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Hendrickson Trucks

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Eric

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen a Hendrickson truck in person. One time. And that was at the 2015 ATHS National Show. Best know for their superior heavy duty suspensions the Hendrickson Company at one time also built equally heavy duty trucks. A midwestern company through and through it’s rare to find these trucks on either coast in the numbers that you’ll find while searching around Chicago. Ryan came across a veritable treasure trove of old trucks when visiting Mohr Ready Mix of Oak Park, IL. Naturally they had a few Hendrickson kicking around.

What is it with ready mix companies and never throwing anything away? Thank God they don’t! Stop by allreadymix.com to see more of this fleet!

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Posted in Lost and Found | Tagged hendrickson truck, mohr ready mix | 17 Comments

The New Freightliner Cascadia

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Eric

Truck spotters study the photo below, you’re bound to see many of these on the roads very soon, it’s the new Freightliner Cascadia.

Faced with ever stifling EPA emission and fuel economy mandates truck builders have no choice but to improve aerodynamics or perish. The new Cascadia body design represents an increase of 8% fuel economy when compared to the current model currently found on the roads.

To combat driver error a new suite of tools known as Detroit Assist are available on select models that offer amenities found on high end passenger cars such as adaptive cruise control, active brake assist, and lane departure warnings. With traffic deaths on the Nation’s highways the highest they have been since 2008 these options come none too soon.

In the cab a redesigned dash is home to driver comfort features like bluetooth, GPS and other telematic services. The new sleeper compartment featuring a driver’s loft with dinette arrangement and murphy bed or the more traditional double bunk setup.

But why read words when you can watch video!

Truckinginfo.com has a gallery of the Cascadia wearing the colors of the usual suspects like Werner, Swift and C.R. England. Check em out here. Good thing there is Freightliner trucks dealer less than five miles from my front door. 😉

Image Source : Freightliner Trucks

Posted in Industry News | Tagged freightliner cascadia | Leave a comment

Allis Chalmers HD11G Dozer

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Eric

Okay, this is it! The very last posting EVER of Dobbins material…unless of course there is another auction in the future.

Lurking in one of the larger builders, suspiciously clean I might ad, this Allis Chalmers HD11G dozer with 3 in 1 bucket was waiting for its new owner.

This massive piece of old iron is powered by an AC six cylinder diesel and looked intact in all major departments. The batteries were missing preventing anyone from starting it up and accidentally crashing through the back wall of the shop and into the nearby swamp.

I think this would be a great machine to own but how exactly do you go about moving a dozer that doesn’t run? Put in neutral and push? Seems like one big machine requires another. Share if you know.

Elsewhere in the shop, among shelves made out of old truck frames (?) another AC was looking for a home.

When I first approached this dozer from the other side it was easy to mistake this lot of rusting metal for just that, a pile of rusting metal. I could easily see someone bidding on this thinking it was nothing more than just a pile of sheet metal only to turn the corner and see the tracks of a very vintage machine. Did you notice that design on the hood? Not the typical AC logo.

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Speaking of this old HD11G, remember that HD21 from a few years back? Click here to relive!

Posted in Heavy Equipment | Tagged allis-chalmers, dobbins auto parts, hd11G bulldozer | Leave a comment

B-61 Mack Truck

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Eric

I spent sometime this past weekend working a video for the BTPA featuring the 2016 Truckers Choice, a 1972 361 model painstakingly rebuilt by Ray Hildreth. While the Huskie was the star dog of the day there was another breed lurking in the background that was too nice to ignore, Ray’s B-61 powered by the a 711 Thermodyne diesel engine. After hanging around these old trucks you start to develop an appreciation for not only their looks but their sounds. Just as a Detroit has its own unique ring a Mack diesel has its own growl that will please even the most discerning ear.

This old B does not disappoint on any sensory level. For proof, check out the video below.

There will be more much more to come regarding the 361 Brockway. Until then you’ll just have to satisfy yourself with this never before seen photo (on this site 😉 )

A huge thanks to Ray and his Father for the hospitality!

