Traditionally, Bedfords were lightweight commercials; in fact, that was in many respects the brand’s Unique Selling Point. However, the KM was a totally different animal and hailed a new direction of travel for the marque. Launched at the 1966 Commercial Vehicle Show, the KM, despite sporting a (slight) variation on the TK cab was built upon a much bigger chassis with a more muscular drive train and took the company straight into the lucrative 16ton marketplace.
Initially the KM was offered in three wheelbase lengths for general haulage work, a further three for tipper applications and two more as tractive units for 22ton gross weight operation. Axle capacity was rated purely to the gross weight with six tons on the front and ten at the rear. As a chassis-cab, the new KM tipped the scales at 4.4 tons.
The whole new truck was given a whole new engine too. The Bedford 70 Series, a six-cylinder diesel with a seven-bearing crank, displacing 7.63litres and developing 136bhp at 2800rpm, with a maximum
