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Diesel News AU / February 21, 2017 After some time looking at the Hyundai "Mighty", initial impressions suggest the all-new truck represents a substantial step-up from its HD predecessor, with a far more modern cab offering car-like appointments on the inside, with a stylish, contemporary exterior. It’s available in three variants, EX4, EX6 and EX8. The EX4, which competes in the 4.5 tonne GVM sector and can, therefore, be driven on a passenger car licence, is available with either a factory tipper, pantech or refrigerated pantech body. It comes in two wheelbase configurations, short and medium. Next up is the EX6, a medium wheelbase 6.5 tonne GVM truck. This will be available as either a cab/chassis or factory tipper. At the top of the model range is the EX8, a 7.5 tonne GVM unit offered in medium, long and extra-long wheelbase configurations and with a choice of refrigerated and non-refrigerated pantech bodies. A choice between Standard Cab and the more spacious Supercab will be available on all three models. The cabs are constructed of galvanised, high-strength steel for maximum driver and passenger side impact protection. The all-new EX range features vertical headlights with daytime running lights incorporated in the front bumper, giving it a strong on-road presence. Access to and from the cab is easy thanks to the doors opening up to 80 degrees and the wider, deeper steps. Generously raked A-pillars and large side windows provide excellent visibility and the cab interior is claimed to be whisper quiet due to the employment of double-seal weather strips. Emphasis has been placed on operator comfort and efficiency, with a driver focused dash, cruise control, dusk sensing headlights in addition to powered mirrors and windows. The steering column is tilt and telescopically adjustable and there is improved pedal positioning. Cabin storage is generous in both cab layouts with each having a large roof console, seat back console, sizeable glovebox, deep door pockets and a big centre console. Passenger comfort hasn’t been overlooked either, with all variants having a multi-adjustable seat similar to the driver’s seat. A powerful HVAC system is designed to keep occupants comfortable in all weather conditions and to keep them entertained, all EX models feature an AM/FM audio system with Bluetooth connectivity, as well as MP3 and IPOD compatibility, with steering wheel controls. Mobile phones and laptops can be charged from no less than four 12-volt power outlets. At the heart of the EX range is a 3.9 litre common-rail four-cylinder turbo diesel engine with two output levels. The EX4 develops 140 hp (103 kW) at 2500 rpm and delivers max torque of 392Nm (290 ft lb) at 1400rpm. Power and torque increase to 170 hp (125 kW) and 610 Nm (450 ft lb) when fitted in the EX6 and EX8 variants, providing enough power and torque to operate with the extra carrying capacity. Both the EX4 and EX6 share a five-speed manual transmission, while the EX8 features a six-speed manual. All EX models have a comprehensive suite of active and passive safety features including Vehicle Dynamic Control for improved stability and a shock absorbing steering wheel designed to reduce driver fatigue by minimising vibrations. Also standard, are four-wheel disc brakes and hill start assist. In what Hyundai describes as a unique departure from the norm, the EX range’s 3 year/ 200,000km warranty applies not only to the cab/chassis but also the body fitted to the truck. The EX bodies are built by Hyundai Special Vehicles. In addition to the comprehensive warranty, all EX models come with a 24/7 nationwide roadside assist program for the length of the warranty. Summing up, the new Mighty range appears to be, and needed to be, a big improvement over the HD range it replaces. As for just how good it is compared to its competitors, we’ll reserve our judgement until we’ve had the chance to conduct a comprehensive road test. .

