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Scania Group Press Release / November 7, 2019 Crash tests, though over in just a few seconds, are the result of months of careful planning. Crash safety is a part of Scania's DNA, which is why, at Scania, we have our own crash policy that is tough and comprehensive. .

Ford Trucks International / October 21, 2019 Engineers of Ford Otosan and AVL Product Development realised the first application of the ground breaking "platooning" technology. This technology, that the vehicles connect eachother and create a convoy with secure distances, is one of the significant steps that we take in long range transportation for a safe future. . .

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Ford Trucks International / October 8, 2019 Ford Trucks and its IToY-winner F-MAX enter Western Europe starting with Spain and Portugal Ford Trucks has taken another important step in its global expansion, entering the Western European market by creating new distribution partnerships in Portugal and Spain. Recently, Ford Trucks achieved international acclaim with its F-MAX tractor, winning the 2019 International Truck of the Year (ITOY) award. With the F-MAX now in high demand, the company has increased its efforts to expand its distribution network into Western Europe. With almost 60 years of experience in truck manufacturing and product development capabilities for international markets, Ford Trucks is now setting even higher goals for its global distribution network. Almost immediately after its world premiere at the IAA Commercial Vehicles trade show in Hannover, Germany, the Ford Trucks F-MAX took home the 2019 International Truck of the Year (ITOY) award. With international demand for its products stronger than ever, Ford Trucks is now pushing forward its plans to expand its distribution network into Western Europe, broadening its existing dealership and distributorship network in the Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe. Portugal and Spain opening the doors to Western Europe Ford Trucks has now assigned its first distributors in Western Europe in Portugal and Spain. The first facility in Portugal was opened in Lisbon in partnership with Oneshop. The plan is to add four more major cities (Porto, Leira, Algarve and Viseu) to the Portuguese dealership network by 2021. Meanwhile, Ford Trucks Spanish distributor F-Trucks Autumotive Hispania will be operating from nine different locations. ‘The successful journey of F-MAX continues with more awards after IToY.’ Ford Otosan CEO Haydar Yenigün, speaking about the important developments in Ford Trucks’ international expansion, said: “We are delighted that we have reached a point where we are breaking the mould in the heavy commercial industry. F-MAX brought us the coveted IToY award, winning acclaim for its engineering, design and power among its heavy commercial industry competitors. Now, F-MAX is continuing on its journey of success, with even more international awards, including Truck of the Year Awards in Austria and Russia.” ‘We aim to complete our Western European expansion by 2023.’ According to Yenigün, the F-MAX has added momentum to the company’s international expansion plans. “We have already established our distributorship network across three continents (Asia, Europe and Africa) reaching 44 countries by the end of 2019. The high interest in F-MAX led us to revise our global expansion plans, so we decided to shift gear and upgrade our goal to reaching at least 80 countries by the end of 2023.” Yenigün also discussed the company’s plans for the near future: ”Europe is our main export market and its potential is a key factor in our growth strategy. We plan to have established our distributor organisation in Italy by end of this year while aiming to cover almost all European countries by the end of 2023. In terms of revenue, we aim for Europe to account for 50% of our international sales. We want to create close ties with our customers across Europe through the dealership network as well as through our aftersales services. Our Europe-wide agreement with TIP Trailer Services gives us an opportunity to achieve complete customer satisfaction as we continue to expand.” .

