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What about electric trucks? Jack Roberts, Fleet Owner / June 27, 2016 One of today's great ironies is that trucking – an industry notorious for being conservative in its outlook and slow to change – finds itself at the forefront of the technological revolution sweeping transportation today. That's because trucking, with its consistent high-mileage routes and (mostly) predictable routes is the perfect test bed for emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles, alternative fuels, V2V communication, low-rolling resistance tires or self-diagnosing drivetrains. And now, you can add all-electric drivetrain to that list. I keep telling myself nothing technology-related can surprise me when it pops up in trucking anymore. But even I was taken aback in the past few weeks to see various developing technologies aimed at creating new all electric drivetrains for Class 8 commercial vehicles. Now, to be accurate, it wasn't the electric part of that news that surprised me. I'd said for several years now that I think all-electric trucks and vans will be an important arrow in a fleet manager's quiver in the years ahead. But the Class 8 component of the news did stop me in my tracks. Because I'd always assumed that given the current constraints on battery capacity and vehicle range, all-electric trucks would fill eventually fill a specific niche in urban, P&D applications. But even then I thought we’d see minimal penetration into Class 5 – but that would be about it. I may have miscalculated. Earlier this month, a company called Nikola 1 announced it is developing a Class 8 electric truck with a natural-gas engine to mitigate range limitations. Even more interesting was the company's claim that it already has more than 7,000 orders – with deposits – in hand for the new truck. The numbers on the new truck are impressive. Nikola 1 is claiming the truck has a 100 percent electric 6x6 drivetrain and will cut per-mile fuel costs in half, compared to diesel trucks. One the business end of the drivetrain, the company says the new, electric drivetrain churns out 3,700 foot pounds of torque and a whopping 2,000 horsepower with a 1,200 mile range and will capable of running 1 million fuel free miles. Those are serious, Class 8 long-haul performance numbers that would be impressive with any fuel type or powertrain. If the truck performs as advertised, it has the potential to be a game-changer within the industry. At the very least, it's a terrific example of how quickly technology is shaking up trucking today. Electric trucks have a long and proud history in trucking, of course. Given the limits of early gasoline engines in terms of power and range, electric trucks were a competitive option for fleets right into the 1920s when gas engines finally pulled away in terms of efficiency. (Diesel didn't become the dominant fuel major in the industry until after World War II.) As a result, electric drive technology stagnated over the past 90 years or so in North America. But the technology never faded completely away: Urban fleets in Europe – particularly in the United Kingdom – have been running electric vans and trucks for decades with excellent results. Here in the States, electric vehicles were pretty much limited to golf carts. But about 10 years ago, something funny started happening: People started getting old golf carts and customizing them for off-reading and hunting. They started showing up in suburbs as a quick, cheap and easy way to run the kids to the pool or head over the neighbors’ house for a dinner party. And over time, I think Americans slowly got used to the idea of electric-drive vehicles as safe, convenient, cheap and dependable means of short-range transportation. Which may explain why electric vehicles have hung in there: Two years ago, various news outlets, including Money magazine, were reporting that electric vehicles were fizzling as fuel prices fell from historical highs. But if Nikola is correct, a significant number of trucking professionals are now comfortable enough with the idea of an all-electric truck to at least give one a chance to prove itself. That's not to say that we're all going to be trucking off into the sunset tomorrow in an all-electric truck, of course. The real world is a brutal place in the trucking industry. And any new technology has to prove out before fleets will embrace it wholesale. But this unexpected move into the Class 8 market proves that trucking today has transformed from a conservative industry hesitant to try anything new into one where innovation is welcome – provided it brings real benefits and cost-savings to fleets out on the front lines.

When you gave Barry the 1QHA number "stamped" on the front of your axle beam for him to reference to, did he say your tie-rod ends were rebuildable? If they are, those parts might still be available individually. (ball stud, spring, seal, washers, ect.)