Power Torque Magazine / January 23, 2017 The Sydney Classic & Antique Truck Show (SCAATS) cements its position as a must attend event for lovers of everything historic. It’s a testimony to the strength and efficiency of the organisers of the sixth annual SCAATS event that within one week of the show taking place, the details of next year’s event are available on the web for all to see. If you love everything about the history of the commercial vehicle world then there’s no better place than Penrith’s Museum of Fire for a once a year epic that attracts some amazing veterans. It’s here that you’ll find retired classic trucks and their drivers catching up to exchange stories of old, reliving times when some journeys were measured in weeks rather than days. The Museum of Fire, Penrith hosted the sixth annual show on May 29. Fantastic weather and an even more fantastic display of trucks from years gone by with live entertainment and rides for the kids, made for a great day. Staff and volunteers from the museum did a great job organising the event, along with assistance from sponsors Red Lea Chickens, Vintage Trucks and Commercials Magazine and Gulf Western Oil. Additional support was given by the Western Sydney Historical Truck Club and the Pioneer Timber Cutters and Machinery club. 4000 people filed through the gate on the day and old mates got together for a yarn or two and to swap technical advice. Even the young-uns were not left out with rides, stalls and an awesome RC truck track. ‘Aggressor’, the Rolls Royce Merlin V12, 27-litre powered Hydroplane boat developing 2000 hp grabbed everyone’s attention when fired up, along with firefighting re-enactments that formed additional highlights of the day Special mention should also be given to Graham Meyer, attempting the long drive down from Tamworth in the ‘Enid May’, a 1942 Chev, former army ambulance, which suffered mechanical problems, eventually arriving on the back of a tilt tray late in the evening. The day is a fun event with two prizes being awarded, for which the organisers take great pride in saying that the judging is basically rigged. The People’s Choice award is drawn from a barrel of all entrants, and was won by Dave Handley. Best of show is put up for auction on stage so the highest bid wins, and this was taken away by Maurice Velcich from Red Lea Chickens. The Museum of Fire is a registered charity and all funds raised are used for developing this show and the Museum’s programmes, displays and preserving the history of our firefighters. Dates for your diary – The 30th Annual Penrith Working Truck Show will be held at the Museum of Fire on Sunday March 19th 2017, with the 7th Annual Sydney Classic & Antique Truck Show taking place on the 21st May 2017. Photo gallery - http://www.powertorque.com.au/scaats/

Diesel News AU / February 21, 2017 In the European market, Volvo tweaks engine offering. It has tweaked its Euro 6 engines and FH cab aerodynamics in what it describes as, “…yet another step on the path to efficient transportation.” It goes on to say changes to its Euro 6 ‘C’ D13 engine (fitted in FH and FM) represent, “A perfect example of how several small advances together can result in a big improvement.” The two most significant updates under the shed are the adoption of a higher compression ratio on the 420 and 460hp versions of the D13 six-pot and a new optimised turbocharger on 500 and 540 hp D13 variants. It’s also put the FH back into a wind tunnel to find new ways to improve its cab’s aerodynamics. As a result it’s fine-tuned the front bumper spoiler, top cab air deflector panels, mudguards and mud flaps as well as the wheel arches, a key source of aerodynamic loss according to Volvo. By reducing the gap between the wheel arch and steer axle tyre, the Swedes have reduced those aerodynamic ‘leakage’ losses and lowered the amount of turbulence around the wheel. Likewise, by optimising the shape of the FH’s front bumper spoiler the air stream is now deflected away from the underside of the truck, a notorious area for creating turbulence and drag, to around the side of the truck where it can be better controlled. However, by making the lower part of the bumper of a softer material neither ground clearance or approach angles have been compromised. Similarly the air flow between the back of the FH cab and the front of the trailer has been improved through the use of flexible elements in the corners of the top cab deflector. An indication of just how far truck designers and aerodynamicists are going in order to save fuel is the fact that the latest FH now has optimised mudguards. According to the company, “By applying variant matching of the mudguards and mud flaps according to the size of the wheels, greater aerodynamic efficiency is achieved without the protective function being impaired.” Once again the savings aren’t massive, but when you add the improved FH cab aerodynamics to the latest Euro 6 C D13 engine tweaks, Volvo reckons you can make a fuel saving of up to three percent on regional and long-haul work. When you consider all the low-hanging fruit (like eco-driver training, improved routing and scheduling with telematics, low-rolling resistance tyres and improved trailer and bodywork aerodynamics) has already been picked off the fuel-savings tree, an extra three percent off your fuel bill represents a significant saving, especially to a fleet running more than 10 trucks. There’s another reason too, at least in the UK, why every little fuel-saving matters. According to the latest survey of the UK’s Top 100 road transport operators from leading UK industry newspaper, Motor Transport, in 2015 the average return on sales for those hundred players, which includes major European and global logistics companies, was a modest 3.17 percent. The good news is that it’s up on the previous year’s 2.61 percent. So when the chairman says, “We need to make more profit from our business,” it’s hardly surprising those little incremental savings at the pump created by the manufacturers start to look increasingly attractive….and that hard-pressed European hauliers are grabbing them with both hands. .

