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Reuters / June 16, 2020 STOCKHOLM - Truck- and construction equipment maker AB Volvo plans to cut its white-collar workforce by 4,100 positions during the second half of 2020, it said on Tuesday, citing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has slammed demand for trucks, forcing Volvo and its rivals to cut costs, with fellow truck maker Scania earlier this month flagging it was planning major job reductions. “The corona epidemic and the global measures taken to fight it has led to a market situation impacting our industry severely,” Volvo CEO Martin Lundstedt said. “The effects are expected to be lower demand going forward and we need to continue to adjust our organization accordingly.” Volvo said around 15% of the expected reductions were consultants, adding that about 1,250 positions were expected to be cut in Sweden. The Gothenburg, Sweden-based company, which employs some 104,000 staff, said late in April that net order intake of its trucks had dropped by 75% in March versus February and been net negative since then.

Actually, the cutting edge all-new chassis used first with the MH Ultra-Liner and later the RWI second generation Super-Liner was our first "metric" frame design. Naturally we used metric fasteners including "body bound" bolts as well. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/42109-mack-frames-1989/

"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" While I don't agree with all of this member's thoughts, he/she has often spoken over the past with a great deal of intelligence. I respect their knowledge. And, we can agree to disagree. Traveling around the world interacting with people in every corner of the globe, contrary opinions gave me a more open-minded thought process.

A report from the BBC said that dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid, is being seen as a success in low doses to combat patients who are suffering serious symptoms from COVID19. The BBC report cited a study from Oxford University, which included 2,000 hospital patients who were given the steroid and were compared with more than 4,000 who didn’t get the drug. The report indicated that for “patients on ventilators it cut death risk from 40% to 28%,” and for “patients needing oxygen it cut death risk from 25% to 20%.”

The highlight of my Mondays is Jay Leno's videos.

Renault "Premium" cab. https://public.fotki.com/modeltrucks25thscale/truck_brochures/mack/mack_quantum_specsh/mackquanspec2003-01.html

What is the part number? 230SX?

Beautiful tipper !

Swing-out fenders allow engine access. Unusual in that the pivot point is at the rear. I assume the cab does not tilt. I think the contoured windshields, instead of flat, was unusual for a heavy truck at the time. This is said to be a model DU102-TN prototype (serial 38666), a replacement for the second generation U-Series in 1953. But White canceled the project when it acquired Autocar that same year.

Perhaps I missed a comment, but I don't think anyone suggested removing eyes, hands, feet, etc. as a punishment (as is done in some Muslim countries). Rather, I believe the general thought is, treat a thief as.......a thief, i.e. the criminal that they are. If we tolerate crime, it only emboldens those to continue and worsen.

When you called Mack brand distributor Triple T in Wilmington (800-487-4694) and asked their service department who they use for spring repair, what did they say ?

I like the Farr air cleaner.

Ford expanding near its Chicago assembly plant Automotive News / June 10, 2020 CHICAGO -- Ford Motor Co. is expanding in Chicago after signing a lease for a big industrial building near its southeast side assembly plant. The automaker has leased a new 359,000-square-foot building within a large industrial park under construction on the site of the former Republic Steel factory, said Tom George, vice president of acquisitions at NorthPoint Development, which is developing the property. Ford, which signed the lease in late 2019, plans to use the building for “pre-assembly work” of components that will be delivered to the Ford factory about 1.5 miles away, he said. George did not know how many people would work in the Ford warehouse, the first of as many as six large industrial buildings NorthPoint plans in the park. A Ford spokeswoman declined to comment. The lease is good news for NorthPoint and the Chicago economy, which is reeling from the impact of the coronavirus. Government restrictions to slow the spread of the virus have forced many businesses to shut down temporarily and left many people without a job. Ford idled its North American factories for two months in response to the pandemic, reopening them in mid-May. But a couple days later, the company shut its Chicago plant briefly after two workers there tested positive for the virus. Ford expects to increase its production to pre-pandemic levels at its North American factories with weeks, but the automaker has forecast a $5 billion loss in the second quarter due to COVID-19. Still, George has seen no signs that the company is reconsidering its decision to move into the new building. “They have been anxious to get in there, so I assume that’s still the case,” George said. Before the pandemic, Ford made a major commitment to its Chicago operations, spending $1 billion to modernize the South Side factory, where is makes Ford Explorers, and a Chicago Heights stamping plant. The company employed a combined 6,500 people in the plants as of last June. Kansas City, Mo.-based NorthPoint also made a big commitment to the Southeast Side, launching its $164 million plan to revamp the Republic Steel site last year. The city of Chicago gave the project a big push with a $52 million tax-increment financing subsidy. Its expected return on investment: 660 permanent jobs and 650 temporary construction jobs. With 2.3 million square feet of buildings over 196 acres, the project, called the Avenue O Industrial Park, is the largest industrial development in Chicago since the creation of the 1.6 million-square-foot Ford supplier park next door more than 16 years ago. NorthPoint also owns the supplier park, whose tenants include Tower Automotive and Flex-N-Gate.

