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Return of the Kodiak?

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Eric

GM is returning to the medium duty truck market that it abandoned at the the height of the great autoimplosion of 2009. Starting in 2018 GM will begin supplying Navistar with engines and other components for the production of yet to be announced vehicle. Manufacturing will take place at International’s Springfield plant following a twelve million dollar expansion and the hiring of 300 new workers. Interestingly enough this joint product will be sold by Chevy and International dealers with slight cosmetic differences between the two trucks. There will be no GMC version. While this partnership is still in the very early the stages with very little concrete details available it doesn’t take a crystal ball to imagine that the International TerraStar is not long for this world. It falls squarely in the planed footprint of the new GM/Navistar love child. Those of you with long memories may recall that International was at one point interested in purchasing the class 4 and 5 products of GM.

Chevy C4500

Sources: GM, Navistar Partner to Build Commercial Trucks – PickupTrucks.com

Navistar-GM Partnership Could Spell End for TerraStar – CCJ.com

Posted in Industry News | Tagged gmc class 5 truck, gmc topick, international trucks, navistar, navistar gm build truck | Leave a comment

Field of Relics

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Eric

This thing, right here, has been sitting in the same spot for decades. I have memories of seeing it as child when it was probably still a new machine. Maybe it still runs? Who can say. There doesn’t appear to be much going on around it that would warrant a bulldozer. Make and model? That’s another good question. Fiat Allis perhaps? The more I look at the photo the more I don’t see much in the way of vegetation or settling so there might be more life than meets the eye in this old hunk.

Speaking of hulks, look at this Ford Super County doing its best impression of tow scrapper. They may work great as snowblower platform but I’m thinking once the pan fills up this little Ford is going to have it’s work cut out for it. This was seen on the outskirts of Rome, NY on the magic mile of vintage machinery known as South James St.

Posted in Heavy Equipment | Tagged fiat allis bulldozer, ford super county | Leave a comment

It’s Broken

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Eric

Once upon a time I drove behind the local Target and found a Peterbilt with log hauling trailer. This particular area of town isn’t known for logging and I was fairly sure Target had yet to start selling logs for the season so I continued to investigate. And then I saw it. A broken U-Joint. It doesn’t matter if the engine has been tuned to 600 HP and is pared with an 18 speed trans with a 2 speed auxiliary transfer case, the game ends once that small but crucial piece of steel gives loose.

If a broken U-Joint is all this truck of 29 years has seen in terms of repair than more power to it!

Posted in On the Job | Tagged peterbilt log hauler | Leave a comment

Classics Past and Future

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Eric

Alright, here are those photos I promised over two days ago. 🙂

To put on a truck show you need plenty of help from club members, the general public and commercial sponsors. Truck related businesses are a natural fit and often donate funds or trucks to display. The ATHS Hudson Mohawk truck show always seems to have sponsors not only willing to donate but also bring a truck or two to for people to climb all over. It’s a nice touch and one that I look forward to each year.

As in years past a fully decked out and brand new Western Star snow plow was on the show field. Town of Malta, NY should have nice and clean roads this winter.

Here is a setup that drew plenty of eyeballs when it rolled in, a Kenworth T-880 of Dave’s Logistics for Power Systems. Check out the gallery for a shot of the boom fully extended. It made me dizzy just looking at it.

Just like the ATCA Northeastern PA truck show and the ATHS National show I still have plenty of video footage to process. Think of it as something to look forward to as the truck show season winds down. While Detroit Diesels found their way into nearly every truck builder’s engine profile Mack Trucks seem to be found with a green leaker under the hood less than any other brand. This is just my non scientific observation. Here is a Mack RS700L complete with 12V71.

In the gallery below you’ll find a few more shots of the trucks mentioned above plus a few other brand new units. Also found is a shot of modern engine in the form of DD13. Just look at the miles of wires, piping and sensors. God Bless modern technicians.

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Truck Show | Tagged aths hudson mohawk, classic truck show | 1 Comment

Autocar Mondays – Walk this Way

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Eric

Today we have another familiar face for Autocar Mondays with this Autocar Construcktor. While more modern trucks crumble and begin to show their wear in just a few years A-Cars are of a different breed and only seem to get stronger with each passing decade.

It’s only natural that we’ll see a few repeats over the years with their abnormally long lifespans. This Construcktor of Gerald A. Welch was found doing the work I’ve so often seen it doing before, rebuilding sidewalk cutouts.

And to think, the streets used to be full of these fine rigs!

To revisit past action involving this truck choose a link below!