Australasian Transport News (ATN) / February 22, 2017 We talk to Paul Mills about the fourth-generation truck company Paul Mills was watching the weather radar when he spoke to ATN recently. Storms were frustrating grain growers and carriers at the start of the South Australian grain harvest. Paul operates Mills Freightlines with his wife Jayne Mills and his parents, Gavin and Margi Mills. The business is based in Brinkworth, 150km north of Adelaide, SA. Most of their clients are farming families. Some have supported Mills Freightlines since Paul’s grandfather Bob Mills began carting farm supplies in a Ford Thames Trader in 1966. Paul is quick to praise his parents’ ongoing role in building the dynamic business which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Gavin oversees all facets of the company and Margi is a vital part of the accounting team. Paul’s sister Toni Ashby also works at the business, managing operational health and safety. Paul and Jayne married in 1994 and today Jayne is in charge of coordinating Mills Freightlines’ trucks and day-to-day business. Their son Thomas has continued the Mills tradition into a fourth generation. Having such a strong management team makes it possible for Paul to spend time on the road. From March until August each year Paul collects gypsum from his family’s two gypsum mines and spreads it on farms in the Mid-North, Upper-North and Yorke Peninsula with a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2644. Harvest Each November his focus moves to the grain harvest. Right now the Mills fleet is busy carting cereals and pulses to Viterra silos from farms throughout Mid-North SA. The family runs 23 trucks. Eleven are used for the company’s recycling business, Clare Valley Waste, which specialises in the collection of curb-side recyclable waste. Several truck brands are represented in this fleet – Volvo, Isuzu, Iveco, Fuso, Hino and Mercedes-Benz. The 12 trucks in the red and white Mills Freightlines fleet are all from the Daimler stable – three Mercedes-Benzes and nine Freightliners. The newest are a 2015 Freightliner Coronado 114 with a 34-inch sleeper cab and a 2015 Freightliner Argosy. They were both purchased in 2016 and old black-and-white photographs have been reproduced within the white stripes in celebration of the 50th anniversary. ‘50 years, est 1966’ is cut into the stainless trim, and ‘Celebrating 50 years’ is painted on the removable road-train-sign covers. Long-term drivers have been an important part of Mills Freightlines’ history. Shane Verran has worked for the family for 38 years. Bart Burford has spent 21 years with the company. Pye Gray has been there for a decade and Paul is impressed with the 69-year-old’s energy and enthusiasm. They value young drivers too. Jake Verran, 26, joined the team eight years ago and now drives road trains. Paul has been visiting Daimler Trucks Adelaide since he was a baby in his father’s arms. Back then it was a Mercedes-Benz dealership. "We’ve had a couple of very good salesmen who’ve looked after us, and very good parts people." Gavin and Margi operated 1418 Mercedes-Benzes back in the 1970s. They updated with more modern and powerful Mercedes. But Paul says by the mid-1990s they were looking for a truck that was "more fuel-efficient, carried a bit more weight, with a bit more horsepower". So in 1996 they bought a Freightliner FL112 with a 460hp Cummins. "It was light-weight but still had plenty of horsepower, and it was B-double rated." Today most of the Mills Freightlines fleet is powered by Detroit engines. The newest trucks have 560hp DD15s. "We’re very happy with our Freightliners," Paul says. "They’re ergonomically well-designed inside. They’re driver-friendly. They’re very comfortable." He likes the Freightliners’ comparatively low tare weight. "It still has the fuel economy with the Detroit in there, and the horsepower to get the job done." The trucks travel as far as Western Australia and Victoria. Incitec Pivot Ltd (IPL), Geelong, is among the company’s oldest clients. Recycling Purchasing Clare Valley Waste back in 2007 was a significant milestone in the company’s history. Today this division of the company employs about 12 people, collects curb-side recycling from four municipalities, services five transfer stations, and has over 1000 skip bins. Paul predicts Clare Valley Waste will continue to grow. "There’s always waste." The family’s two businesses complement each other. Mills Freightlines carries some of the Clare Valley Waste recyclables. Paul is confident the business will celebrate many more anniversaries. "I don’t plan on going anywhere until I’m probably up towards 70 years old, and then I’ll let the kids come in and have a crack at it if they choose to." Bart's back! Bart Burford returned to work at Mills Freightlines with a prosthetic leg last November, and is determined to get back behind the wheel. The 46-year-old’s right ankle was badly crushed last April when he fell from a trailer. The situation grew worse in hospital when his leg became infected. Surgeons explained it would take up to four years and many operations to treat the injury – and there was no guarantee they could save his leg. They told Bart it would probably take less time to recover from an amputation. Eager to get home and back to work, the father-of-four opted to have his right leg amputated below his knee. The operation on May 25 went well, and he was home with his partner Sharon by June 10. "I wouldn’t have made it without her. She’s been an absolute rock," Bart says. With support from Mills Freightlines, Bart returned to work in November. He says they have been extremely helpful since his accident. "They’ve bent over backwards and seen to my every need." Bart has been training the company’s younger drivers while working through a list of medical appointments and licencing assessments in a bid to regain his truck licence. He even had to show an occupational therapist that he could change a truck tyre. "Anything that they throw at me, I can do. It just takes me a few minutes longer." When ATN spoke to Bart late last year he was excited to have "ticked all the boxes" and optimistic his MC licence would be reinstated before Christmas. "I’m just waiting on the paperwork." The reward for his determination and hard work will be climbing back into the driver seat of Mills’ 2015 Freightliner Coronado 114 with a 58-inch XT sleeper cab. "It’s a beautiful truck. I did 80,000km in it before I had the accident." He says it is easy to climb in and out of the truck, and there is plenty of room to move around inside the spacious cab. "If you’ve got the passion and the fire in your belly you’ll find your way of doing it, and doing it safely." .