Automotive News / June 27, 2016 Soon, a transmission, thanks to new era of collaboration It's like the Hatfields swapping recipes with the McCoys. Or Michigan and Ohio State drawing up plays together. Starting next year, the Chevrolet Camaro will share a transmission with the Ford Mustang. Cross-town collaboration between General Motors and Ford Motor Co. was once unfathomable. But cost cutting, engineer shortages and increasing regulations made it inevitable. "It is surprising," said Gale Halderman, the Ford designer responsible for the exterior of the first Mustang. "Back in my time, we couldn't even talk to anybody from GM." Detroit's pony-car war has been raging for half a century now. In recent years, Ford and GM have worked together on a number of projects, including six-speed transmissions used in the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Escape and Chevy Equinox. But none of those vehicles stirs up emotions like a Mustang's full-throated roar or a Camaro's smooth purr. The 2017 Camaro ZL1 is the first of eight vehicles slated to get GM's 10-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. Some versions of the Mustang are expected to get the same gearbox for 2018. A screenshot from Ford's dealership parts-lookup system, posted on the website Mustang6G.com last week, all but confirmed longstanding rumors that the Mustang was in line for a 10-speed automatic. (A Ford spokesman declined to discuss its future product plans.) That transmission and a nine-speed automatic for front-wheel-drive vehicles were jointly developed by Ford and GM under a partnership they started in 2013. Ford has said the 10-speed will be offered in the 2017 F-150 this fall, and GM is expected to put it on full-size pickups next year. But that's not to say customers would ever notice any similarities between the Camaro and Mustang or the F-150 and Chevy Silverado. Even though some internal components are identical, the two companies will build, integrate, program and tune their transmissions independently. "We will each use our own control software to ensure that each transmission is carefully matched to the individual, brand-specific vehicle DNA for each company," Craig Renneker, Ford's chief engineer of transmission and driveline components and pre-program engineering, said when the automakers announced their 2013 deal. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, in a manifesto last year advocating for industry consolidation, complained that up to half of a vehicle's development cost is spent on proprietary components that are "not discernible to customers." Devin Lindsay, a powertrain engineer with IHS Automotive, said the huge capital costs of today's industry make working together a necessity. "You look at the overall cost, and why duplicate that?" he said. "Imagine the amount of time it frees up at the engineering level. That allows them to use resources in other areas. You may want to collaborate on some things, but there are others that are more of the secret sauce that differentiates you with the buyer." And expect the sales race between the Mustang and Camaro to be as intense as ever. The Camaro was the top seller between the two in the U.S. from 2010 through 2014, but five months into 2016, the Mustang was on track to pull out a win for the second year in a row.

Sime Darby wanted to "walk the walk" and be a Volvo Group commercial truck distributor. However, when New Zealand's premier commercial truck event comes along (just once every 4 years), they don't want to pay to be there. Paying to be in relevant commercial truck shows is a cost of doing business as a distributor. I'm guessing Volvo usually pays a portion of the show costs as goodwill, but bleeding heavily at the moment, they refused. And Sime Darby was unwilling to man up and pay for it. The irony is that Malaysia-based Sime Darby is loaded (http://www.simedarby.com/). "If you want to play, you have to pay"

Truck & Driver / June 2016 The showpiece of New Zealand’s new truck industry, the Transport & Heavy Equipment Expo held every 4 years, will disappointingly, be without a number of major truck brands next March*. * http://www.theexpo.co.nz/ The Malaysian-based Sime Darby Group, which represents Volvo, Mack, Hino and UD trucks – together accounting for around 30% of all new trucks (over 4.5-tonne GVM) sold in New Zealand so far this year – has confirmed that it will not be present at the event. Sime Darby Commercial Group’s NZ general manager Chris Brown has told New Zealand’s Truck & Driver that the stayaway call was “purely a commercial decision. “I guess it’s like any other business decision we make: We look at the value – and, to be honest, with the cost of it we couldn’t see it working for us.

KrAZ Trucks / June 23, 2016 KrAZ has switched to the use of new air drying paints and lacquers as part of ongoing energy conservation program to reduce production costs and improve quality of products. The change will enable KrAZ to replace outdated energy-consuming methods of paint drying at a temperature of up to +135 ºС in steam and gas drying chambers with less energy-consuming ones. The АС-010 acrylic primer that needs temperature of +20 0С is used now instead of the ЕP-0228 epoxy primer. Despite that the consumption of the АС-010 primer being 30 percent higher than the previous ЕП-0228 epoxy primer, the company will save about UAH 600 000 a year due to gas and power saving. For each truck, a savings of about UAH 500 will be realized. A full cycle of laboratory and production tests started in December of the previous year preceded introduction of new paints. Test results proved that new primer is not inferior in its physical and mechanical properties to previous one. KrAZ plans to continue working on reduction of production costs and improvement of quality of its products due to use of energy-saving technologies and up-to-date materials. Information: The paint shop at KrAZ Trucks is a large priming, painting and drying facility situated in the assembly shops. Truck parts and units are painted by dipping and convective spraying using air spray gun. Corrosion protection primer is applied on truck cab through electrophoretic (anaphoretic) process based on surface diffusion of paint. Major paints and lacquers used in production cycle are corrosion protection primers (alkyd, epoxy), ground coat enamels and enamels (alkyd, melamine, polyurethane, etc.). “AutoKrAZ” collaborates with over 20 companies and firms producing paints and lacquers both in and out of Ukraine. .