Still Working- Autocar Construcktor

Autocar Mondays – The Old and the Older

Posted in Autocar Trucks | Tagged autocar construcktor, autocar truck | Leave a comment

Through the Ages

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Eric

Back when this 1957 International S-120 rolled down the assembly line could the workers toiling away have ever dreamed that some day their very same company would produce a truck like the LoneStar in a the background? Talk about future shock. Trucks have come a long way in the past 50 years that is for sure.

Will the cabover every make a comeback in the United States? No one can say for sure but I can tell you the exist in plentiful numbers are truck shows across the country.

If I didn’t take a picture of it I may have it on video. Sometimes both.

Tomorrow coverage wraps of this great show with a look at some of the more modern rides and even more classics on video.

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Truck Show | Tagged american truck historical society, ATHS, aths hudson mohawk | Leave a comment

Orange Is The New Yellow

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Eric

You know me. I get excited when I hear about new construction but not because of the economic opportunity it represents for the community but for the chance to see trucks and heavy equipment in action. Developers have been courting tax breaks for an addition to the historic Amos Building and with recent approval by officials construction was slated to begin immediately. A few week passed. Then a few more. Finally heavy equipment showed up in the form of this orange painted Cat 330Cl with drilling attachment.

I’m guessing based on the arrival of this contraption there will be no basement excavation for this new building. Color me sad. Piling work has already begun.

I thought that I might get some interesting video out of this project but it turns out that drilling a big hole into the earth is pretty boring. The machine turns a bit. Some workers watch. Occasionally a large rock results in a loud noise until it is pulverized. That’s about it. I’ll keep tabs on this project for future activity.

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Heavy Equipment | Tagged amos building, syracuse | Leave a comment

The Real Dodge Bighorn

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Eric

Ram Trucks have a trim level across their model line referred to as the Big Horn. Every time I see one I can’t help but think that’s not a Big horn, this is a Bighorn! *see below*

Technically, it looks like the name is spelled different by using using a space. Either way, to drive the point home, this is a Bighorn.

When you see a truck like this one in such immaculate shape you know it has to be owned by a serious truck person. In this case, George Tackaberry. I like the long wheelbase on this rig. It would look great cruising down the highway with triaxle aluminium grain trailer in tow.

Look, another photogenic Kenworth W-900. It’s hard to take a bad photo of one. Much better looking than a Peterbilt if you ask me. 😉

Also at the show were some light duty vehicles repowered with Detroit Diesels. I’m not sure of the make but they sound like they belong in heavy equipment. Lots of noise, little speed. But that’s not the point with a Detroit.

So much too look at.

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Truck Show | Tagged aths hudson mohawk, dodge bighorn, kenworth w900 | Leave a comment

Rat Rods and Restorations

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Eric

Who doesn’t love a good Peterbilt 3xx model truck? This one has all the prerequisite bits and pieces required to wear the red oval badge. Tall stacks, rounded headlights, roof mounted A/C, marker lights all over and a large sleeper with heart shaped windows. Class pays.

On the polar opposite side of the truck spectrum resides this rat rod B-model Mack. Now, I know some of you are going to look at this truck and shake your head and declare it a waste while others will grin like little children on Christmas. Personally I think it’s pretty cool simply based on the amount of work that went into this setup. This truck is loaded with many tiny details and even larger engineering feats. This video only captures a few of them.

You don’t see too many Western Star cabovers on the road much less one in this pristine of condition.

Enjoy wave after wave of fine machines as they arrive to the show. Warning, loud train horns from the first truck.

More. Always more.

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Truck Show | Tagged aths hudson mohawk | 2 Comments

Sterlings and Macks

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Eric

The 26th annual Hudson Mohawk classic truck show played host to not one but two vintage Sterling trucks. The one you see below is a 1949 HWS235H with super heavy looking suspension pieces and Timken axles found out back.

When I think about Sterling trucks I think about chain drives. I want to say it was the hallmark of Sterlings trucks, a technology they stuck with and refined even as planetary gears were coming into their own. This 1952 Sterling HB3006D was a rare one for sure. Only five of this model were built and this truck wears serial number one. When new, this truck sold for 24,000 dollars, a princely sum in the ’50s.

While it arrived on trailer it motored to its own parking spot.

Looking back at past years there always seems to be an interesting Sterling or two. Check out this ’47 from the 2013 show.

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H-Model Macks, the cabover of the past. I always enjoy seeing this 1957 H-63 owned by George Tackaberry. It’s pristine in every detail. If you can find a nicer H-63 buy it! One of my favorite features of this truck is the air start engine.

The H-63 arrived on the back of sharp looking Freightliner.

Of course it wouldn’t be a classic truck show without a B-Model.

And so many more including Superliners, a 1927 AC Mack tanker, a Petercar hauling said tanker, an amazing Brockway 360 with a V-12 Detroit, a 1955 Mack LTL, Walter trucks, and a Kenworth K-100. Much more to come!