Hino's new wide cab 500 series launched Big Rigs / February 22, 2017 Hino Trucks has opened 2017 with the launch of the new wide cab 500 Series. "It's a game changer," said Hino's national marketing manager Sarah Rosales, as she describes the company review of marketing approach. "Quality, Durability and Reliability," echoes Product Strategy Manager Daniel Petrovsky, who points out that the new 500 Series trucks have been on the market in Thailand and Indonesia since 2015, albeit with Euro II versions of the eight and nine litre engines rated at 280 and 320 horsepower. The donks in the Australian models have Euro V emission standards, using SCR (AddBlue) and a series of new transmissions, The launch, the first major Hino curtain raiser since the 300 Series in 2011, happened at the Eastern Creek car racing complex in Sydney and the ribbon cut on the future of the new trucks formalised the Managing Officer of Hino Motors, Kenji Nagakubo. Steve Lotter, Chair and CEO of Hino Motor Sales in Australia told Australian journos that the new Hino 500 trucks were being let off the chain at a propitious time with a gentle buoyant improvement in the truck market. "By increasing the model range and giving our customers more than 50 models to choose from, it provides us with an opportunity to engage in different applications which previously haven't been possible," he said. The new trucks will be available with synchro manual and Allison automatic transmissions.

Hino unveils all-new 500 Series Wide Cab Prime Mover Magazine / February 22, 2017 Hino Australia has introduced the much-anticipated Hino 500 Series Wide Cab. Hino Motor Sales Australia Chairman and CEO, Steve Lotter, said the company had invested significantly in the 500 Series Wide Cab product, designed to enhance safety, vehicle application and performance, and reduce environmental impact. “These trucks are a gamer-changer for us and we now offer the broadest range of trucks in these important segments that straddle Australia’s competitive medium & heavy duty markets,” he said. “By increasing the model range and giving our customers more than 50 models to select from, it provides us with an opportunity to engage in different applications which previously hasn’t been possible.” According to the truck manufacturer, the Hino 500 Series Wide Cab boasts the most comprehensive active safety package of any Japanese truck in the medium duty truck category. “In an Australian-first for this class, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is now fitted as standard across the new Wide Cab range,” said Daniel Petrovski, Manager – Product Strategy at Hino Australia. “Another safety feature is the standard inclusion of a microphone equipped and night vision enabled reverse camera.” Prime Mover industry expert, Peter Shields, said the Hino 500 Series Wide Cab was unique to the Australian truck market. “It is more than just a new body or cab, the chassis and axle are different and has the latest in safety feature that make the truck very user-friendly,” he commented. “It’s definitely an exciting new range for the medium to the lighter end of the heavy-duty market.” The Hino safety package also includes ABS, Anti Slip Regulator (ASR), UN ECE R29-rated cab strength, a driver SRS airbag, ADR84/00 Front Underrun Protection System (FUPS), Easy Start, Cruise Control and Fog Lamps.