Scania Group Press Release / October 31, 2019 Italian haulage firm Mantoan Trasporti has come a long way in its 100 years of business. While in the early days, it handled the movement of food and household goods by horse and cart, it now relies on the refined horsepower of Scania V8 trucks, specialising in the transportation of exceptional loads of up to 80 tonnes. Mantoan Trasporti specialises in difficult transport assignments involving heavy loads such as industrial machinery and railway equipment. The most recent major contract – which will keep Mantoan engaged for the next few years – involves transporting the shells of the rail carriages needed to build the latest US high-speed trains. Empty and unfurnished, the carriages are collected from a production site in Piemonte, and then transported in Mantoan’s distinctive green-and-white trucks across the Alpine border, through France and Belgium, to their final destination: the Port of Zeebrugge. They are then shipped to the US, where they are assembled on arrival at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland. “Our decision to specialise in transporting exceptional loads was the right move,” says Giordano Mantoan. “That’s how we’ve managed to survive the economic crisis in recent years. Transporting exceptional loads rely on the power of the V8 Today, Mantoan Trasporti has 60 employees and a fleet of 45 trucks, including 27 Scania vehicles, of which eight are V8s. “For transport assignments that fall within the associated weight and size limits, we’ll use a Scania truck with an inline six-cylinder 450 horsepower engine,” says Alessandro Mantoan, who is head of logistics and transport. “But we rely on the power of V8 engines when it comes to transporting exceptional loads. To tow the semi-trailers containing railway cars – which aren’t that heavy, just very long – we use two-axle tractor trucks. On the other hand, when the cargo weight surpasses these limits (industrial machinery can weigh over 80 tonnes), we use three-axle trucks.” A complex journey Sorin Spiciuc, who is originally from Romania, didn’t have a truck driving license and was only 23 when he started working for Mantoan Trasporti. But today, he is considered one of their most experienced and skilled drivers, particularly when it comes to handling the challenging railway carriage assignments. “The trip takes an average of four days,” says Spiciuc. “Driving from Italy to France is the shortest leg of the journey, but it’s also the most difficult. Some of the roads we have to use are only a few centimetres broader than our 3.5 metre-wide vehicles.” A team of two is needed for this precision job: one in the driving seat and one on foot behind the truck-train combination, using a remote controller to steer the axle of the semi-tractor trailer. Whenever they are moving along at a snail’s pace like this with an oversized truck, they are obliged by law to be accompanied by an escort comprising two other vehicles (one ahead of the truck and one behind) to help them overcome any obstacles. “Once we arrive at the French border, at the Fréjus Road Tunnel, we have to wait there until nightfall, since that’s the only time it’s possible to stop the traffic from passing through the mountain,” says Spiciuc. “We have to do this so that we can drive our truck along the centre of the road and avoid hitting the walls of the tunnel. The trip then involves driving slowly for another 12 kilometres before entering French territory.” Alessandro Mantoan says the logistics of such assignments are complex. “Every single exceptional transport assignment needs careful planning in order to get the necessary border crossing permits and organise the escorts.” Scania – a reliable partner In order to cope with the combination of an exceptional load and challenging road conditions, it’s essential to have reliable partners, Giordano Mantoan points out. “Thanks to the professionalism of our company and the dependability of Scania’s trucks, we can manage the challenges we face without any problem. “Scania trucks have always been our number-one choice. Our drivers appreciate the Next Generation vehicles for their comfort and power. And we, the owners of the trucks, also appreciate them for their robustness and improved fuel efficiency. Scania trucks are the heart and soul of our company.” .

Renault Trucks Press Release / November 6, 2019

Renault Trucks Press Release / October 8, 2019 .

I prefer (Ingersoll Rand) air starters, once so common in Oz.

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Paccar made a massive mistake in discontinuing Cummins 12-litre availability.

Cummins Press Release / November 8, 2019 Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) announced today that the X12+Endurant powertrain from its Integrated Power portfolio is now available for customers in regional haul applications, delivering the lightest solution to this market with industry-leading maintenance intervals. Following Freightliner’s announcement at Tank Truck Week in Nashville, TN, this lightweight powertrain from Cummins can be now be ordered in Freightliner's brand new Cascadia 116' BBC Day Cab. This is a new market for the X12 engine, which has exclusively been available in vocational and refuse trucks before now. "The X12+Endurant powertrain's lightweight, yet durable design allows customers to maximize their payload for each and every job," said Amy Boerger, Vice President – Engine Business Sales for Cummins. "We wanted to create the optimal powertrain solution for customers with weight-sensitive applications, and we are confident this is it." At just over 2,700 pounds, the X12 paired with the Eaton Cummins Endurant transmission is expected to be to be the lightest powertrain available for the Class 8 on-highway market. It is a perfect match for weight-sensitive markets like bulk and regional haul applications. Driver-friendly features from the Endurant transmission like smooth shifting and quiet engine performance contribute to a comfortable in-cab environment, while Optimized Urge to Move and Creep Mode make maneuvering in low-speed environments easier. "We are thrilled that the X12 will now be available in the Freightliner Cascadia 116 BBC model," said Paul Rosa, Penske Truck Leasing senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning. "This new offering makes for a great weight-conscious solution and will be a nice option for our customers." Expanded availability of the X12 comes at the perfect time, as Cummins is expanding maintenance intervals for the platform. Customers can benefit from oil-drain intervals of up to 75,000 miles, and those that participate in Cummins OilGuard program may see extensions of up to 100,000 miles. Together with the Endurant, which offers a 750,000 mile lube change interval and a maintenance-free clutch, you’ve got a powertrain with the industry’s best maintenance intervals. The 116" BBC day cab Cascadia with the Cummins X12 and Eaton Cummins Endurant begins production mid-2020. The Freightliner Cascadia is also available with the Cummins X15 Efficiency series engine and the Eaton Cummins Endurant in the 126" BBC day cab and sleeper models.