Posted in Your Submissions | Tagged b-model mack | Leave a comment

At the Dealer – Cross Section

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Eric

Do remember the other day when I was blubbering about how it would be months, possibly years, before the International HX started showing up in CNY? Once again the universe has spoken to reveal my ignorance. I came across this HX515 at Stadium International just the other day. The lightest of the model line, this particular 515 has all the the weight saving features available including a single channel frame. Under the hood a Navistar N13 can found while up in the cab the increasingly rare manual transmission is present. Out back a Henderson suspension with 46,000 capacity sits over Dana axles. No clue where this one is heading but the bumper extension for PTO could indicate plow, mixer or garbage service in near future.

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Across town at the Freightliner\Western Star dealer, Tracey Road Equipment, this attractive combination was present. The “shop hauler” was loaded up with a John Deere equipped with Alamo mower.

Also seen, a variety of new trucks.

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Over at the local Cat dealer, Milton Cat, this D6K was posing in front of the service department.

Posted in At the Dealer | Tagged cat d6k, freightliner, international hx515, milton cat syracuse, navistar n13, stadium international, tracey road equipment, western star | Leave a comment

Autocar Mondays – Off Road Towing

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Eric

I’m always going to be a sucker for trucks with pit fenders, steel bumpers and 4×4 capability. Toss in a Detroit Diesel and you might have the perfect truck. This 1977 DC comes awfully close to magic formula and is now your Autocar of the week.

Algonquin Towing out of Brockville, Ontario runs this heavy duty tower for those complicated jobs in which just getting to the vehicle in need is a challenge all its own.

The recovery power of this Autocar is provided by a Holmes 750 with an intense looking under reach system. Seen at the 2016 ATCA Upper Canada truck show in Athens, Ontario this truck continually caught my eye throughout the day….and rightfully so!

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Posted in Autocar Trucks | Tagged algonquin towing, atca upper canada, autocar tow truck, holmes 750 | Leave a comment

International Harvester Construction Equipment

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Eric

Keep your eyes peeled this fall for a new book detailing the expansive construction lineup of International Harvester, Hough and Dresser. Penned by author Roger Amato, one of the foremost experts on International Harvester construction equipment, this new book not only covers the IH’s construction line in-depth but also their engine offerings.

It’s the perfect gift for those hard to shop for heavy equipment fans on your holiday lists!

Posted in Books | Tagged dresser construction equipment, hough construction equipment, international harvester construction equipment, roger amato | Leave a comment

The Money Makers

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Eric

Before leaving the Athens truck and starting my journey home I decided to swing by the HQ of the Tackaberry fleet to possibly catch a glimpse of the rigs that will someday make up the truck shows of the future. Some of the machines spied from the roadside were flirting with that fine line between the still working category and recently retired. What a great combo this S-Series with drop axle trailer. Too cool.

Here, we see a small glimpse of the modern workaday fleet. International after International after International. Is this what heaven looks like?

The modern classics on display.

Believe me when I say this was just the tip of the iceberg.

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Posted in On the Job | Tagged atca upper canada, athens truck show, tackaberry construction | Leave a comment

Unique Macks

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Eric

I came across this Mack awhile back that from a distance seems like a traditional R-Model but with each closing step reveals that appearances can be deceiving.

From the Town of Leyden, NY this truck looks like the rare optioned steel nosed R-model. I’m making that up of course. My best guess is that someone had a steel nosed DM and retrofitted a new tilt nose hood….for reasons unknown. Or maybe they had a R with parts left over from a DM? Alphabet soup!

While we’re on the topic of Macks, here is a DM for Kenyon Pipeline Inspection. The back of this truck is jammed full of equipment, compressors and generators. Nothing strange about the grill on this truck.

Posted in At the Dealer | Tagged mack truc, r-model, steel nose dm | Leave a comment

ATCA Upper Canada Part II

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Eric

Earlier this year when International announced the HX520 to complete their vocational lineup I was excited yet sad at the same time. I figured it would be years before I saw one of these beautiful new trucks as the trucking and constructions companies around Central New York are not often earlier adopters of new truck models. Hope was restored quickly when browsing through promotional photos from Truck World, the premier heavy truck trade show of Canada, when I saw the unmistakable color scheme of the Tackaberry Companies. At that moment I knew my chances of seeing a new HX just increased exponentially. My faith was rewarded this weekend when the Tackaberry HX520 was proudly on display at the ATCA Upper Canada classic truck show in Athens, Ontario.