Those Brazilian FNM (Alfa Romeo) COEs

[kscarbel2]

FNM (Fábrica Nacional de Motores) was a Brazilian truckmaker in business from 1942 thru 1988.

Located near Rio de Janeiro, the company was established by the Brazilian government to push forward the country’s industrial base. In exchange for the use of military bases in northeastern Brazil during World War II, the U.S. government provided financial and technical assistance towards the construction of the FNM plant.

During the war years, the plant was charged with producing Curtiss-Wright engines for military training aircraft.

Truck production began in 1949 after FNM signed an agreement with Italian truckmaker Isotta Fraschini to produce the latter company’s 16,535 GVW diesel trucks under license. The trucks were designated IF-D-7300 and approximately 200 units were built.

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[kscarbel2]

With production now ramping up at FNM, the company faced a new challenge when financial difficulties caused Isotta Fraschini to file for bankruptcy in 1951, leaving FNM in an awkward position after just a couple of years of cooperation.

FNM found a new technology partner in the form of Milan-based Alfa Romeo, who at that time was a well respected heavy truck manufacturer in Southern Europe. From 1951, FNM began production of Alfa Romeo D-9500. Powered by a 130 horsepower engine, straight trucks had a GVW 17,857 lb and tractors had a GCW of 48,502 lb.

Like FNM, Alfa Romeo at that time was also a government-owned company, having been rescued from bankruptcy by the Italian government in the 1930s.

Between 1956 and 1960, FNM produced over 15,000 Alfa Romeo-based heavy trucks in Brazil, as well as buses and coaches.

In 1958, FNM launched the D-11000. Based on the Alfa-Romeo 1000 series, it was initially powered by an 11-liter 150 horsepower engine, with power increased to 175 horsepower in 1967. Power was delivered by an 8-speed (4+2) transmission. was rated at 17,637-24,251 pounds and powered by a 163-174 horsepower 11-liter engine mated to an 8-speed (4+2) transmission.

As Brazil’s only truckmaker until the early 1970s, FNM dominated the market. In 1968 when privatization was being encouraged, Alfa Romeo purchased FNM from the Brazilian government.

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[kscarbel2]

The FNM 180 and 210 series were launched in 1972 with 180 and 215 horsepower engines respectively.

The 210 was available in both 4x2 and 6x4 configurations with the 215 horsepower model 120.08 in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine rated at 706 N.m of torque, and mated to a ZF 12-speed (6+2) transmission. GCWs went up to 45,000 kg. The 4x2 tractor rode on a 14,330 lb front axle and a 26,455 lb drive axle.

Fiat bought a 43 percent stake in Alfa Romeo in 1973. With the purchase of additional shares in 1976, Fiat became Alfa Romeo’s controlling shareholder. Owing to these developments, FNM trucks from 1978 were badged as Fiats.

More Photos: http://alfafnm.com/fotos1/

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[kscarbel2]

Brazilian truck collector Osvaldo Tadeu Strada and his 22 restored FNMs.

http://blogdocaminhoneiro.com/2016/04/o-colecionador-que-ja-acumula-27-caminhoes/

[Leonardo Favaro]

[Brocky]

KS
That is a neat article.. Thanks for posting..

I know that they are Italian styling, But some of them sure do look like they have an English background.. Or as the Aussies would say " A Pommey Truck"

[kscarbel2]

FNM - the melancholy end of a giant

Truck Blog (Brasil)  /  March 14, 2017

In June 1985, one of the directors of Fiat Trucks in Brazil, Camilli Donatti, heralded in Rio de Janeiro, the stoppage of the company's assembly lines.

Reduced from about 600 to 100 employees, officials of the company that was once the powerful Fiat Diesel, would now devote themselves exclusively to the manufacture of spare parts for Brazil’s large fleet of Fiat/FNM trucks.

During the company’s existence, which operated under the names of FNM, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Fiat Diesel Trucks, production reached 57,330 heavy trucks, 6,756 medium trucks, 9,129 light trucks and 2,684 buses, totaling 75,899 vehicles produced from 1949 until 1985.

Between 1976 and 1978, Fiat has invested $450 million in Brazil's Assembly lines, and could produce between 20,000 to 25,000 truck engines a year trucks, in a 600,000 square meter plant.

However, with the amount invested, the Italian company expected immediate results, which never happened. In 1984, just 484 trucks had been produced. In 1985 thru May, only 117 units rolled off the assembly line, a decline of 44% compared to 1984 on account of strikes.

To try and save the truck plant from failure, Fiat was planning to begin local production of the European “TurboStar” to compete with the new and powerful competitors from Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volvo.

In addition, a market downturn occurred during the mid-1980s which saw truck sales fall by over 50 percent, adding to the woes of a truckmaker whose history had been marked by mistakes of strategy and misconceptions.

Fábrica Nacional de Motores (FNM) was founded in 1942 to manufacture 450 horsepower American Wright radial aircraft engines for use in training aircraft during World War II. With the end of the war and the fact that the engines had become obsolete, the company switched over to the production of refrigerators.

In 1949, an agreement was signed with Italy’s Isotta Fraschini to manufacture a 7.5 ton diesel truck. This resulted in the introduction of FNM’s model D-7300. However, after the production of just 200 units, Isotta ceased production.

In 1950, FNM signed an agreement with Alfa-Romeo to produce its diesel trucks, resulting in the model D-9000. Production began in 1957. By 1964, the D-9000,  the D-9000 utilized almost 100 percent domestically sourced components and enjoyed a 50 percent market share in Brasil.

In 1964, there was an estimated 20,000 FNM trucks in operation throughout Brasil.

Even back then, the state-owned company was an example of clutter and excess employees, becoming a big pickle. There was aggravating internal disorganization, unrealistic costs, lack of definition of responsibilities and overall inefficiency.

The situation became so bad that it took government support to keep the plant in operation. In a government-led effort to reverse the situation, the factory was sold to Alfa-Romeo.

In 1971, FNM’s veteran model D-11000 heavy truck was replaced by the modern new 180 and 210 models.

Before long, Alfa-Romeo was absorbed by Fiat in Brazil. Fiat had grandiose plans for FNM so as to participate in Brazil’s fast growing economy. Fiat invested in the factory, aiming the production of up to 15,000 trucks per year.

Fiat introduced several new truck models beginning with the Fiat 70, and later the Fiat 80, 130 Semipesado, and 140. Several other models were fielded including the Fiat 160 and 400 horsepower Fiat 260.

The best selling Fiat model proved to be the Fiat 190H, though it did not meet sales expectations.

In 1980, control of the company passed on to Iveco.

Sales continued to fall. In the heavy truck segment, FNM’s market share was now down to 12 percent. The Fiat models 120 and 140 were discontinued due to a lack of buyers.

In June 1985 the company ceased operations. However even with its abrupt ending, FNM negotiated and paid all its debts to the dealers and suppliers.

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[Edvard]

Please someone to post gear ratios for FNM 8+2 gear box, thank you!