Diesel News Australia / November 2019 The release of its new Dual Control truck range sees Isuzu focusing on the waste industry in a much more concentrated way. This refocus may have been stimulated by uncertainty around the future of models like the Iveco Acco. The latest announcement from the top selling truck brand in Australia is the launch of an all new Dual Control waste and refuse truck line-up with four models available (plus wheelbase options). Developed in Australia and based on the FSR 140-260 4×2 Dual Control model, the new, expanded dual control range features Isuzu axles, multi-leaf steel spring rear suspension, dual circuit air over hydraulic front and rear drum brakes with ABS, Allison LCT 2500 transmission and ISRI 6860 with integrated seatbelt in both left and right hand driver positions. The new 16,500 kg and 24,000 kg GVM dual control models feature Hendrickson airbag rear suspension, which delivers substantial tare weight advantages – a key advantage over competing brands. The new FVZ dual control models use Isuzu’s 6-rod and trunnion taper leaf type rear suspension, offering cross-articulation for work in arduous terrain, for example at a waste processing facility. Other key components in the FVD, FVZ and FVY Dual Control models include Meritor axles, with the FVZ and FVY featuring the MT44-144 rear axle tandem set with driver-controlled inter-axle lock and cross-locks on both axles. Brakes are Meritor Q-Plus dual circuit full air ‘S-cam’ front and rear brakes with auto slack adjusters and ABS as standard. “We’re extremely pleased to be able to bring additional factory dual control solutions to market,” said Les Spaltman, Isuzu National Sales Manager. “Many would be aware of the discontinuation of some of the more traditional, go-to truck models in this sector. In response, we have a highly competitive, low tare weight solution on offer, one which ticks some key boxes for Australian operators.” All Isuzu dual control models also come equipped with Allison automatic transmission as standard equipment, from the LCT 2500 Series in the FSR, through to the rugged 3000 Series in the FVD model and the 3500 Series in the FVZ and FVY 6×4 variants. The instrument panel has been duplicated on the left-hand driving side and both driving positions feature air-assisted steering wheel height adjustment for complete driver customisation and control. The design also retains existing cab electrical harnessing, with ‘plug and play’ additional wiring harnesses. Fresh safety elements include interlocks for control change overs, safety yellow grab handles and steps, along with Isuzu’s existing safety suite including ABS, RHS driver airbag and cornering lamps for urban laneway safety. “What we’ve worked really hard to develop with these new models is a compelling total cost of ownership argument for Isuzu,” said Les. “Lower tare weights bring improved productivity and payload. And when you add the commonality of parts we’ve developed with our F Series range, the equation really adds up in favour of our customers. “These trucks have been designed specifically for Australian conditions and industry need. We have incorporated proven efficiencies across our engines, driveline and chassis componentry, wheelbase options and in-cab appointments, making this dual control line-up extremely competitive on a number of fronts. “We know that when it comes to the waste and refuse industry, reliability, economy and durability are non-negotiables. We believe these new models have these qualities in spades.” .

