The Volvo F84, F85 and F86 were medium-sized trucks built from 1965 to 1979. The F85 was the forward-control model with a tilting cab, upgraded with a bigger engine when Volvo introduced its System 8 in 1965; the F86 put the same cab on the Viking chassis.
Volvo F85 at a glance
| Production | 1965–1979 |
|---|---|
| Models | F84, F85, F85S, F86 |
| Cab | forward control with tilting cab, from the Raske Tiptop of 1962 |
| F85 | new, larger engine with System 8 in 1965 |
| F84 | budget version, 1968–1974, no power steering |
| F85S | upgraded from 1976 with a bigger engine and better cab |
| F86 | cab from the Viking, new engine and eight-speed gearbox |
| Assembly | F86 also assembled in Scotland for the British Isles |
| Updates | new plastic grille in 1973, more comfortable cab in 1976 |
History of the Volvo F85
Volvo showed the forward-control Raske Tiptop with a tilting cab in 1962. When the company introduced its System 8 in 1965, that truck received a new, larger engine and was renamed the F85. Between 1968 and 1974 Volvo also offered a budget version called the F84, without power steering and with a reduced payload, and in 1976 the range was upgraded and renamed F85S, with a bigger engine and a more comfortable cab.
The F86 had a different origin. In 1964 Volvo mounted the Raske Tiptop forward-control cab on its Viking model, and when the System 8 arrived the following year the truck became the F86. The changes were more extensive than the name suggests: a new engine, a new eight-speed gearbox and an updating of most components. The F86 was also assembled in Scotland for sale in the British Isles, which made it a familiar sight on British roads.
Modernisation in 1973 brought a new plastic radiator grille and, in 1976, a more comfortable working environment for the driver. The family was replaced at the end of the 1970s, as Volvo moved to the F10 and F12 for heavy work and to the FL range for medium weights.
Design and features
- System 8: Volvo’s 1965 engine and driveline generation.
- Tilting cab: forward control with easy access to the engine.
- Eight-speed gearbox: introduced on the F86.
- British assembly: F86s built in Scotland for the home market.
- Budget option: the F84 for buyers who did not need power steering.
Volvo F85 versions
- F85 (1965): the standard medium truck with the new engine.
- F84 (1968–1974): cheaper version with reduced payload.
- F85S (1976): larger engine and improved cab.
- F86 (1965): Viking-based truck with a new eight-speed gearbox.
- Scottish-built F86: assembled for the British Isles market.
The F85 and F86 were replaced by the Volvo F10 and F12 at the top of the range and by the Volvo FL lower down. More trucks are in the Volvo collection.
Sources
- Volvo F85, English Wikipedia: F84, F85, F85S and F86 history