For the E9, I strongly suggest that you retained the 24-volt starting system. There's a very good reason why Mack engineering chose a 24-volt starting system. Switching to 12-volt would be a downgrade.

Not common fiberglass, but rather Mack Trucks' proprietary "Maxi-Glas". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Morning Call / September 18, 1985 Mack Trucks yesterday received a Governor's New Product Award for development of its Ultra-Liner truck, a lighter-weight vehicle made of fiberglass. In ceremonies on the sun-bathed Capitol steps, and with the red, white and blue truck in front of him, Gov. Dick Thornburgh presented plaques to the Allentown-based company. The company was praised for its innovative products that, Thornburgh said, have contributed to the expansion of the state's economic base. The Ultra-Liner truck, designed to be rust-free, is made of a combination of fiberglass and plastic called Maxi-Glas, said Leslie A. Meacock II, director of product engineering for Mack Trucks. Development began in 1977 for "the finest cab in the world," Meacock said. After four years of research and development and an investment of "$20 million-plus," the first truck was completed in 1982, he said. The Ultra-Liner, he said, weighs less than standard-design trucks, has lower operating costs and is more fuel efficient. The fiberglass cab "is more aerodynamically correct," causing the higher efficiency rating, Meacock said. While Meacock could not give one specific figure on the percentage difference in fuel consumption, he said, "It could (provide) up to 12 percent greater efficiency than previous trucks, depending on the way it's used and the operating conditions." Commercialization of the Ultra-Liner in 1983 required a new production line, which increased employment to 1,400 from 800. The company has sold between 7,000 and 8,000 trucks at $66,000 to $100,000 each, depending on the options and engines. Meacock said many different commercial fleets have been sold to various companies including Ryder, Penske and United Parcel Service. "Our market penetration this year is higher than ever," Meacock said. This new truck replaced an older cab, but Meacock said that the firm is still producing its standard line of trucks. He added that the company is developing new models in addition to the Ultra-Liner.

Ford, VW to make about 8 million commercial vehicles Reuters / June 10, 2020 The automakers will collaborate on a city van built by Volkswagen, a 1-ton cargo van developed by Ford, and a Volkswagen mid-sized pickup built on the Ford Ranger platform, starting in 2022. Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen Group said on Wednesday they would make up to 8 million units of medium pickup trucks and commercial vans during the lifecycle of the vehicles as part of an alliance announced last year. The automakers will collaborate on a city van built by Volkswagen, a 1-ton cargo van developed by Ford, and a Volkswagen medium pickup built on the Ford Ranger platform, starting in 2022. The No. 2 U.S. automaker will also make a new electric vehicle for Europe by 2023, built on Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive toolkit, and could deliver more than 600,000 units over several years. Ford and VW announced their partnership plans in January 2019, as carmakers around the globe join forces to invest in electric and self-driving technology to help save billions of dollars. VW CEO Herbert Diess and Ford CEO Jim Hackett formally announced their companies' partnership in July 2019.

Owners sue Ford over faulty Mustang transmissions Michael Martinez, Automotive News / June 10, 2020 DETROIT — Owners of 2011-2019 model year Ford Mustangs are suing the automaker for what they allege are defective manual transmissions that have caused the pony cars to slip, jerk and clash gears while shifting. A suit seeking class-action status, filed last year in California and transferred last month to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges Ford knew about defects in the Getrag MT82 six-speed manual transmissions for a decade. Since 2011, the lawsuit says, Ford has issued seven special service messages and technical service bulletins related to shifting issues and other defects. "The transmission is defective in its design, manufacturing, and or materials in that, among other problems, the transmission slips, jerks, clashes gears, and harshly engages; has premature internal wear, increased shift efforts, inability to drive, and eventually suffers a catastrophic failure," the lawsuit says. "Ford repeatedly failed to disclose and actively concealed the defect from class members and the public and continues to market the class vehicles without disclosing the transmission defect." A Ford spokesperson said, "We typically do not comment on pending litigation." The automaker has faced legal issues for years surrounding its DPS6 manual transmissions used in Focus and Fiesta sedans. Last year it extended the warranty on certain 2014-16 model year Focus and Fiesta cars with dual-clutch transmissions by two years and 40,000 miles, and this year reached a new settlement in a class-action lawsuit affecting nearly 2 million customers. Ford began using the Getrag MT82 transmission in the Mustang for the 2011 model year, when it replaced the Tremec T5 and TR-3650 manuals. It began receiving complaints shortly after the MT82 transmission's launch. The lawsuit highlights a 2011 investigation into the MT82 transmissions by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA found 364 complaints related to the gearbox but eventually closed the case after Ford took action to correct the problems, and it concluded there was "no unreasonable safety risk associated with the alleged defect." The plaintiffs include Brandon Lemons, who purchased a pre-owned 2014 Mustang GT in late 2018. He took the vehicle in for service in July 2019 complaining of a "grinding noise and a vibration through the shift knob." The problem has gone uncorrected.