Part 4 -

Hino Australia / February 21, 2017 The astonishing, all-new Hino 500 Series "Wide Cab" redefines what to expect from a hard working truck. Its unrivaled build quality delivers next level chassis, suspension and axles. You also have more engine and transmission options to choose from including the 6 speed Allison automatic transmission. .

Yes, the Giga is alive and well.................http://www.isuzu.com.au/truck-range/giga/

It appears that Lund doesn't offer them anymore. http://www.lundinternational.com/products/lund The best visor was the factory installed unit. It was never offered as a kit, but ordering the visor and brackets separately was easily done. The Lund kit was sold thru Mack parts departments. The factory visor came from another supplier.

When you called Watts Mack (provider of the BMT website) at 1-888-304-6225, what did they say?

Link for readers to what Paul is mentioning.............https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belterra,_Pará

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / February 21, 2017 .

Associated Press / February 17, 2017 Navistar International Corp. has been awarded a $35 million contract to deliver 40 armored vehicles to Pakistan from its Mississippi plant. The U.S. Army announced the contract Thursday, saying Navistar, based in Lisle, Illinois, had made the only bid for the mine resistant ambush protected MaxxPro Dash DXM trucks. Work is supposed to be done at Navistar's plant in West Point, as well as in Pakistan, and is estimated to be finished by Oct. 31, 2018. Although the West Point plant had laid off all its workers in 2013, it has since won a series of contracts to build or refurbish vehicles for the U.S. Army and foreign militaries. Spokeswoman Amy McCaskill says the new contract, combined with existing work, means the plant will maintain its current 340 employees.

Wilson Trucking set to be sold Staunton News Leader / February 21, 2017 FISHERSVILLE - Wilson Trucking Corp. announced Monday there could be some changes coming to the company. Wilson Trucking has signed a letter of intent with Central Freight Lines Inc., which will buy certain assets of Wilson Trucking and expand Central Freight Lines' service territory into the Southeastern U.S., a release said. "This is very good news for the many loyal customers of Wilson," said C.L. Wilson, chairman and CEO of Wilson Trucking, said in a release. "Central Freight Lines has been in business for over 90 years just like Wilson Trucking and I'm confident Wilson's customers will be quite impressed with the many service offerings of Central Freight Lines." It is unclear about what will happen to the company in Fishersville and its employees and customers. The News Leader has reached out to Wilson Trucking. But, according to the release, the company said it will continue to provide customers the "best available less-than-load service in the Southeast." "As with any transaction like this there will be additional information coming out about a wide array of topics," the release said. "Our commitment to you is to keep you informed in a timely fashion about all topics that directly affect our business relationship." The Texas-based Central Freight Lines is expected to close on the company by March 31. "This is an important move for Central Freight Lines," said Don Orr, president and CEO of Central Freight Lines, in a release. "It allows us to fulfill our strategy of being the premier coast-to-coast Sunbelt LTL provider in the industry. We look forward to adding Wilson's customers to Central's list of highly satisfied customers." Wilson Trucking, based out of Fishersville, was started in the early 1920s by C.G. Wilson when he used a Ford Model T pick-up truck to haul products from the Wilson farm to the metro marketplace, its website said. The company grew with the family's second generation. In the 1950s C.W. Wilson took over until the 1990s. C.L. Wilson, along with T.G. Wilson, are the third generation of the family to run the company, its website said. Wilson Trucking encompasses nine states and Washington, D.C. Related reading - http://wilsontrucking.com/news/pr20170220.htm

Remember, the lighter Dodge T203, many of which were supplied to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, was only rated at 1-1/2 tons. This T234 variant was beefed up considerably to have a 2-1/2 ton rating alike the much more substantial Diamond T Model 614, International K6 and K7, Federal Model 2G and GMC ACX.