KamAZ Press Release / June 24, 2016 Via the City of Naberezhnye Chelny’s employment center, almost one hundred and fifty local students have been invited to work at KamAZ trucks over the summer holiday. Every year, the children of KamAZ employees are invited to work over their summer break at the company’s press and stamping plant. Preference is given to the children of socially challenged company staff members including widows, single mothers, workers with disabilities and families with many children. In June and July, the Department of Social Development will employ 40 part-time workers. A month on beautification and greening the truckmaker’s grounds can earn between 5,000 and 7,000 rubles. At the engine plant in June, 25 part-time workers found employment, in July already 40 positions have been created. Each will earn a little more than 3000 rubles. This summer, KamAZ’s utilities subsidiary Chelnyvodokanala will hire 60 part-time workers at a salary of 7309 rubles. All students provided to KamAZ via the city employment center will receive a good boost to their wages from the budget. In June, it will be 1275 rubles, in July - 1190 rubles. .

That........is an accident waiting to happen. For your wife's sake, I hope you have a generous amount of life insurance.

Truckers awarded $5 million for crash The Vancouver Sun / June 24, 2016 “On a dark, cold, snowy winter night, a long-haul trucker was driving his fully loaded tractor-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway in Manitoba. Without warning all electrical power was lost. All lights were extinguished. “Darkness enveloped the truck. The driver lost all control of the steering and the trailer. Sparks began to fly amid the sound of screaming tires as the landing gear of the trailer scraped along the highway. The trailer jack-knifed and came towards the driver’s side of the truck’s cab. The driver and his wife, who had been resting in a bunk to the rear of the cab, both feared they would die… “(Amandeep) Hans screamed ‘what happened … what happened?’ and then ‘we are going to die … we are going to die.’” Far from the start of a bad novel, seven-and-a-half years after the Jan. 31, 2009 accident, the melodramatic opening was B.C. Supreme Court Justice Barry Davies’ way of beginning his judgment against Volvo Trucks, awarding the couple $4,867,694.75. Fortunately, Hans and his wife Pavandeep suffered no serious physical injuries but their lives were ruined by the crash. “The totality of the evidence establishes that Mr. Hans is now a shadow of his former self physically, emotionally and socially who is now incapable of enjoying life as he formerly did,” Justice Davies wrote. “He is also now incapable of maintaining gainful employment either as a long haul truck driver or by alternative means. The plaintiffs’ medical experts attribute Mr. Hans’ ongoing debilitating symptomology to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) caused by the collision and his reaction to it.” A long-haul driving team, the couple launched the lawsuit alleging that Volvo was negligent in designing, manufacturing and installing a critical electrical connection in the truck that failed causing the collision. The province also sued Volvo to recover the medical costs — nearly $200,000. In June of 2005, the couple began driving as a team for Right Choice Transport Ltd. out of Surrey, driving flatbed trailers primarily into the lower U.S. Over the next few years they worked for a number of small-sized, long-haul flatbed trucking companies. “Mr. and Mrs. Hans shared the driving with each being limited by regulation as to the number of hours they could drive,” Justice Davies explained. “As a team they could double the potential income for the use of their vehicle. At the same time they were able to enjoy their travel to new places which they had never seen and enjoy time together pursuing what they loved to do. From time to time they were also able to take one or both of their children with them on their travels.” On Dec. 18, 2007, the couple traded in their 2005 Volvo 670 for a new 2009 Volvo 780, in part because the sleeping/living compartment was larger and more accommodating. But the truck developed electrical trouble and on July 4, 2008, the electrical system shut down during daylight hours without causing a crash. The problems persisted until the Manitoba mishap. As a result of the accident, although Hans suffered only minor physical injuries, his mental health issues were significant. Justice Davies concluded Volvo was negligent installing equipment that caused electrical power to fail. “More specifically, I find that it is more likely than not that the loose nut on the cab positive terminal that caused the loss of electrical power was not tightened to the requisite torque value when the truck left the factory,” he said. “I find the totality of the evidence leads to the irresistible inference that the nut on the cab positive terminal of the truck was negligently installed by Volvo.” The judge also found that Amandeep’s PTSD was caused by the collision. The more than $4 million he awarded the couple included the cost of medical care payable to the province. The total will change, Justice Davies said, because there are still several tax and cost issues to be resolved, including whether another company that did work on the truck should share liability.

