Red Horse

Kevin, With all of the electronics, creature comforts, power systems, what does something like this cost? (US$) Assume big power and live tandem

TG- Now THAT is a unique idea. Would be a good proposal as far as the US EPA is concerned but as they have already bagged Navistar for 7 million in penalties, I'm sure they would be looking for big penalty bucks from VW.

DUHH?? Marketing 101- announce a "revolutionary system-a hooklift!!" Let's see -hook lifts have been around for how many years???

EJ-but do any of these 550's have wings? No doubt most towns do have a good number of small trucks thesedays-but my issue is we are going to spend over a hundred grand and put a wing plow on a 550! I say when you have a winter like 2014-15, and the windrows get too high, you send the loaders out to punch "relief holes" in the banks every few hundred feet.

I have heard that some DPW's are starting to put wing plows on 19,500 lb chassis-be they F-550's, Dodge 5500's, Terrastars whatever. No doubt you see more and more F-350's, 550's etc being used to "clean up" intersections etc but this idea of putting a wing on such a small truck seems like trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Anyone have any knowledge /opinions on this? My town has budgeted $104,000 for a new 19,500lb truck!!

Very good EJ- I no longer have the music on when I go through-bad word-UNDER door!

Just wondering-do any of the other class8's offer this direct communication? As always, I wonder about the security of such "two-way" wireless communication. Not only "hacking" but stray signals. A few months ago I'm backing my Deere out of barn. I have my I-phone listening to I-heart radio. and my JBL wireless "speaker-or whatever you call it is on. I'm looking rearward all of a sudden hear a "crash" and immediately stop. The OH door activated, missed the cab roof and fortunately the front glass but hooked the exhaust stack, bent it as well as door panel while pulling door out of track. How does stuff like that happen? this was "perfect storm"- rear wheels had cleared door sensors which cross path about a foot off floor, missed cab roof so nothing to throw it into reverse before it made contact with stack. You would think this "two way communication" is bullet proof,then again.........?? The airwaves are full of signals.

Hmnn-I wonder how they are going to pay for them??

Interesting to see if any of these engines (7 or 9 liter) make there way here to give the 750 a fighting chance in the market. With a 37,000 lb gvw, I have trouble seeing any future for the 6.7 Power Stroke in that application.

64 dollar question is why? What took our initiative away? My first thought is we (American business) remain too focused on short term results. Unless a payout is right around the corner, it seems no one has the stomach for the long haul.. Its all about looking good for the next quarterly report. I remember when Ford after spending millions redesigning the class 7/8's, sells out to Daimler for a mere 300 million. I remember press coverage applauding Ford for its "short term focus"! I don't think thast was the train of thought when I was in school. Shows you how old I am right?

Actually the 650 is doing well-my suspicion is its all V-10 gas jobs- 12 mos 2015 they had 26.8% of class 6. Feb YTD they are at 35.9% of class 6. class 7 another story- 12 mos 2015 they had 4.85% of class 7. Feb ytd they are down to 3.93. I don't think the Power Stroke has a lot of interested buyers at 33,000lb GVW. If they don't get a good 6 cyl. diesel-or a bigger gas (make that gaseous-gas, LP, CNG) motor for class 7 they are toast IMO. By the way- Jim H- how does your friend like his new 650 V-10 ramp truck??

Ok- time for Ford to wake up. Isuzu diesel power coupled with a much larger dealer network has to spell trouble for Ford. Transit sales are booming but Ford will have nothing that is diesel powered over 10,000 lbs that is NOT a conventional cab. and not everyone wants to push a "long hood" around city streets with a clueless non-CDL driver. Just don't understand when they have a decent cab available in the lighter weight range Cargo.

As always-key point. Could this motor be certified for use in US and if not what would it take to get that certification.

Bringing the work from Westport should be a positive from a quality perspective. Understanding how some outsourced assembly might make sense, it would seem to me the more you have under one roof, the more focused everyone is. If a glitch comes up, not a matter of an email or a phone call-rather-"get your ass over here and look at this!

Guys- I should have added- I was BS-ing with the owner driver and could see this thing had the custom interior from the era-you had two choices back then-one was shades of brown with orange accents, the other was shades of gray-this thing had the gray-headliner looked immaculate-should have asked him to open the door to get a shot. Oh and fxymn-this wasn't a new hood on a 70's cab-it had the pull type door latches which were the last improvement before the HN-80 style came out in 98. Guy was not familiar with BlueOvalNews or BigMacktrucks site as I told him the truck would be on both sites that nite! As I'm sure you all can relate when you get a thumbs up from someone-made this guys day.

I can't understand why they could not do some creative engineering to come up with one BBC that would accommodate both engines.-be it axle forward or set back. Four BBC's- I can think of a lot of trucks that accommodated big bloc Cats or Cummins with as little as 106-granted-I'm sure all the emissions issues have complicated things but still........ 4?

Took this shot of a Louisville today working a road job in Brewster Ma. Dummy I did not get the year but newest would be 96/7, oldest with that grill 88?? In any case, LT-9000, 425 old school Cat, 18 front 46 rears with a 3rd lift.. Imacculate! Guy was waiting his turn at the excavator, so I made his day. He had rebuilt the motor (I guess that is where the 425 came from as I don't think they ever offered the 3406 with that rating as a factory option.) He also at one time owned an LT-9000 tractor that he picked up as a drive away at KTP.

We ran DM-400 NYC spec tank trucks in late 60's/early 70's. Allisons and I do believe they were Scanias. replaced the Scanias with V-185 Cummins power. From the frying pan to the fire!

Hope they have a remote "destruct" feature to save us a lot of trouble when they are abandoned and ISIS gets them!

Unhappy with German leadership?...Hmnn shades of Chrysler?

Hah! For sure Jim- the neighbors are not happy about their pot holes!

Well guys-thx for all the good advice. Picked up two new 1050 CCA (@32) from Fleet Pride (they are made by Exide) put them in and I could not get my finger off the starter button fast enough before it fired up. 20 minutes spent welding new angle irons in each battery box to lock them in and I'm done. Also interesting side note-was at the tire shop today and a Napa guy was in- he does fleet work for a Napa with about 6 locations. He told me 4 battery mfg's in US- East Penn-(Deka) Exide-(Fleet Pride one of their labels), Johnson Controls-(Interstate) and one other player that I forgot that does a lot of minor pvt. labels. MrCat- Mike-called your guy-he only went as high as 940. Price okay but given fact I was going from 4 to 2, wanted as much punch as I could get.