IN AFRICAN SERVICE
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Compared with some of the new Scandinavian trucks coming into the UK during the early 70s, the Crusader may have seemed rather basic. But being basic was an asset when Crusaders were shipped to parts of Africa where a driver’s seat, a steering wheel and three pedals were the only requirements. This was certainly the case for Heinz Herman’s hard-working fleet based in Zimbabwe. Most exported Crusaders were shipped out in kit form, but putting these kits back together didn’t always work out. Glynn Rees recalls that because the fitters and drivers out there couldn’t read, gauges were often fitted upside down. Because the Crusader was prone to overheating when worked hard in high temperatures, Heinz fitted an overflow pipe from the top of the radiator into the cab. When the truck’s coolant boiled over, the water dropped onto the driver’s feet, letting him know he had to stop to let it cool down.