Surrey Leader / June 24, 2016 Volvo Trucks North America has been ordered to pay a Surrey couple nearly US$5 million after being found negligent in a tractor-trailer crash in 2009. The B.C. Supreme Court ruling, released Friday, found Volvo was negligent in installing hardware on the tractor’s engine, causing the loss of electrical power. Amandeep and Pavandeep Hans were travelling along a highway, returning to their home following a long trip that extended from the U.S. to Eastern Canada and Manitoba. Amandeep was pulling a fully-loaded trailer about 65 to 70 km/h (40-44 mph). Without warning, all electrical power in the truck was lost, including the power steering, headlights and interior lights. According to the ruling, Amandeep saw the trailer begin to jack-knife, and heard the sound of tires squealing, and sparks flying from the trailer’s landing gear hitting the pavement. The truck was forced off the road and into a ditch, coming to rest on the driver’s side of the cab. He and his wife managed to get out and onto the roadway in the freezing night, but a Manitoba Hydro vehicle happened by shortly after the crash, and gave the couple shelter. While neither suffered serious physical injuries, their lives have changed dramatically, the judgement said. Amandeep is now “a shadow of his former self physically, emotionally and socially,” and is “incapable of enjoying life as he formerly did.” During court hearings, medical experts said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the crash and his reaction to it. Justice Barry Davies awarded the couple US$4.86 million, including US$1.45 million to Amandeep for loss of future earning capacity, and US$1.78 million for his future care and supervision, medication and rehabilitation therapies. Lawyer Les Mackoff said his clients have lived very modestly since the 2009 crash, with Pavandeep working in the early mornings, and after school, every day of the week, with her days commonly 20 hours. Amandeep has been diagnosed with a very serious chronic form of PTSD, and all treatment modes have failed so far, Mackoff said. “There’s some small hope that his function will improve somewhat, but there’s a great danger of him harming himself in the future as well,” he said. “It’s a very delicate situation.” Mackoff said post-traumatic stress disorder “actually physically changes the way the human brain works.” But not everybody reacts the same way to the same stressful incident. “Two veterans can be involved in an IED (improvised explosive device) exploding in front of them and watching a comrade be blown to bits. One guy goes on and never recovers and another person says gee that was a horrible thing, but it has no appreciable affect on them,” Mackoff said. Volvo’s engineer admitted, Mackoff said, that they knew there were some trucks that had left the factory without a nut properly tightened on a critical joint where the electrical cables pass through a bulkhead between the engine compartment and the passenger cab. All the electrical wires from the truck’s engine terminate on what’s known as a pass-through plate, he said, and an improperly fastened nut loosened up and caused a failure of the electrical connection as the couple drove through Manitoba. The judge found that Volvo had notice of the potential problems with the electrical defect, but failed to warn people. The power failure that led to the accident wasn’t the first for the Hans’ in their Volvo truck which they bought new in 2008. On July 4, 2008 they were heading into Regina when they suffered a catastrophic failure in the middle of a sunny day. But Mackoff said they were lucky as they were travelling at low speeds and there was no traffic. They brought the truck to Volvo, who attributed the problem to a master fuse blowing. Volvo replaced the fuse, and the couple were told not to worry about it, Mackoff said.