Ford recalls 2.15 million vehicles for faulty door latches Reuters / June 10, 2020 WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it will recall 2.15 million U.S. vehicles with potentially faulty door latches. The automaker said the recall covers many Ford and Lincoln vehicles from the 2011-15 model years. The recalled vehicles may not have had all door latches replaced or correctly replaced when repaired by dealerships under recalls issued in 2015 and 2016. Ford said a recalled vehicle with a faulty latch may unlatch while driving, but said it is not aware of any reports of accidents or injury related to the condition. The company previously recalled more than 5 million vehicles for varying door latch-related issues since 2015 and has booked hundreds of millions of dollars in costs. The recall covers some Ford Fiesta, C-Max, Focus, Mustang. Fusion, Escape, Transit Connect, Lincoln MKZ and MKC vehicles. Ford said the latches have a part susceptible to cracking that in some circumstances can lead to doors failing to close. If motorists repeatedly attempt to close the door, it may temporarily close but could open during driving.

Ford F-150 EV, Transit EV coming by mid-2022 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / June 10, 2020 DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. will offer battery-electric versions of its F-150 pickup and Transit van by mid-2022, COO Jim Farley said Wednesday. It's the most detailed timeline yet for the company's electric vehicle plans and comes as Ford faces increasing competition in the EV space. The automaker previously said only that the Transit EV would be a 2022 model year vehicle and that the F-150 EV would be available in "the next couple years." Both products are key to Ford's strategy of increasing its focus on high-margin, commercial vehicles. They face challengers on all sides, including electric startups such as Rivian and Bollinger Motors as well as traditional rivals such as General Motors, which is planning its own electric van, according to Reuters. "With our knowledge and know-how, I like our chances against all comers as we go all-electric," Farley said at the Deutsche Bank 2020 Global Auto Industry Conference. Farley and Ford CEO Jim Hackett used their conference presentation to highlight Ford's business strategy and update wary investors as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Wall Street in recent days has continued to place high value on EV makers. Tesla Inc. stock has continued to soar, despite CEO Elon Musk recently signaling trouble ramping up Model Y production. And Nikola Corp., an aspiring EV commercial truckmaker, now has a higher market cap than Ford despite producing no revenue. "I see opportunity for Ford," Farley said Wednesday on CNBC when asked about Nikola's market cap. Production, sales updates Farley said that in the three weeks since Ford resumed North America production May 18, the automaker has hit roughly 96 percent of its planned volume. It's in the process of adding shifts and overtime at plants around the country and expects to be at pre-coronavirus patterns by July 6. Ford has said it expects to lose $5 billion in the second quarter because of the pandemic. Hackett and Farley reiterated that Ford's upcoming launches of high-profile vehicles including the Bronco SUV, F-150 pickup and Mustang Mach-E electric crossover will be delayed by about the two months that its factories were shut down, but the automaker does not envision further setbacks. Ford is preparing to unveil the next-generation F-150 this month, and it will reveal the Bronco in July. Both reveals were upended by the pandemic. While Ford no longer publicly reports monthly sales, Farley said the company's May U.S. new-vehicle sales rose 44 percent compared with April — a sign that demand was returning following statewide shutdown mandates. He said F-Series sales were up 5.3 percent year over year in May and that Ford gained an estimated 2.4 percentage points in pickup market share. Farley said Ford had a roughly 73-day supply of F-Series pickups and has flipped "lots of units" from fleet to retail to keep up with a shortage of inventory on dealership lots because of the production halt. The automaker is preparing to ramp down production of the current model as it changes over to the next generation, due out this year. "We feel great about where we are on F-Series," Farley said. VW deal signed Ford earlier Wednesday announced that it had officially signed off on a partnership with Volkswagen Group to jointly develop a midsize pickup and commercial vehicles in Europe that it announced last year. The two companies expect the alliance to yield about 8 million vehicles. The automakers will collaborate on a city van built by Volkswagen, a 1-ton cargo van developed by Ford and a Volkswagen medium pickup built on the Ford Ranger platform, starting in 2022. Ford will also make a new EV for Europe by 2023, built on Volkswagen's modular electric drive toolkit, and could deliver more than 600,000 units over several years. "In light of the Covid 19 pandemic and its impacts on the global economy, more than ever it is vital to set up resilient alliances between strong companies," Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess said in a statement. "This collaboration will efficiently drive down development costs, allowing broader global distribution of electric and commercial vehicles, and enhance the positions of both companies."