Trade Trucks Australia / October 3, 2019 Welcome folks, before we begin, I recommend everyone do a quick status check, is your beer cold? Have you got some chips to crunch on? Have you emptied your bladder? Because I’m inviting you to sit down and enjoy a story I’ve been waiting 17 months to write. For those dubious about the level of amusement involved, well when you’ve got a story that involves names like Plugger, Ferret, Tart, Bullbar Bob, Burloo, Popeye and even Festus, I think you can be assured it’s an interesting tale. By now I’m sure you have already flicked through the photos accompanying this piece and after wiping the drool off your chin have come to the same conclusion as countless other truck fans: "DAMN that’s a fine-looking Superliner" – and you would be right. Now, however, you have come back to read the story and learn a bit more about it. So welcome, let me take you back to May 2018. That’s when the marvellous world of Facebook connected a very young workshop manager with yours truly. "Hey Bud. I’m doing up a V8 ‘88 model Superliner in my workshop in Toowoomba atm. The truck’s got a bit of history behind it." That was the understated opening to the message I got from Mark Holt, the afore-mentioned workshop manager. He finished the introduction with the almost redundant statement: "Let me know if you’re interested in having a look at it." I mean, seriously, does a bear crap in the woods? Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back? He had me at V8 ‘88 Superliner! KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY Of course, I acted more like a professional journalist than a giddy schoolboy when I replied, but the end result was that we kept in constant communication as the rebuild took place. Many progress photos were sent by Mark, and to be honest, it kind of felt like finding dad’s Penthouse collection as I hid away from others just to enjoy the view. Not that I ever found dad’s collection – I was way too busy studying and assisting the elderly, I promise. The Superliner’s progress was stunning. The quality of the workmanship from all involved as she grew alive again was just breathtaking to watch. Finally, 15 months after first chatting with Mark, and only days before its debut at the Casino Truck show, I pulled up to BlingHQ in Hattonvale, Qld, where the truck was getting detailed and laid eyes on one of the most impressive resurrections I’ve seen. A 1988 MKII V8 Superliner, and not just any Superliner, but a world record-setting MKII V8 Superliner. Whilst all the hard work was getting put into making the truck look good (and I will get to that shortly) I started researching, as Mark underwhelmingly put it, the "bit of history behind it". Kevin ‘Plugger’ Bowden is the name on the door and the truck is best known for its miraculous feat of strength, back in 1994, when it set the world record for the longest ever road train towed. A total of 29 stock trailers and 28 dollies linked together like one of those childhood-toy snakes, only much, much longer. Even the tale behind that is typically Aussie. However, first I think we need to appreciate just how much influence the entire Bowden family has had over generations of trucking. Even to this day the name is still synonymous with hard work, helping hands and highway legends. Kevin never really had a choice about what industry he would end up in, it’s in the family DNA. The diesel veins can be traced back to the end of the horse and cart era and ironically the introduction of the petrol-powered big rigs. Kevin’s grandfather Albert is ground zero for the family story. Originally an engineer on paddle steamers, Albert moved the family, which included Kevin’s dad Cyril and Cyril’s two brothers, from Wilcannia to Bourke in 1922. In 1926, AL Bowden & Sons picked up the mail contract between Bourke and Wanarring, returning with wool to Sydney to help make extra coin. It was this service that would serve as the backbone of AL Bowden & Sons for several decades. Through the harsh NSW conditions of the time, that included corrugated roads deep enough to lose one of the Bowden’s old Leyland, dodges or Reos the family used to move mail and wool throughout the year to keep the bills paid. There are records kept that in 1933 the Bowdens, including Kevin’s Dad Cyril who had started driving the year before with a permit as he was only 17, moved 5,200 bales of wool. That’s not bad when you think about how much should ‘legally’ have been on a truck in that era. I’m no rocket scientist but I’m pretty sure the maths equates to the odd overload. It wasn’t just their tenacity to hook in that spawned the Bowden legacy, it was their adaptability as well. Case in point, the ‘Mulga Supergrade’. Adaptability at its best. The Mulga Supergrade was a coal powered fuel system that the Bowdens ran on their trucks during World War 2. They ran it because fuel rationing meant they were only allotted enough fuel to complete the delivery of their mail run, not enough to get the trucks back. The system was installed and sure, it pulled like a derated 909, but it did get the boys home again. The Bowdens were a family that battled in the toughest conditions and as a family they thrived. AL Bowden and Sons trading up until the 1960s, at