Scania L 8538
Built: 1971 · Series: Trucks over 12 t (Class N3)
More machines from model year 1971
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Reading a Scania — what 93, 113, 124 and 142 tell you
Scania type designations are not arbitrary but a system: the leading digits give the displacement in litres, the last one the series. A 113 is therefore an eleven-litre from the 3-series, a 143 a fourteen-litre of the same generation, a 124 a twelve-litre from the 4-series. The 142, in turn, is a fourteen-litre of the older 2-series. Learn this once and every Scania plate becomes readable.
Read on 4 more paragraphs
The 3-series arrived in 1988 and was replaced by the 4-series in 1995. It covered a remarkable span: from 9 litres with 230 hp to the 14-litre V8 with 500 hp — the same series, from distribution work to heavy haulage. The 3-series was voted Truck of the Year in 1989, cited for ride comfort and economical, reliable engines.
With the 3-series Scania also introduced the Streamline name. Behind it lay more than cosmetics: a revised bumper, a redesigned grille with lower drag and an improved wind deflector on the driver's side. Inside came a curved dashboard, and the engines were reworked.
For the used market this means: two generation changes and some fifteen years of development lie between a 142 and a 124, even though both carry fourteen- and twelve-litre numbers. The number alone says nothing about age — the final digit does.
Many entries in this class come from official registration data. Dimensions, weights and axle counts are reliable; the exact engine variant of an individual vehicle is not always recorded.
Sources: Wikipedia: Scania Serie 3 (Wikipedia), (Wikipedia), eurotransport
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 6correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 5,980 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,400 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 3,800 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 5,340 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 16,000 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Scania L 8538 weigh?
The unladen weight is 5,340 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Scania L 8538?
16,000 kg.
What engine does the Scania L 8538 have?
6 cylinders.
What are the dimensions of the Scania L 8538?
5,980 mm × 2,400 mm.
When was the Scania L 8538 built?
Production years: 1971.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
Request a quote →
We ask the suppliers and come back with price and lead time.
Request spare parts →
This page carries 9 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
Missing a figure you were looking for? Report it →
Know this machine better? Have a photo, a manual, or know that a figure is wrong? Add it to the register →
Other models in this series
-
- L11038BA
-, UOPLYST
-450 (B 6X2S4)
-490 (A 4X2)
-580 (B 8X4S4)
.420.A4X2...
.500.A4X2...
.560.A4X2...
087B118T/020
10 X 4 MIDLIFT
10640cm3
Sources: [1]
Truck in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.