Have you ever dreamed of building your own custom big rig? A big task for sure, probably more complex than your average street road or muscle car project. Western Star assembled a crew of the best craftsmen in the industry to complete this awesome project. When was the last time you saw a semi with custom made leather saddle bags with sterling silver inserts? Pay special attention to the detailed scroll work on the exhaust pipe. Hit the video below for all the details.
I am now a full week behind IRT so no need to worry about spoilers any more!
Dave has the opening act this week on IRT with an over sized load of spool pipe to Prudhoe Bay. The special load has Dave energized as he is eager to prove his worth. Unfortunately for Dave the Carslie yard seem to have curse that only applies to him. When attempting to hit the road his discovers his trailer brakes are frozen solid. He can either wait for the spring thaw or find a large hammer to pound on the brake drums. With no hammer on his truck Dave attempts to borrow one from fellow truckers in the yard. People stare at him like he has a third head upon each request for help. An explosion of epic of proportions is averted when Phil arrives with a hammer to borrow. Hitting the road Dave hears a message over the CB about the Yukon River bridge being closed. As this is the only way of getting to the Dalton naturally Dave is curious. When he inquires for more detail the disembodied CB voice ignores Dave and refuses to divulge more info.
The career of Lisa continues on the face track to the top. This week she is teamed up with Tony in their attempt to haul the largest load of the season; 100FT long prefab buildings. At the start of the trip Lisa and Tony are told the buildings are 17 feet 16 inches tall. From previous experience Tony knows the road out of town will take them under a bridge that only has a clearance of 16 feet 10 inches. The heavy haul dispatcher ensures them that they will “probably be okay”. Encouraging words. Despite the obvious difference in bridge and vehicle size both make by with inches to spare. Hmmmmm.
The highlight of this weeks episode maybe the reuniting of Rick, Hugh and Alex. All three are scheduled to convoy the same 800 mile, 3 day run to Tadoule Lake. Alex seems genuinely annoyed at this fact and tries to leave the yard before Rick and Hugh arrive. Not so fast, more frozen trailer brakes. The frustration level quickly rises as Hugh and Rick arrive. After some ribbing they tear off into the sunset leaving Alex to stew in his own juices. Two mechanics and hours later the stuck break problem is solved…..switched air lines on the trailer. Not afraid to laugh at himself the sour mood of Alex immediately lifts and he is on the way. The tables soon turn on Ricky and Hugh when they are pulled over by the police for a log book inspection. Next Rick discovers a short on his truck after a battery cable is severed by the hard roads. And finally, Hugh’s heavily loaded trailer is begins to rubbing on his tractors wheels over leading to loss of traction which in turns cause him to become stuck. Alex soon passes both, his cab full of evil laughter.
Maya also had a spot in this episode but it was more of the same. Screams of terror, lots of giggles, hesitation about shifting. I am very bored with this story line. I thought she was supposed to be a tough NYC trucker?
Until next week enjoy the summer!
White Trucks were well represented during the most recent CNY ATHS 2011 truck show. No doubt we all remember the Vegas bound White 3000.
Here we have a 1967 White 4000 with the obvious sounds a Detroit Diesel.
Flash foward ten years to 1976, the decling years of White Trucks in terms of sales and market share. Here is the 1976 Road Commander 2.
Last night on Speed TV American Trucker began season two with a emotional visit to Joplin, MO. Do yourself a favor and check this show out. American Trucker is hosted by Robb Mariani who has an unmatched passion for all things trucks. It’s great to see a host not just pay lip service to the subject matter, Robb actually knows his trucks, both old and new. New Episodes every Thursday at 10.
Take a trip to Europe and you will find that the diesel is common among passenger cars. Travel back to the US and you will find only one viable choice, the VW Passett TDI. Many US consumers remember the failed passenger car diesels of the past and shudder with fear. However, rising gas prices and pressure by the Federal Government on car makers to improve their overall fleet MPG has many manufacturers turning the eyes back to the old sparkless wonder. Sources within GM hint at a diesel powered Chevy Cruze (shown below) sometime around 2013. Already sold in Europe the diesel powered Cruze averages around 50 MPG on the highway. Even closer to fruition, Mazda has plans to pair their Sky-D diesel engine to the Mazda 6 sometime around 2012. Fuel mileage estimates for the diesel powered 6 range from 33 city to 43 highway. The Sky-D already meets US emission regulations placing Mazda well ahead of competitors. Not bad for a midsize passenger car. It will only take the mild success of Chevy or Mazda to convince other car makers to follow the diesel highway to green dollars.
Image Source: GM
From the great manufacturing history of New York State I bring you these two Brockway semi trucks. Manufactured in Cortland, NY until the late 70’s Brockway’s were a truck in their own class, unrivaled even by their parent company, Mack.
This years CNY ATHS truck show is now just a memory. If you were not able to make the show please enjoy a selection of trucks from the gallery below. Stay tuned for videos!
Kurt Luthy is the proud owner of this 1956 White 3000 classic truck. Recently purchased in Vermont, Kurt is on his way home with his new ride. Did I mention Kurt lives in Las Vegas, Nevada? Clearly Kurt has a lot of faith in his White 3000 as they will be close travel companions for the next 2,475 miles of American blacktop. This model 3000 is powered by the White gasoline engine and 8-Speed road ranger transmission. Kurt estimates his truck can do about 50 MPH and averages about 5 miles per gallon. These are strickly estimates as his gauges are currently in a state of non operation. Sticking to side roads this truck is sure to gather much attention, hopefully for all the right reason. If your a fellow truck nut keep your eyes open for Kurt and his White 3000 on the way west. Good Luck!
Jumping head first into the digital age Freightliner dealers can now use a specially designed iPad application to help potential buyers spec the right truck. Using the app, sales specialist can calculate potential fuel savings, pick the right transmission and show the customer a wide rage of options available. With already 2,000 iPads running the app Freightliner is continually adding features and updates to support the dealer network. Pretty neat if you ask me.
Source: Freightliner.com
If you’re heading to the prom a normal limo will do. On your wedding day you might be able to make due with a stretched limo. But where do you turn when normal just won’t cut it? The Midnight Rider, the world’s largest limousine. A Peterbilt Semi is required to move over 460 square feet of opulent luxury, a crew of five, full bar, three separate lounges it doesn’t get any more stretched than this. Construction took over five years during which not a single detail was missed including the hammered brass bathroom sink.
Source: Midnight Rider