that stage Kevin’s Dad Cyril took over and began trading as CA Bowden & Sons. Kevin, along with his brothers Ronald (Ferret) and Bruce (Tart) moved the family business into the livestock industry. They continued the mail service as well as general freight though by that time the livestock had them as far afield as Darwin and Townsville. In 1964, the Bowdens joined much of the Bourke shire in placing a Bulldog Mack in the fleet colours. The EH Mack was followed a couple of years later by their first B-model Mack. With the trucks working with, let’s say, more than impressive loads, along with covering some tough landscapes, the Macks proved their worth and remained the staple diet for CA Bowden & Sons. NEW ERA The family worked as one for a few more decades before eventually splitting up in the early ‘80s and the sons branched out on their own. Sadly, Cyril passed away in late 1988 almost a decade after he was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to the transport industry. Cyril’s love of the country and the transport industry was evident in everything he did and thankfully for the next generation they followed in their father’s footsteps. As the early nineties rolled in, Kevin was running his own truck under the Kevin Bowden banner, a R-model Mack still doing livestock all over the countryside. Plugger’s R-model was then replaced with one MKI Superliner, though this may purely have been because he was sick of sleeping across the seats of the R-model. Plugger’s driver at the time, a young Wayne ‘Pie’ Parry actually informs me that Plugger very nearly ended up with one of the Bi-centennials. "Yeah, Mack actually rung Plugger to offer him one of the Bi-centennials," says Pie, "but the work was a bit on/off and he couldn’t really justify it." Wayne grins as he then informs me that not long after, the rains came and the work went through the roof. Plugger rung Mack and ordered the MKII, speccing it out with the bigger bunk and looking a lot like the limited-edition Bi-centennials. Pie also informed me a little of the early history of the truck. I’m not referring to his joy as a 25-year-old to be sharing such a rig with Plugger, nope. I’m referring to the fact it didn’t make it far out of Sydney on its maiden journey. "Coming out of Sydney, she started pressurizing the radiator. Brand new, she dropped a liner," Pie tells me. He goes on to explain that it was taken back, stripped down and all fixed up. At that point they rung Plugger to inform him it was all good to go; they’d had it on the Dyno and it was putting out 460 something at the wheels. In a typical Plugger response he pointed out he’d paid for a 500, so if it’s not putting 500 out at the wheels then don’t bother bringing it out. The language was a little more colourful but I’ll keep it PG. Plugger’s effect on the industry was much more far reaching than just the road train records; before he even set the first one in 1993 he was also the first operator in Bourke to bring in a four deck crate. Like any new idea it was scoffed at but Plugger knew what he was doing and they are now a staple of the industry. RECORD BREAKER So, I think I’ve brought us up to the moment that made Plugger and his truck famous. Now, however the details of the pull are told best by another icon, Bob Hayward. Bob was the man behind the hugely successful Bourke radio show, ‘Trucks and Tracks’. It was an idea dreamed up by Bob at 3am one morning and laughed at by his director. Like Plugger’s four deck crate it went on to become a huge hit; interviewing all manner of people affiliated with the transport industry and getting a lot of people talking. It also introduced Bob to a lot of the local operators, including Plugger. This introduction came in handy when Bob and his mate Andrew Aitchison heard that a road train record of 14 trailers had been set in Winton in 1993. Bob and Andrew were adamant: "We can do it better in Bourke." Even Mack were on board. Lending a heavy duty CLR Mack with hub reduction, they hooked 16 trailers up to set a new record, and who else could drive it but Plugger? Within a year that record had been surpassed up in Darwin. Though Bob points out that it "shouldn’t have counted – they had empty flattops, an empty tanker, but we did it all with stock crates". So, come 1994, Bourke wanted their title back and the bush telegraph had trailers rolling in from every operator and company within miles of Bourke. The end result was 29 trailers – a total of just over 439 metres of tyres and crates, weighing around 500 tonnes. Now, what I didn’t know was that it wasn’t meant to be Plugger’s truck at the front. Mack were building a huge heavy spec rig for the task, which sadly wasn’t ready in time. Bob informs me that the news was broken to him a couple weeks out from D-day. "I rung Plugger, as he was going to drive it again, and told him ‘you’re not gunna believe it old son, we don’t have a truck’," Bob recalls. "Plugger said straight away ‘we’ll use mine’." Bob laughs as he recalls the impracticality of the offer, pointing out to Plugger its highway rated diffs, the fact it didn’t have hub reductions and it was only 110t rated. Bob also vividly recalls Plugger’s matter-of fact-response to Bob’s scepticism: "I reckon we can do it