The AEC MATADOR

When Britain declared war against Germany on September 3, 1939, one of the companies to be prepared for the event was the Southall-based firm of Associated Equipment Company, otherwise known by the initials AEC. Since 1936, when Britain began its re-armament program, AEC had been producing a range of wheeled vehicles for the British army. One of these was the “AEC Forward Model 0853.” More commonly referred to as the “Matador,” the heavy lorry entered service in 1938. By 1945, AEC produced more than 9,000 Matadors from its London factory.

Measuring over 20 feet in length and 7 feet and 10 inches wide, it was hard not to notice this heavyweight truck. In 1936, the Matador design represented a new direction for AEC. It was the company’s first 4X4 vehicle design