I aim to please Bob.

Fleet Owner / February 21, 2017 Optimism based on strong January Class 8 and medium-duty orders Strong January orders for Class 8 and medium-duty trucks – especially for vocational units – may indicate that the “bottom” of the current truck buying slump may now be firmly in the industry’s rear-view mirror, according to industry analysts. Heavy duty net orders jumped to a thirteen-month high in January at 22,188 units, lending further support to the notion that the second and third quarters of 2016 “marked the bottom of the current cycle.” Class 8 backlogs “moved in the right direction” as well, with stronger orders and a “modest build” allowing backlogs to rise 7,600 units to 99,600 units in January compared to December last year. On top of that, orders for vocational equipment jumped to a two-year high last month of 8,500 units, or 38.5% of January’s Class 8 order intake. Echoing the positive demand of Class 8, medium-duty net orders hit a six-month high of 22,744 units in January, which translated into a 3% month-over-month increase and a 31% year-over-year. “The improvement was broad-based, with truck, bus and RV [recreational vehicle] orders all posting year-over-year and month-over-month gains,” they said. “January was the best month for medium-duty orders since February 2008.”

Utilimaster Seeks Withdrawal from USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle Program Trailer/Body Builders / February 21, 2017 Spartan Motors announced that its Spartan Fleet Vehicles and Services (FVS) business unit—which encompasses the Utilimaster go-to-market brand—has stopped development on the United States Postal Service (USPS) Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Program as a prime contractor in the functional prototype development project and has sought withdrawal from the USPS. Spartan is continuing efforts to support this project and will partner with a leading USPS prototype award participant, to provide interior cargo solutions specific for the USPS's needs. "As a global leader in fleet vehicle design and production, we were honored to be among a select group of vehicle makers to win the USPS prototype award," said Daryl Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spartan Motors. "However, when we took a close look at the economics as a result of our inability to reach a satisfactory agreement with our commercial chassis supplier, further participation in the program as the primary body builder did not meet our baseline financial targets. Working closely with one of the USPS prototype award participants will enable us to participate in this significant NGDV program without the related upfront developmental capital requirement, while building what we're best at for the fleet market—custom interior cargo management solutions." Utilimaster has produced route delivery and other vehicles for the USPS since 1999. As previously announced, Utilimaster was one of six vehicle manufacturers selected to receive the prototype award as part of a comprehensive USPS Request for Proposal (RFP) process. After a thorough evaluation, in-depth supplier consideration, and extensive financial modeling, Spartan has determined that remaining in the USPS NGDV project as a cargo management supplier provides a better return on capital, which better serves the Company and its shareholders. "We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to the USPS for considering and selecting Spartan to take part in the evolution of their fleet," continued Adams. "We look forward to assisting with development effort and providing the USPS with high quality cargo management solutions that best meet the needs of their business, while ensuring improved safety, productivity, and performance for their route delivery personnel."

Heavy Duty Trucking / February 21, 2017 Following Navistar International’s annual shareholder meeting on Feb. 14, the board of directors has elected company president and CEO Troy A. Clarke as its chairman. Clarke replaces the retired James H. Keyes, who had served as non-executive chairman of Navistar’s board since April 2013. The change was effective immediately. Additionally, board member Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal was elected as the independent lead director. "It has been a pleasure to serve on the board for the last four years, and I am honored to have been elected chairman," said Clarke. "This is an exciting time for Navistar, as we pursue our growth strategies highlighted by significant new product launches and our pending strategic alliance with Volkswagen Truck & Bus. I look forward to continuing to work with our very dynamic board, which is focused on the future and supportive of management's efforts to create a great truck company." At the company's annual shareholder meeting, stockholders elected nine incumbent directors to the board of directors. The company also ratified the selection of KPMG as its independent registered public accounting firm; approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of key company executives, and approved a preferred one-year frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation. .