Truck Maker Volvo Raises Provision for Possible EU Antitrust Fines The Wall Street Journal / June 25, 2016 Swedish company sets aside another €250 million, raising total amount to €650 million Swedish truck maker Volvo AB said Saturday it had increased by more than 60% a provision for possible fines in connection with a European Union antitrust probe. Volvo said it had set aside €250 million (about $278 million) on top of the initial €400 million provision it made in late 2014, adding it would book the additional amount against second-quarter earnings. The first provision was made in late 2014, shortly after the European Commission, the bloc’s top competition regulator, issued formal charges against a number of heavy-truck makers, including Volvo. The Commission has said it suspected Volvo and the other companies of participating in an illegal cartel. Volvo said the probe targets possible antitrust violations prior to January 2011. At the time, the Commission made a series of unannounced inspections of European firms in the trucks sector. Volvo said the total provision of €650 million is based on the company’s best assessment of the financial impact of the investigation at the present time.

Land Line / June 24, 2016 The new law signed by Gov. Butch Otter early this year permits loads weighing up to 129,000 pounds (58,513kg) on Interstates 15, 84, 86, 90 and 184 – up from 105,500 pounds (47,854kg). The weight change takes effect July 1. The U.S. Congress gave Idaho permission late this past year to pursue the change. Advocates said the change will benefit shippers who now must downsize loads entering from Montana, Nevada and Utah – all of which permit at least 129,000-pound loads. Wyoming allows loads up to 117,000 pounds. Sen Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, led the way for the bill through the statehouse. He previously said it is a simple bill that aligns the state with the recently passed federal legislation. In 2003, Idaho lawmakers approved a pilot project authorizing multiple trailer trucks with overweight permits to weigh up to 129,000 pounds on 35 southern Idaho routes, rather than the previous restriction of 105,500 pounds. A decade later the change became permanent. In addition, a separate 2013 law permitted the state to add roads in northern Idaho – as long as local highway officials agree. Supporters of truck size and weight increases also refer to an Idaho Transportation Department report that found the weight change authorized 10 years ago saved companies money and reduced truck trips without much change to wear and tear on affected roads. Additionally, the agency reported there wasn’t an increased danger to the public. Opponents, including OOIDA, question the results. They point to a congressionally mandated pilot program in Vermont on heavier trucks. A Federal Highway Administration report noted that pavement damage and crash rates each increased by at least 10 percent. Two more new laws in Idaho set to take effect at the first of the month also cover truck rules. One new law allows stinger-steered vehicle transporters up to 80 feet – up from 75 feet. The front overhang can also be up to four feet while the rear overhang can be up to six feet – up from a combined seven feet. The second rule change states that the highway department must provide for commercial vehicles to keep their license plate number upon renewal, or a different number upon request.

General Motors Press Release / June 23, 2016 Hydrogen fuel cell technology could augment ships and subs on patrol General Motors, the Office of Naval Research and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory are cooperating to incorporate automotive hydrogen fuel cell systems into the next generation of Navy unmanned undersea vehicles, or UUVs. Hydrogen fuel cells convert high-energy hydrogen efficiently into electricity, resulting in vehicles with greater range and endurance than those powered with batteries. Under the ONR’s Innovative Naval Prototype program for Large Displacement UUVs, energy is a core technology in the Navy’s goals for vehicles with more than 60 days endurance. The Naval Research Laboratory recently concluded an evaluation of a prototype UUV equipped with a GM fuel cell at the heart of the vehicle powertrain. The tests, a key step in the development of an at-sea prototype, were conducted in pools at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Carderock, Md. “Our in-water experiments with an integrated prototype show that fuel cells can be game changers for autonomous underwater systems," said Frank Herr, ONR's department head for Ocean Battlespace Sensing. "Reliability, high energy, and cost effectiveness — all brought to us via GM's partnering — are particularly important as Navy looks to use UUVs as force multipliers." Hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology helps address two major automotive environmental challenges: petroleum use and carbon dioxide emissions. Fuel cell vehicles can operate on renewable hydrogen from sources like wind and biomass stored for later use. Once converted to electricity, water vapor is the only emission. Recharging takes only minutes. GM’s fuel cells are compact and lightweight, and have high reliability and performance. Lower cost is achievable through volume production. These attributes match the goals of the Navy to develop reliable, affordable systems. “The collaboration with the Navy leveraged what we learned in amassing more than 3 million miles of real-world experience with our Project Driveway fuel cell program,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Activities. “Our customers will benefit from additional lessons we learn about the performance of fuel cells in non-automotive applications that will be useful in GM’s drive to offer fuel cells across consumer markets.” About the Naval Research Laboratory The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is the Navy's full-spectrum corporate laboratory, conducting a broadly based multidisciplinary program of scientific research and advanced technological development. The Laboratory, with a total complement of approximately 2,500 personnel, is located in southwest Washington, D.C., with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Monterey, Calif. NRL has served the Navy and the nation for over 90 years and continues to meet the complex technological challenges of today's world. More information on NRL can be found at http://www.nrl.navy.mil/ About the Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research enables the discovery, development, and delivery of innovative science and technology to meet the needs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps today, and for the future force. To do this, ONR invests in targeted basic and applied research and technical development with partners in industry, academia, and Department of Defense laboratories. http://www.onr.navy.mil