easy!" Doing it easy wasn’t really the way it rolled out to be honest. The whole town assisted in getting the unit together and eventually Plugger had the big Superliner in place. It was at this point that Bob, who along with his son was sitting in the truck beside Plugger, learnt a little bit about the Bowden appreciation of history. "Plugger remembers the old blokes talking about horses and how before they stepped the horses off, they pushed them back in the traces so everything was slack and as they took their first step the weight would come on after they were mobile," Bob informs me. He then explains how Plugger took that notion and pushed back himself. All be it, when he pushed back on 29 trailers there may have been a good metre of clicking back. When he threw it forward, the big bonnet went up, the black smoke rolled and, as Bob admits, "We now know all that weight went straight into that rear diff," and that rear diff shattered. Bob admits to a moment of panic from inside the cabin, hearing that noise, but when he asked Plugger what the hell had happened, his response was: "I don’t know Bobby, but she’s still going." Bob insisted Plugger pull it up. Instead, Plugger’s grin and the fact that he threw another gear into her at full noise showed that he wasn’t giving up. The Big Mack didn’t either, getting up to almost 28km/h before the other organiser Andrew, screamed out over the two-way to pull her up as the rear trailer had clipped in on a power pole. Like most things back in that era you learnt by experience. Looking back now, Plugger and Bob admit they should have realised that the Big Mack had air enough for only six trailers, so one through six braked beautifully when required. Seven through 29 went in their own direction. There was a bit of pressure on a couple of dollies, a couple of broken drawbars and a very startled police officer who had his back to the truck when the drawback snapped, subsequently scaring 10 years off of his life. By the time the whole lot had all been dismantled and a couple of blokes had run the hat around the appreciative crowd, they had raised enough money to cover all the repairs. The boys all enjoyed a great laugh at the bowls club and the record was returned to Bourke, where it belonged. That day in 1994 was Plugger’s most public feat but it was far from his crowning glory. The generosity and spirit of the Bowden family has carried on to this day. Plugger and his lovely wife Dot carried on running the Superliner, moving into tipper work when the weather conditions saw dramatic falls in stock numbers. Eventually, due to ill health, Plugger sold the Mack to his nephew Mark (Popeye) Bowden. In August 2007, two years after selling the MKII, Kevin ‘Plugger’ Bowden passed away and was laid to rest in Bourke. NEW PASTURES Now we jump ahead six years, I’m sure in movie language there’s a technical phrase for skipping ahead but I’m just going to call it lazy writing. 2013 was a very special year in the life of Plugger Bowden’s Mack. That was the year that new owners got their hands on the 1988 Superliner. Mark ‘Popeye’ Bowden, who had bought the truck from Plugger, wasn’t in a hurry to sell the old girl but when an offer came from a family steeped in trucking history and with a respect for the Superliners past, it wasn’t a tough call to make. The truck was put on the back of a float and sent up to a workshop in Toowoomba. Funnily enough, when the truck was rolled off the float, one of the first people there to see it was Wayne ‘Pie’ Parry, Plugger’s driver when he had bought the truck. Like excited schoolboys, Pie and the new owner jumped in and took her for a quick spin. "She definitely needs a bit of work," was the comment made when the brake-pedal struggled to do the one thing required of it: brake. After its action-packed test drive the truck was handed off to Vanfit Diesel owner, Mark Van Dongen, who was tasked with stripping her back to bare bones. "It was well used" and "it was buggered" were two of the initial comments from Mark when he laid eyes on it for the first time. Plenty of hours were spent on the rails, cross members and running gear. After the tear down, Mark set about needle gunning the rails and getting the running gear back to working. From there, he moved onto other work and the resurrection process was shelved. Once again, we will jump ahead – this time to November 2017 when another Mark – Mark Holt, the man I met on Facebook – started as workshop foreman and with a lot of help from Nicolas Ball, the Bowden Superliner was a topic of conversation again. Mark Holt’s history in rebuilds, as far as I can tell, is limited to throwing his Lego around the room when he couldn’t get the wheels on the race car he was building at primary school. His history with tools and machinery though is much more expansive. Starting as an agricultural apprentice back in Albury, before working on trucks, he took those skills to the thriving metropolis of Kalgoorlie, and after some more youthful adventure he ended up in Toowoomba. His first run in with Nicolas (who coincidentally before the Bowden’s truck had a very similar level of rebuild experience) was there in Toowoomba. The two hit it off and by the time Mark found himself as a workshop manager