BillyT

There is no question there are parts of the world where heavier weights and longer,higher,and more trailers per power unit are utilized in some cases with great efficiency. There are three factors that must be considered that so far nobody has mentioned. The first is almost universally ignored by the trucking industry. PARKING!! As far as the otr driver is concerned this is a major problem!In many parts of America,the east coast,Florida,and most metro areas to name a few, You can't buy a place to park past mid afternoon!As witness the trucks illegally parked past the ramps on most rest areas and everywhere else! Most t.s. in congested areas have a parking limit of a few hrs if you don't buy fuel! The price of real estate and local citizen opposition limit where truck stops and truck terminals can be built.The second issue is our crumbling infrastructure that can barely handle the weight limits that exist today! Take a ride thru Michigan to see how well the highways handle gross weights over 100k! Traffic is another problem in many metro areas. The curtainside trailer is admittedly underutilized. price theft potential and additional maintenance could be reasons.

Yet indeed!! Mowerman

Interesting photos and posts on the Scanias! I don't recall any of those trucks in the Pittsburgh area in the 70s or 80s perhaps it is the proximity to the east coast ports that helped their popularity at that time.They seem too have a squared off modern look almost like a Volvo car or a child's tonka toy! How did they compare in price and warranty to a similarly spec'd mack?

I hated when they went to dual headlamps,liked the 681-c guides.But you can't blame the manufacturers they had to make it look "modern" to sell trucks! Actually when the B model and R models came out they were the most "modern" looking trucks in America.

We are the only society that rejects cabovers! Must be fun when the computerized transmission pukes,is every driver issued a code reader?

Brutal looking bulldog!

A bargain even with wedges!

OD,you went thru Sharon PA and didn't stop at the original Quaker steak and ale?

Ten Sleep Wyoming didn't have a Holiday Inn?

Absolutely fascinating! Particularly like the 50s era flathead v8 option I'm sure the streamlined drive wheel cover helped on "top end" lol great photos! Was reminded of our neighbor(a Russian emigrant farmer) asked my dad if he could convert his ancient crank start tractor to electric start! The old man mounted an old car flywheel on the front of the engine! It just occurred to me,Did he also mount a generator to charge The battery? Don't remember.I'm sure balance wasn't an issue,the thing probably "redlined"at 800 rpm!

Those look like Dodge fenders on the back don't they? I looked at the Hi binder pickup again today maybe I'd leave it alone is kinda cute with the little tires,sort of resembles a kids toy truck!

A couple years ago at the h.s.our kids attended a large 14 yr old boy walked to the window (while class was in session) and spit on it and began to lick it simulating a sex act! The teacher told him to clean the window, and sit down! The boy who was a head taller than the teacher,got in her face and began to verbally abuse her!( to the cheers of his classmates) the teacher pushed him away. The boy's parents complained and she nearly lost her job! This is a well rated mostly upper middle class school.The teacher was required to take"sensitivity training" to keep her job!! My daughter said the teacher was one of the most pleasant teachers she had! Heavy gunner. You're right I couldn't be a teacher! Our teachers each had a 3/4" plywood paddle on their desks and weren't afraid to use it! A classmate of mine (now a successful businessman) when asked why he didn't do his homework replied"I didn't feel like it" There was an audible gasp from the rest of us,right before the teacher knocked him right out of his desk onto the floor! Times have changed! Lol The kid probably received "more of the same" if his dad heard what happened at school!

Well worth saving!

What happened to the mail "jeeps" converted by Grumman in Marcy PA also in Texas that were used for decades? One just delivered my mail?On second thought however the pos in question are the high cube vans used for package delivery! It is rather obvious USPS is only looking at initial price,not safety or longevity! More offshore b.s. when are we going to wake up? There was a time when the unions would have complained about obviously unsafe equipment,but they are worried about their jobs,and who can blame them!!

I agree with Jason O, that letting the police "go to lunch" might provide an opportunity for some "attitude adjustment"😁 But having grown up in Mcmurray PA, it might be" something in the water"! Would it not be acceptable to disagree with what the flag stands for by posting a sign,and not destroying the symbol that so many died for? Personally I agree with the late singer and sausage magnate Jimmy Dean, when told of Abbie Hoffman burning and urinating on our flag said "I believe that old boy needs a good West Texas butt kickin'"!😁

There was a guy based in Braddock pa,hauled steel in the 70s with a v12 gas burner had a 20 speed Spicer.Was the earlier "Jimmy" with the long narrow hood. I recall gas being about 30 cents per gallon before the "gas lines" in the middle 70's.

Ahh,the infamous "sidewinder"! Used to haul steel for a company that ran all r and u model macks.All "day cabs" got a few f model sleepers in 1974.What a hassle it was sleeping in a "day cab"you carried a pillow or furniture pad and put a"pop case between the seats,and laid across it,or laid over the wheel.we were allowed 8dollars for a motel! Most t.s. Had bunk houses or small sleeping rooms,but you couldn't always time you're break to end up at a t.s. The u model was a practical tk,if you were driving in the city or pulling a longer trl. Before deregulation.

Two awesome "horses" I've never driven an MB, but I lived 2 miles from Overnites Washington county Pa terminal,is that a compound? I noticed 2 sticks in some of their tractors. I drove an F model on a Margate Florida jobsite with an ancient Rodgers lowboy.Always liked the looks and interior room of an F model! Both tractors look great the way they're painted! I can't picture a MB in anything other than overnite colors. I guess it doesn't matter now that overnite has sold out to UPS,but are there any legalities involved in painting the name of a defunct company on a "replica" tractor?

Teamster Grrrl there is no end to innovation in the trucking industry! They may be getting wealthy but I pity the folks who sit in an office and never see any of this or build anything with their hands!

Cool little tractors,41, is that a two cylinder Wisconsin on the bigger one?

Cool mini dozer, struck kit used to sell a kit to build something similar,are they still in business? I have a p.o.s. made by MSD,riding mower that's 15 yrs old refuses to quit! I removed the mower deck and use it to pull my hand fabricated tandem lawn trailer! The big box lawn trailers are such crap,I built my own!

You guys have too much time on your hands!Lol any of you cement contractors ever drive a "Georgia buggy"? It's a power wheelbarrow you stand on the back and drive wet cement to the form and dump it.Anyone(like myself) who has ever "wheeled concrete" by hand would appreciate it!

I love old farm tractors!! Saw a picture once of a one cylinder tractor I think a John Deere,Bet that sounded good!!

When you guys mentioned the truck driving up on the rig it reminded me of the dump platform Frito Lay has in Binghamton Ny near the t.s. You drive your reefer or dry van on a platform and I guess they tie it down.You open the doors and the platform goes up like a dump body and the potatoes roll out into a bin! Pretty slick! There are a couple locations around the country that employ various hydraulic ramps to unload dry vans.At the docks in New Orleans you drop your trailer and they back a tractor with a hoist under it to unload bales of cotton.