Particularly in a steady rpm construction machinery application, why not? Remember, Isuzu's new global market 5.2-liter 4HK1 (210-240hp) for medium trucks is a four-cylinder design. The fenders, pretty much the global standard in design for backhoes. If they resemble CAT, then CAT copied John Deere.

Ford Trucks Press Release / June 17, 2016 Ford Trucks are available with a state-of-the-art ZF intarder (aka. retarder) auxiliary brake which is designed to handle up to 90% of all braking requirements, without involving the service brake, by making 4,000Nm of braking torque available within one second of activation. Thanks to Ford’s “Smart Brake” management system, it is possible to control the Jacob’s engine brake and ZF intarder simultaneously by actuating the foot brake. Mounted integrally to the transmission for optimized mounting and light weight, The powerful retarder increases comfort and safety, lowers maintenance costs and reduces environmental impact through a drastic reduction in brake dust. . Ford Trucks and You – "Sharing the Load" At Ford Trucks, we’re serious about trucking. It's why we designed the new 2016 Cargo heavy truck range from the ground up to meet your needs and expectations. See your authorized Ford heavy truck dealer for details, or visit the global Ford heavy truck website at https://www.fordtrucks.com.tr/ .

Volvo Group Press Release / June 25, 2016 The Volvo Group has decided to make an additional provision of EUR 250 million (SEK 2.3 billion) in connection with the ongoing investigation, in which the Commission’s preliminary standpoint is that Volvo and other companies in the truck industry may have violated EU antitrust laws in the period prior to January 18, 2011. The provision will have an impact on operating income in the second quarter of 2016. In January 2011, the Volvo Group and a number of other companies in the truck industry became part of an investigation by the European Commission regarding a possible violation of EU antitrust rules. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the Volvo Group made an initial provision of EUR 400 million (SEK 3.8 billion) since it was likely that the Group’s financial results and cash flow would be adversely impacted by the Commission’s investigation. At the same time, Volvo announced that the company would reassess the size of the provision on a continuous basis as the Commission’s investigation continued. The provision made by the Volvo Group total EUR 650 million (SEK 6.1 billion, US$716.6 million) and is based on the company’s best assessment of the financial impact of the investigation at the present time. The investigation is ongoing and the Volvo Group is cooperating fully with the authorities involved.

A respected government figure (one of the very few)..........calling a spade a spade. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CNBC / June 24, 2016 Former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan says the U.K. voting to leave the European Union "is just the tip of the iceberg." "This is the worst period, I recall since I've been in public service," Greenspan said. "There's nothing like it, including the crisis — remember October 19th, 1987, when the Dow went down by a record amount 23 percent? That I thought was the bottom of all potential problems. This has a corrosive effect that will not go away." The former Fed chairman said that the root of the "British problem is far more widespread." He said the result of the referendum will "almost surely" lead to the Scottish National Party trying to "resurrect Scottish Independence." Greenspan said the "euro currency is the immediate problem." While the euro and the euro zone were major steps in a movement toward European political integration, "it's failing," he said. "Brexit is not the end of the set of problems, which I always thought were going to start with the euro because the euro is a very serious problem in that the southern part of the euro zone is being funded by the northern part and the European Central Bank," Greenspan said. Even with that in mind, the European Central Bank is limited in what it can do because these fundamental problems like the stagnation of real incomes don't have easy solutions, Greenspan said. "There's a certain amount that monetary policy can do, but our problem is fundamentally fiscal," he said, adding that this is true in the United States as well as "every major country in Europe." Part of the problem is that the "developed countries are all aging very rapidly," which is leading to a higher ratio of government spending in the form of entitlements, Greenspan said. The 90-year-old Greenspan presided over the Federal Reserve for 19 years, starting with the administration of President Ronald Reagan through that of George W. Bush. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN1jid9lLjY&spfreload=10