he once again had Nic working alongside him. When Mark was handed the keys to the shed with pallets of parts and a couple of chassis rails, he made sure Nic was beside him. BACK TO LIFE It may have seemed a fairly incomprehensible mountain to climb for two guys that have never undertaken such a huge project, especially as Nic describes himself as "a trailer mechanic trying to make it to the front end", but Nic also points out that it was Mark’s managerial skills that broke the project down into accomplishable linear problems. There were definitely a few of those: working out an airline system without any cheat sheet; an exhaust setup that confused the pros and resulted in Mark and Nic building it themselves; different sized fuel tanks, different sized J brackets – oh, this truck threw everything at them. The boys dug in though and whilst also running the workshop and fleet maintenance, they tackled each problem and worked out a solution. Engineering issues took up the majority of the first few months, getting everything checked and specked. The team at Darling Downs Engineering were instrumental in so much of the engineering rebuild; repairing old parts and fabricating replacements. Mark and Nic are good, but they were happy to let the big boys do that stuff. Mark is also very quick to express his gratitude to Greg Burling from Toowoomba Truck Spares for plenty of advice and assistance getting the work done. "He’s the man to talk to about old Superliners," Mark states. Interior work was another major issue. The whole bonnet cab and bunk had been taken off and stored during the original tear down and the interior needed to be ripped out and replaced. Personally, I think the reo bar welded in to hold up the dash may have been an artistic addition but instead, the bonnet bunk and cab were sent to Peter Mac Truck repairs for extensive work, whilst the interior repairs were left in the hands of Toowoomba Trimming, who did a fantastic job restoring it. Even down to hand-sewn pieces in the bunk and custom leather seats. Mark firmly believes the interior is the best part of the rebuild. Along with changing the dash colour to a stunning metallic grey, Mark took it upon himself to add in a PearlCraft steering wheel and gearstick head, which finished it off beautifully. Now, if Mark and Nic had mountains to overcome, I’m pretty sure motor wizard Dean Conway had to skydive from 30,000ft to see his issues. One of the few things the new owner was insistent on was finding the big 500’s original motor to go back in. Finding the motor, no worries, it was becoming part of the landscape in a Bourke paddock. Getting it back to Toowoomba, easy as; on pallet, on truck. Getting it going, well that was tougher than a BBQ bush turkey. Who would do it was never in question though; Dean Conway from Toowoomba was the man for the job. Dean grew up with Plugger’s grandsons and had strong ties to the family. In fact, his father-in-law was none other than Wayne ‘Pie’ Parry himself. So how much work was needed? "It had been laying in the paddock in the dirt, everything had been robbed off it over the years and I thought ‘here we go’," Dean recalls. He goes on to explain a few minor issues he had to deal with. "I drained the sump and there was about 20 litres of water in the sump [and] five of the eight pistons were rusted in. I thought ‘Jeeze we’re in the shit here!’" It ended up taking Dean about nine hours to get the pistons out and more than once he thought it wasn’t possible. But it got machined, four new heads, new pistons liners, the crankshaft machined, everything that could have been replaced was. Dean admits though that he did get a bit more out of the fuel pump, so if it ever does get on the dino, Plugger can be sure it’s giving more than he paid for. All up, Dean had the engine for two years before he fired it up on the back of the trailer. "First start of an engine you’ve built is always a special one, but this was a bit more," Dean tells me, and like everyone else involved you could really tell the importance of this build. With the motor running, the wheels turning, the replicated paint work done perfectly by Peter Mac Truck Repairs and Sam Keddie coming in to do the standout signwriting, the truck was looking flasher than a rat with a gold tooth and a wrist full of Rolexes. Last, but not least, was the added bling. From the stainless wrapped tanks to the polished bullbar, the drop visor to the chrome air intakes - the truck just pops. A lot was done inhouse by Mark, Nic and the team and what wasn’t was made and fitted by Ryan at BlingHQ. There was the temptation to keep the truck all original, but the truck was bought by a truck-loving family with a fleet of stunning rigs themselves. They have done a fantastic job of bringing back to life an iconic truck, paying tribute to a legendary man and a great family. They’ve done this whilst adding their own high-class standards and they have nailed it. So, after wearing my fingers to the bone on the keyboard and filling my hard drive chock-full of Superliner photos, it’s time to wrap up. If I’ve worked this out correctly, you should have been able to read this whilst walking about 878.338m, or up and down a Mack road train with 28 dollies and 29 trailers. .

