control commercial vehicles mostly used just this cabin and the H14 and H16 engines from then on, allowing a strong modularisation and standardisation of components, making it easier for Latil to offer a varied range of low volume models. The most popular product of Latil at the time were tractor units, both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants.[1]

In 1954, Latil introduced a cabin which could be directly mounted in any chassis without any major modification, and so allowing even more standardisation. The new cabin had a more rounded design and decorative horizontal chromed bars on front.[1] It was criticised for vibrating, having cabin overheating problems and leaving little space inside as the engine occupied a central high position on it.[2]

After Latil was integrated into Saviem, the latter continued producing H14 and H16 A1 models up until 1960, when they were completely replaced by the Saviem JL range.[3]

Nomenclature

The range is named according to Latil's system introduced shortly before World War II and standardised after it, and it could have up to five code groupings. The first letter/number combination indicates the type of engine according to Latil naming. In the second combination, the A1 indicates a forward control type cabin.[1]

In the third letter/number combination, a B is for a commercial truck with two axles and rear wheel drive in two wheels, the Y for a truck with three axles and rear wheel drive in two wheels, the number along them making reference to truck classes according to Latil. The TL lettering is used mostly for Latil's agricultural and forestry tractors (where it appears immediately after the engine naming, except in a few forward control versions). When used in trucks, it makes reference to all wheel drive, four wheel steering models. TR are four-wheel steering, all-wheel drive heavy machine carriers (most of them unrelated to the Latil H14 and H16 A1 range). TLP and TRP are versions of them with two axles and double rear wheels with only front steering. TLZ and TRZ were versions with three axles.[1]

In the fourth combination appears various letters indicating different uses, such as T (tractor unit), TZ (six axles, all wheel drive tractor unit for government sales), BB and VP (specially-equipped vehicles), S (low chassis). A, B, D and R indicates different gross vehicle weight ratings (R meaning reinforcé, reinforced).[1]

In the fifth grouping appears letters for the chassis length: C (short), N (normal) and L (long).[1]

Engines and other specifications

By 1953, The H14 (at the time, 5,585 cc) and H16 (8,355 cc) were offered in versions of 80 metric horsepower (59 kW) and 120 metric horsepower (88 kW) respectively. Various models could be fitted with the M14 and M16, two petrol engines similar to the diesel ones.[4] For 1958, a few trucks with the Latil forward control cabin used the D615 H engine from Somua and changed the denomination from H14/H16 to SA1.[1] The D615 H was a 9,350 cc inline-six diesel delivering 150 metric horsepower (110 kW).[5]

The suspension is by leaf springs. The range has air brakes.[1] Most of the H14 and H16 A1 range uses 5-speed manual gearboxes, except for the A1 B3s models (4-speed manual) and the all-wheel drive models (4-speed manual with transfer case, giving 8 speeds).

Models

The following is an incomplete list of vehicles from the Latil H14 and H16 A1 range:

ModelWheelbasegross vehicle weight/gross combined weightType
H14 A1 B53,270 cm10.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B42,300—5,000 cm11 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B4 T2,300 cm18 tonnesTractor unit
H14 A1 B4 T32,300 cm19 tonnesTractor unit
H14 A1 B32,300–4,450 cm8.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B3 S4,450 cm9 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B63,270–5,800 cm12.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B6 D3,270–5,800 cm12.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B6 RD3,270–5,800 cm13.2 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B5 D3,270–3,850 mm11 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B5 B3,270–3,850 cm11.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 TL103,050 cm10 tonnes4x4 truck
H14 A1 TL10P3,050–3,700 cm10 tonnes4x4 truck
H16 A1 B7 T3,500 cm22 tonnesTractor unit
H16 A1 B7 T D3,500 cm26 tonnesTractor unit
H16 A1 B8 A3,500–5,000 cm17.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B8 VP3,700 cm18.5 tonnesTruck
H14 A1 B7 VP3,700 cm17 tonnesTruck
H16 A1 B8 T D/RR3,500 cm28–31 tonnesTractor unit
H16 A1 TLP3,700 cm13 tonnes4x4 truck
H16 A1 TZ4,300 cm11 tonnes6x6 truck
SA1 (A1) B4 T2,300 cm18 tonnesTractor unit
SA1 (A1) B8/B8 R3,500–5,000 cm18 tonnesTruck
SA1 (A1) B8 T3,500 cm28 tonnesTractor unit

Note: The vehicles highlighted with light blue are the last H14 and H16 A1s produced by Saviem in late 1959 and early 1960.[6]

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Colombet, Jean-François (1995). "Les Latil H14 et H16 A1" [The Latils H14 and H16 A1]. Charge utile (in French). No. 25. Paris: Histoire et Collections. ISSN 1266-8508.
  • Colombet, Jean-François (2020). "Saviem 1960–1961". Charge utile (in French). No. Hors-série 100. Paris: Histoire et Collections. ISSN 1266-8508.
  • Tracteurs routiers, Suresnes: Latil, 1954
  • SA1 B8 (in French), Suresnes: Saviem, 1958
  • "Les derniers camions Latil: tout en rondeurs!" [The last Latil trucks: all curves!] (in French). Fondation Berliet. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
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