The Iron Lady saw the EU for what it was, and wisely began in 1984 retracting the UK's footprint in the affair. Thanks to the UK "rebate" she demanded, the UK pays US$18.7 billion annually instead of US$26 billion. Note that French president and primadonna Charles De Gaulle vetoed the UK's entrance into the EEC (European Economic Community) in 1963 and 1969. Only after he died (in 1970), was the UK admitted in 1973. The EU's demised was posted on the wall in 2004 when it admitted 10 economically-troubled countries that did NOT qualify to be members.

Jim, it's a beautiful truck. But looking at those 3 lift axles........US truck design really hasn't changed/progressed in decades. For optimized hauling efficiency, maneuverability and long road life (ideal weight distribution), I'd rather have a COE (twin-steer) 8-legger with a steerable tag (10x4), or for enhanced fuel efficiency an 10x2 (of course with locking inter-wheel differential).

Coming out of our government, the EU and mouthpiece CNN news, I haven't seen such a mountain of misinformation, distorted hype, in years. The EU was doomed to fail from day one. It's a wonderful concept that couldn't possibly work in reality.....and it doesn't. I should also add, the EU was the idea of the Bilderberg Group. Founded by the Rockefellers and composed of the world's wealthiest business people, it proposed the EU so they could enhance their profitability in Europe. Remember that "giant sucking sound"..........yes, NAFTA was a Bilderberg Group creation to enhance their US market profitability (How could it "possibly" create American jobs?.......one of the largest shams in modern times). The only way the EU could work is if all the member states were actually belonging to a single country, as is the structure of our "United" States. But as is, there is constant and inevitable bickering. The EU member states are anything but "united". The UK has only been in the EU since 1973, but has been an ally to the United States for decades. The UK, wisely, never adopted the Euro currency, and does not need to be a EU member to conduct trade. The EU has been on a downward spiral for a decade, and I predict its demise within 10 years.

FYI http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/42134-mack-frames-1978/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/42109-mack-frames-1989/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/42121-mack-frames-1997/

Automotive News - June 24, 2016 General Motors plans to spend $290 million on its Corvette plant in Kentucky, just as rumors about GM’s plans for the next generation of its iconic sports car heat up. GM today said it will “upgrade and modify” the Bowling Green plant’s vehicle assembly operations for “technology upgrades and manufacturing process improvements.” It didn’t say whether the investment is needed for an eventual redesign of the Corvette, which is three years into its seventh generation. The announcement comes amid speculation about the next iteration of the ‘Vette. Last month, Car & Driver reported that a midengine Corvette -- for decades the subject of enthusiast rumors and lust -- is slated for the 2019 model year. The magazine’s report cited an “impeccable source” and includes plenty of detail, even reporting that some prototypes of the “C8” (eighth-generation) Corvette are housed in Building 54 at GM’s proving grounds in Milford, Mich. It says the car would use a version of today’s V-8 engine, be priced around $80,000 and will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January 2018. The report also says that the current C7 Corvette Stingray will be phased out by late 2018. That would leave the critically praised current version in service for slightly more than five years, a truncated product cycle relative to previous Corvettes. The C6, for example, was in service for about eight years. Some industry forecasters don’t expect the next-gen Corvette to appear until after 2020. GM last year said it would spend $439 million on a new paint shop at the Bowling Green plant, which employs about 940 people and assembles only Corvettes. Work on the paint shop began last year and will run until mid-2017. “We are making technology investments that will continue to improve our manufacturing processes and ultimately the quality of our vehicles,” GM North American Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones said in a statement. GM said the work related to the $290 million investment will begin this summer.

Why replace that cab when an experienced body man can repair it ? Unless you can obtain a cab extremely cheap..........but then you still have the time-consuming task of swapping over. I real body man can bang that out. Otherwise, panels should still be available. Patch the fiberglass sunvisor and buy a right windshield (9QT521AM). And isn't it possible to swap out the Maxi-Glas door with the later steel door, meaning, if you can find a good used door of either type.