Iveco Trucks / October 1, 2019 In 1962, the first civilian AACO (Australian A-line Cab Over) models left the production line at International Harvester’s Dandenong, Melbourne, production works. Some 57 years later, IVECO is celebrating the delivery of the 90,000th ACCO (Australian C-line Cab Over), a name change affected following a move from the ‘A’ to ‘C’ production line. ACCO number 90,000, a 6x4 model, was handed over to long term IVECO customer, Solo Resource Recovery, a company that has purchased over 1000 ACCO trucks over the last 30 years. In a small ceremony held last week at the end of the production line, IVECO Australia Business Director, Bruce Healy, presented the vehicle and a commemorative plaque to Solo Resource Recovery National Fleet Manager, David Hancock, while sharing his thoughts on the ACCO’s proud Australian heritage. “It gives me much pleasure today to be part of celebrating a momentous milestone for the ACCO model, and for Australian commercial vehicle manufacturing as a whole,” Mr Healy said. “The ACCO is an Australian transport industry icon and has proven to be a real survivor, as its longevity and high production numbers will attest. “A combination of rugged construction, reliability, fit-for-purpose design and local engineering have made it a favourite for decades, particularly in demanding applications.” With a new generation Euro6 ACCO shortly to be launched in Australia, Mr Healy said that IVECO was looking forward to building on the nameplate’s proud heritage well into the future. “The new Euro6 ACCO will continue to be manufactured in Australia and will enjoy many of the same benefits that held its predecessors in good stead for so many years,” he said. “To this proven equation we’re also adding the latest in emissions technology, safety features and driver appointments, making the next generation of truck an ACCO like no other.” In receiving the 90,000th ACCO, David Hancock, said he was grateful for the excellent service that the ACCO range and IVECO had provided to Solo Resource Recovery over many years. “The ACCO has been a staple of Solo Resource Recovery’s fleet nationwide for a long time,” Mr Hancock said. “We operate 4x2, 6x4 and 8x4 ACCO variants in a range of compactor, hook lift, front end loaders, tankers, ‘RoRo’ (Roll-on / Roll-off) and rear loader operations, and currently have over 500 ACCO units in our fleet. “There is a reason why we keep using these trucks – for the tough, start and stop work that is part and parcel of refuse collection, it’s difficult to go past the ACCO. “The trucks are also straightforward to maintain, easy for bodybuilders to build on and the service we receive from IVECO in supporting the range is excellent,” he said. Despite carrying the mantle of 90,000th ACCO, this new truck will not lead an easy life and will shortly go into service at Tweed Heads as a rigid tanker. .

Truck TV Australia / November 6, 2019 Lachlan McCutcheon backs his old 1965 B615 Mack out of the shed. Listen to the beaituful note on the V8 GM871 'bird scarer' engine. .

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Isuzu Trucks Australia / November 5, 2019 Truckpower On The Road paid a visit to the South Australia Country Fire Service to learn about how they use Isuzu trucks in battling nature's extremes. .

Diesel News Australia / November 2019 The answer to the question, who needs an engine brake? is, of course everyone, in a truck. However, the way technology is developing is likely to make the famous Jake Brake just a little less important in the scheme of the things, in truck development of the future. Recent developments have seen the increased use of transmission retarders in truck design, as demonstrated in this video. The Intarder from ZF has started appearing in many European truck designs. Truck brands like Scania, MAN, DAF and Isuzu include retarders in their top-end prime movers as a matter of course. Including a retarder doesn’t preclude including a compression engine brake. Many have both and use the brake blending techniques of exhaust brake, then engine brake, then retarder and finally service brake as a cascading method of bringing each technology in as the foot on the brake pedal gets more insistent. There are plusses and minuses for the retarder. The plus is the retarder will pull the truck up much more than the compression engine brake. Its retardation effort is stronger and and can be used to hold a fully loaded truck at a preset speed down a steep descent. The minus is the fact the retarder does have a limit, fluid temperature. The sheer effort by the stator to slow the liquid flow in the retarder, is taking a lot of energy out of the driveline. This energy has to go somewhere and heats up the medium used in the retarder putting a strain on the cooling capacity of the truck. As the temperature rises it can reach a critical level, at which point the liquid no longer slows the truck as effectively. A retarder can run out of retardation if pushed too far. In most practical applications retarders will not reach these critical temperature levels, but the fact remains that the possibility of failure is there. The high temperatures also mean the maintenance on these items can be expensive. A system which has been in use in other parts of the world, but which hasn’t gained much traction in Australia, is the Telma. This uses electricity to slow the driveshaft and can be effective, it is widely used on buses in Europe. With the rise of electric trucks and hybrids in the future, the chances are this kind of technology will find it’s way into new truck designs. If there is going to be an electric motor/generator on board anyway, it might as well be used as an engine brake as well? . . .