Truck News / February 21, 2017 After a long restoration process, Team Penske has unveiled a customized 1972 International Fleetstar truck known in the racing circles as “The Blue Hilton.” According to Penske, the truck was one of the first known enclosed transporters used for racing purposes. It served the team in various capacities from 1972-1983. The restoration is complete down to the smallest detail, including authentic PPG paint and hand lettering just in time for Roger Penske’s 80th birthday that was celebrated on Feb. 20. An iconic part of team history, The Blue Hilton transported the No. 66 McLaren that Mark Donohue drove to victory in the 1972 Indianapolis 500 – the first of Team Penske’s record 16 wins in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” In conjunction with its sister transporter, “The White Hilton,” it was used to transport the powerful, championship-winning Porsche 917s that dominated the landscape of the Can-Am Series in the early 1970s with George Follmer and Donohue before it was sold in 1983. “After we confirmed that it was, in fact, the Blue Hilton that was for sale, I called Brian Hard (president of Penske Truck Leasing) and we agreed that we had to find a way to bring her back to life,” said Team Penske president Tim Cindric. “This transporter was there when the foundation was laid for Team Penske and it is symbolic of the way in which we operate today. Everyone at Penske Truck Leasing did an unbelievable job restoring this vehicle. I can’t wait for Roger to see it in person, as it is something he will cherish.” Penske says The Blue Hilton was the precursor to today’s closed transporters that carry cars, parts, and equipment to race tracks all over the globe. With his keen engineering mind, Donohue – a 2016 inaugural Team Penske Hall of Fame inductee and the organization’s first champion driver – designed the payload area of the truck based on efficiency and functionality. It was named the Blue Hilton based on its royal blue exterior and the sleeper area above the cab, which is a standard feature in today’s transporters. The restoration was estimated to take more than 8,00 man hours to complete, thanks to the help from Morgan Corporation and a dedicated group led by Penske Truck Leasing’s James Svaasand, Michael Klotz, and David Hall – along with Team Penske Historian Bernie King. The truck was purchased from George Boyd of Urbana, Illinois, who had utilized it while competing in various racing series until retiring it to a spot on his property. He was the only owner of the truck after its days at Team Penske. “When you talk with the crew members that drove and worked out of this transporter over those years, and you look at the photos from the many cars it carried, you see how the Blue Hilton was an integral part of our history,” said King. “It’s certainly very much a part of the Team Penske heritage. Everyone at Penske Truck Leasing that was involved did a fantastic job of restoring this truck to how it was when it ran and carried many of the team’s winning cars.” Initially, the Blue Hilton will be on display at the Team Penske headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., where fans can view it from the Fan Walk that runs the length of the massive shop floor. .

Autoblog / February 221, 2017 Henry Ford was a man with a lot of dreams, though some of those dreams didn't exactly pan out. Case in point, the creepily named "Fordlândia" in the heart of Brazil's Amazon rainforest. The New York Times reminded us of one of our favorite pieces of automotive history this morning with an in-depth look at what happened when the Ford Motor Company tried to create a rubber plantation. The sordid tale began in 1928, when Ford founded the town in the heart of the Amazon in an attempt to grow and harvest the rubber needed for his cars. Ford was famous for wanting control over each step of the car building process. He also feared a European monopoly on rubber after Brazilian rubber trees made their way to plantations in several tropical, British-held colonies. Ford, always disdainful of 'expert advice', built a mid-western town in the jungle, complete with red fire hydrants and bungalows designed in Michigan. He even brought in Albert Khan, the architect responsible for Detroit's art deco skyscrapers and grandest homes, to design the hospital. In his mind's eye he saw rubber trees stretching into the distance, serviced by Brazilians living a clean, American-style life. Ford also saw Fordlândia as another chance to enforce his own moral code. Ford banned alcohol in his jungle kingdom. His infamous Sociology Department -- goons who investigated Ford's Detroit employees to ensure their private lives met their employer's expectations -- became the sanitation squads. These squads would clear the town of standing water to prevent malaria, but also check workers for venereal disease. Unsurprisingly, the substandard and diseased rubber trees failed and the workers rioted after living on oatmeal and canned peaches for weeks on end. Ford handed control of the town over to the Brazilian government after WWII. Today almost 2,000 people live in the crumbling ruins of Fordlândia, squatting in American-style homes in the heart of the Amazon. Guilherme Lisboa, the owner of a small inn in Fordlândia, perfectly summed to Ford's legacy to the Times. "It turns out Detroit isn't the only place where Ford produced ruins." For more on Fordlândia, we recommend Greg Grandin's book that documents Ford's strange undertaking. .