Ford, VW Partnership Will Develop Commercial Vehicles Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 10, 2020 The global alliance between Ford and Volkswagen announced plans to strengthen the commercial-vehicles businesses of both companies as early as 2021 with the development of a city delivery van and medium pickup truck. The alliance said it will develop a city delivery van based on the latest Volkswagen Caddy model, developed and built by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and will also later develop a one-ton cargo van created by Ford, according to the companies. There are also plans to produce a medium pickup truck engineered and built by Ford, for sale by Volkswagen as the Volkswagen Amarok starting in 2022 within the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles lineup. “Commercial vehicles are fundamental to Ford today and an area where we will accelerate and grow, and working with Volkswagen on these platforms will provide both of us significant financial advantages in things like engineering, and plants and tooling,” said Jim Farley, Ford chief operating officer. “Separately, Ford will add battery electric versions of Transit and F-150 in the next 24 months for commercial customers who increasingly need zero emissions and the power of connectivity, data and artificial intelligence.” Plans were also announced to develop a new Ford electric vehicle for the European market by 2023 built on Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Drive (MEB). “The collaboration with Ford is a key building block of our GRIP 2025+ strategy and part of the current transformation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles,” said Thomas Sedran, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. “This long-term cooperation with Ford will strengthen our very good position in area of light commercial vehicles, especially in our core European markets, and is proof that we are successfully implementing our plan step by step.” The companies said they anticipate continued growth in global industry demand for commercial vehicles and for high-performing electric vehicles to add valuable scale to their individual product portfolios. “This alliance comes at a time of tremendous enthusiasm about the intersection of increasingly intelligent, connected vehicles in an ever-smarter world,” said Ford CEO Jim Hackett. “This creates a huge opportunity to innovate and solve many of the world’s transportation challenges and deliver extraordinary benefits to customers – even as companies need to be selective about how they use their cash.” During the lifecycles of the products, the companies expect to produce up to a combined 8 million of the medium pickup truck and both commercial vans included in the commercial relationships. Additionally, the companies will both work on Ford’s Argo AI autonomous vehicle platform to form an autonomous-vehicle business based on its self-driving technology. The Volkswagen/Ford alliance does not include cross-ownership between the companies, which will remain competitors in the marketplace.

Tesla's Musk Tells Employees it's Time to Push Semi Production Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 10, 2020 Tesla shares topped $1,000 for the first time on June 10, as reports surfaced that the company is pushing to ramp up production of its electric heavy-duty Semi truck. According to Reuters, Tesla chief Elon Musk told his staff in an email Tuesday before the market opened that it was time to “go all out” to bring the Tesla Semi commercial truck to “volume production,” but he didn’t specify a time frame. Just a month and a half ago, Musk said in an earnings call that the long-awaited battery-electric truck wouldn’t be in production until 2021. Tesla’s shares rose about 6% to hit $1,000 on Wednesday after Reuters reported Musk’s email. Reuters noted that Musk’s message coincided with a surge in the share price of rival electric-truck maker Nikola. Nikola on Wednesday announced it had hired former Tesla executive Mark Duchesne to head its manufacturing and former Caterpillar exec Pablo Koziner to head its hydrogen fueling and battery recharging business. Apparently in response to the latest news about the Semi, Nikola founder Trevor Milton tweeted, “I love the competition!” and touted the Nikola fuel-cell truck’s lighter weight. The two companies also appear to be in a battle as to who will have a zero-emissions pickup on the market first, the Tesla CyberTruck or the Nikola Badger. Nikola recently announced it is opening up reservations for its Badger electric pickup truck on June 29. “This is Elon making noise because of Nikola,” Ben Kallo, an analyst at Robert W. Baird, told Bloomberg. He said other factors are fueling the Tesla stock’s gain, including strong sales in China and the anticipation of a "Battery Day" event. Initially, when the Tesla Semi was introduced in 2017, Musk announced production would begin in 2019. Companies such as Anheuser-Busch, J.B. Hunt, Fedex and UPS put in orders. Over the next year, Tesla Semis were spotted along highways and details started to emerge on an electric truck charging network. Then, in April 2019, during Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call, company officials indicated that production would begin in 2020. This was pushed back further in January, when a leaked email sent by Tesla to a company that had reserved one of the Semis reportedly said production would begin in the second half of 2020, with a limited run.