Brockway Trucks 2018

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Eric

I’m sure on that fateful day in 1977 when the Brockway Truck factory was closed for good few dared to dream that 41 years later the name would not be lost to the pages of time. The idea that someday a museum would be in place just down the road in Homer would have been worth no more than a sarcastic laugh. Through the tireless dedication of many over the years the Brockway name is still with us and actively preserved. Each year this small but robust group helps push the name of Brockway one more year down the road. It’s quite amazing when you ponder it. I can think of few big name truck builders that are no longer with us that have only a fraction of their history preserved and remembered like that of the trucks from Huskie Town U.S.A.

That being said you stop on by and see the latest crop of trucks that comprise the class of 2018.

Posted in Truck Show | Tagged | 3 Comments

Farm Country

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Eric

You could say my new house resides in farm country. But to me more specific it resides next to one farm that is very active with most, if not all, the surrounding fields. That’s all right by me. I’ll take the calming odor of cow manure over the annoying traffic that went past my old home at all hours of the day and night. I’d rather hear a tractor in the back yard than hear one more fart can exhaust shake my front windows. Ah, this is turning into quite the old man rant. Anyway, here is some Red Power.

I used to be one of those people who scoffed at those who bought houses on good farmland, forever spoiling it. It’s funny how life has a way of making everyone a hypocrite from time to time. I console myself by saying the land couldn’t have been that great if they sold it. The view from my dinning room window.

Now as long as I don’t turn into one of those people who complain about farm stink after moving next to a farm everything will be okay.

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Go Hasties

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Eric

Go Hasties! It sounds like the slogan of Division III football team. If you’re from the Sacramento area you know that Hasties is the go to location for all your aggregate needs. Ryan need some mulch recently so he went to the place with the nicest trucks. Let this be a lesson to you business owners that keep buying the cheapest trucks painted in the dullest shade of white you can find. Some color and bit of chrome goes a long way!

Now you know that I’m not a huge fan of super singles but on this truck they look okay. Would you believe this trucks were purchased used and recondition for the fleet?

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Thanks for sharing Ryan!

 

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Freightliner EconicSD

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Eric

You know me by now. You know that I like to put a positive spin on these new plastic trucks. Well, I’ve met my match in the form of the Freightliner EconicSD. This thing is way too strange for my tastes. From the cab to the name. None of it makes any sense. Of course if you listen to the Freightliner reps this truck is the next step in the evolution of modern trucks. At the end of the day I suppose they are correct. The economies of scale have changed. You don’t just make a truck for the European or North American market anymore. You make a truck for both.

The cab and chassis of the EconicSD was designed and constructed at Daimler’s massive factory in Worth, Germany. It then hits the open seas and ends up in South Carolina where final assembly and preparation for the North American market takes place.

The global economy summed up in one photo.

You can learn more about the EconicSD by clicking here to read the official press release.

Posted in Industry News | Tagged | 2 Comments

Autocar Mondays – Waste Expo of the Past

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Eric

Did you know Waste Expo 2018 is taking place this week? Of course you did. I won’t have any coverage of this event but we can look at a few trucks that back in the day could have been found on the convention center floor.

This waaaaaay cab forward unit looks capable with a Heil body at back that would look at home in the DSNY fleet. The roof mounted A/C is worth two bonus points. I believe this one has the the bi-folding passenger door as well similar to this truck.

And if all that low entry easy access cab nonsense doesn’t do it for ya here is just a normal setup.

Do you have a truck you would like to see featured in Autocar Mondays? Email eric@dailydieseldose.com today!

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Emergency Exit

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Eric

This past summer I spent some time in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. One day the wife and I decided to visit the local roadside attraction of Crystal Cave. The idea of enjoying a simple road side attraction of days gone by while relieving the memories of Howe Caverns seemed like a great way to spend time. I’ve never considered myself to be a claustrophobic person but standing in the cavern with a group of strangers while watching the only exit fade away in the distance awoke an uneasy feeling in my mind. It was fascinating to view rock formations that have been 500,000 years in the making. It was less fascinating to be standing under a jagged looking fault line in which the earth nearly flipped itself over shearing the cavern in two a few thousand years ago. I’m glad the tour stopped for a good solid five minutes at this spot. It really gave my mind a chance to come up with some pleasent scenarios. Needless to say I was at the front of the line to leave the cave and rejoin the sane people who walk above the earth and not below it.

Maybe I would have felt a tiny bit better if I knew there was some other way out of the cave in the event the primary exit was lost. Even this old GMC would have calmed my nerves. Bobby sends in shots of a 1983 GMC 7000 that acts as the emergency hoist truck at the zinc mine where he works. This truck only has 7,000 miles on it and is still wearing the original tires it had on when it was purchased new at Briden Chevrolet. The truck is powered by a 427 connected to a 13 speed. The Timberland hoist on the rear is powered by a White 4 cylinder diesel.

It might not seem like much but when this truck is possibly your only way out of 1,500 deep hole in the ground you’ll be thanking your lucky stars it was around.

Seeing this truck makes me think back to the emergency that took place at the Morton Salt Mine under Cayuga lake two years ago. If you recall a crane had to be called in when the elevator that carries miners to the surface broke on the way up. Click here for more.

Thanks for sharing Bobby!

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At the Dealer – Trucks in the Sun

Posted on April 14, 2018 by Eric

Look at this glorious site. Trucks! Clean trucks! Clean trucks in the sun! It has been months since I’ve seen anything close to this scene. And, to top it off, these trucks are in a color other than white! Amazing! I bet they are just flying off the lot. 

Adding to the mix of new trucks is this shot from Hugh. It’s a Peterbilt 567 with the full Canadian spec of twin steer axles up front and wide spaced rear axles. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I prefer the look or rear discharge mixers.

A few more of the sun trucks.

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At the Dealer – International HX

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Eric

Will the International HX be a worthy successor to the Paystar line of trucks? Only time will tell but based on looks alone I’m pleased with what I see. Here we have a HX620 with Henderson gear all around. You’ll notice in the gallery below it comes with a pre-wetting system. A PWS cuts the solid material with the agent of your choice (liquid rust) to help increase the effectiveness of anti icing material. When you look all this tech its hard to believe a guy used to ride in the back tossing out sand with a shovel!

And while we’re on the topic of a the HX here is it’s “lighter” brother, the HV. This technically may not be an HV but it has the looks. In a past life it was the Workstar. This truck here has a set forward axle that looks like ready to pass the bumper at any given moment. Viking equipment all around on this truck. Plus a chrome visor!

Multiple angles plus another HX

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Really Lost

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Eric

Stare at this photo long enough and you will find the hidden Euclid bulldozer. Hard to believe such a fine and expensive piece of equipment was relegated to a junk pile but there it is. I suspect this to be a Euclid C-6. As you can see the blade is controlled by a cable hoist at the front of the machine. In latter models the cables would give way to single and rather large hydraulic ram. Without question a Detroit Diesel resides under the rusting sheet metal. Shame! Shame! Shame!

Now it’s possible I’ve shared these old military trucks on this page before but I can’t clearly remember if that is true. I’m a busy man and can’t be bothered to check. However, if you have the time on your hands or a better memory please feel free to let me know the error of my ways. Note the enclosures on the back of each truck. One can only wonder at what agricultural purpose these once served.

Posted in Free and Easy | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Super Puppy

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Eric

The other day I was just cruising along when all of a sudden a wild Mack Superliner appeared. What else about the Superliner needs to be said that hasn’t been said? I’m guessing that in past years this truck was owned by Lan-Co, it just seems like their color scheme.

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