UPS Press Release / February 21, 2017 UPS announced it has successfully tested a drone that launches from the top of a delivery truck. The test was conducted in collaboration with drone-maker Workhorse. Sending drones to make deliveries from package cars could bolster efficiency in our network by reducing miles driven. . .

US exporters warn of missed chance for tax code revamp The Financial Times / February 21, 2017 The heads of GE, Boeing and other large corporations have warned that the US may not have another opportunity to revamp its tax code for 30 years if it misses out on a chance to do so now amid uproar over a proposed import tax. In a letter to Congress, 16 CEOs from exporters including Caterpillar, Dow Chemical and Pfizer issued their strongest statements of support yet for the import tax, which retailers, oil refiners and other importers are fighting to kill. The import tax is the linchpin of a radical plan from Republicans in the House of Representatives to overhaul the tax code for the first time since 1986. But President Donald Trump has yet to say whether he will embrace it to fulfill his promise of tax reform. “If we miss this chance to fundamentally reshape the tax code, it might take another 30 years before we have another chance to try,” the CEOs wrote in a letter sent on Tuesday. The lobbying war between importers and exporters — whose products would go untaxed if shipped overseas under the plan — has already slowed the writing of legislation and prompted some senators to come out against the House plan. With some lobbyists now predicting the only viable reforms could comprise a modest rate cut and some streamlining, the CEOs wrote that “incremental tweaks will not level the playing field for American workers or dramatically reinvigorate economic growth”. Mr Trump had pinned his hopes on tax reform as a key tool for re-energizing business and the US economy but it has turned into one of several policy areas where progress has been scuppered either by Republican infighting or White House mis-steps. Retailers such as Walmart and Target, which depend heavily on imported goods, have formed a coalition to warn that the import tax would be a mortal threat to their businesses, leaving them with little choice but to raise prices for consumers. The export CEOs, who include the heads of companies pilloried in the past for paying ultra-low tax bills, did not address what the proposal would do to how much tax they pay. But they adopted an argument of House Republicans, including Speaker Paul Ryan, by saying: “Our tax code penalises American workers who make products or provide services sold abroad, while favoring their international competitors.” By taxing imports and exempting exports, the plan’s backers say it would bring the US into line with other countries that already levy value added tax* (VAT) on imported products but do not tax domestically made products on their way out. Some economists dispute the comparison, noting among other things that VAT is a consumption tax whereas the Republican proposal is a tax on businesses. A post-election rally in the US stock market was driven partly by hopes of tax reform because US companies — including those signing the letter — have long complained of an “antiquated” tax system that charges them the highest rates in the OECD. The letter was sent to Mr Ryan and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, another Republican, as well as to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrats in the House and Senate respectively. Other signatories are the chief executives of Celanese, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Merck, Oracle, Raytheon and United Technologies. * Value Added Tax (VAT) is a scam in Europe and elsewhere that resulting in high consumer prices.

If it actually happens, sounds great. A huge mistake, a lack of law enforcement, finally being corrected. Enter the country legally, or don’t enter at all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press / February 21, 2017 Millions of people living in the United States illegally could be targeted for deportation - including people simply arrested for traffic violations - under a sweeping rewrite of immigration enforcement policies announced Tuesday by the Trump administration. Any immigrant who is in the country illegally and is charged or convicted of any offense, or even suspected of a crime, will now be an enforcement priority, according to Homeland Security Department memos signed by Secretary John Kelly. That could include people arrested for shoplifting or minor offenses - or simply having crossed the border illegally.