Red Horse

Opps..I ment to say developed between "Ford and GM", not Ford and Allison

4 hours ago, 66dc75 said:

They couldn't sell that to the 

US post office ??????????

Even has a sliding door.

Rich, I think they were too big for PO

On 10/26/2025 at 6:17 PM, RoadwayR said:

A little sad to see (and I certainly don't want to see anyone loose their jobs over the decision) but I think it shows that GM is now willing to make sound but difficult business decisions, unlike they were in the past.  While the Bright Drop van was good, the market for the vehicle never fully materialized and rapidly changing regulations (EV mandates and incentives) made the outlook for the Bright Drop very questionable.  It's quite possible the program could be ressurected in the future in one form or another depending on market conditions.  Who knows, maybe in the meantime GM could spend some of that Bright Drop capital on updating the ancient Savanna/Express vans! 

I would put this in the same "Dumb Ass" moves list along with Ford ignoring the class 6/7 market.  If it was a good product and they were no longer pouring significant costs into it, I would almost think it could survive on Amazon business alone recognizing their sunk costs must be significant.

21 hours ago, james j neiweem said:

Yes if you were lucky enough to have survived the turn.

For sure..We had a training slideshow called "Mass in Motion".  Showed a liquid load when tank was say half empty.  Truck at rest, and the liquid load would be a level line from side to ride.  Then say you went into a right hand turn.  That "level line" would creep up on the left hand side of the tank, shifting the center of gravity closer to the left.  And the faster and tighter the turn, the worse it became and the end result would often be a rollover. You wouldn't think you had to explain that to a driver.  And the same would apply if you had a peddle load and the discharge manifold allowed you to open multiple compartments.  Instead of draining one completely and taking a lesser amount out of the other compartment  to minimize "slop", you had two compartments adding to the risk.

And sad fact, it applies to freight that is not secured in a box...." the load shifted" said the dumb ass driver to the news camera!🤔

4 hours ago, blackdog2 said:

Talk about high center of gravity? If that tank was half empty can you imagine going into a turn too fast??

Then again it probably couldn't "go to fast"

1 hour ago, blackdog2 said:

Tilcon called Gabrielle truck sale's wanting to sit down and spec out some truck's and ask if somebody  could stop down ........and there comment was were here .........so called Pete not Kenelworth  also owned by Gabrielle in Conn in witch a lot of Mack fleet's are switching to Kenyworthless truck's selling multi brand's out of 1-dealership ......? 

Well I may have an interesting story..Local guy, very successfull  small excavator.  Started buying Petes.  Last one a triaxle.  then I go by the yard the otherday and the Pete-like a year old now is not there and looks like a new Granite is there.?????

But fact remains..seems like all the old  Mack construction fleets now have new Paccars🤔

On 10/11/2025 at 11:05 AM, james j neiweem said:

I thought those Granites looked familiar.I wonder how long Tilcon will keep the Granites. It would be a shame to see them all replaced with Paccars. Nice to see Macks in the Tilcon fleet again. I think the last ones were RD's and a couple of CL's. I see they have the new 300 numbering units. I wonder if the original 200 numbering units were in the sale. It didn't take long for Tilcon to give them Tilcon numbers. For those who don't know Tilcon is owned by Irelands New Castle. More buying up of America!

How true.  Wish I understood the economics that makes this work for the Europeans????

20 hours ago, blackdog2 said:

New Haven Trap Rock 

Did Blakeslee own NH Trap Rock?  That is a Euc?  W.I Clark was Euc dealer I think

9 hours ago, Brocky said:

I was born in 1945, in 1948 my mother was elected the township clerk with her office in the corner of our living room. The highway super was in and out all the time. By 1950 I was the "Mascot" for the highway dept. Always riding in their trucks and later operating them. From there on my life was always in the trucking industry.

Nice memory for sure..and an impossibility in today's day and age.

14 hours ago, blackdog2 said:

He's got you beat by 8-more year's ?

Big mouth!😎

8 hours ago, Brocky said:

Red Horse,

Were they the 1959-60 models??? I always liked those years!!! University Sand and Gravel of Ithaca NY had a whole fleet of them with mixers, as well as a couple of dumps, on them.. 534 engines and 5X3's..

Brocky

No the new syle that came out in 61 and lasted until the Louisville came out in 69

They kept it the same for those years and just changed ID badges  and in 66 they raised the cab roof to give the driver more headroom for a higher seating position.  Unlike the "steering wheel holders" of today who like to sit on the floor😎

But I'm sure they were 534's, which was first offered in '58.  I asked a Ford salesman not that long ago if he new what the original "Super Duty" was?  No clue

Okay you Connecticut guys have a pretty good memory but I may be too old for you on this one.  In like '64 or 65 they were building I 91 north out of New Haven. I don't remember who the GC was but they had a trucker working for them that had a bunch of new Ford Super Duty T-950's  Tandem dumps and a few T-950 tractors hauling Fuehauf bathtubs.  These Fords were big 15,000 at least front ends and big rears on big rubber.  Owner's name was Peter Longo..Anyone have a recollection of this guy?

On 9/1/2025 at 3:46 PM, blackdog2 said:

City Ready Mix  originally from Waterbury Connecticut 

Is that a current picture?  If so who did restoration??  Beauty!

On 8/30/2025 at 4:35 AM, blackdog2 said:

looks like could have been a fatal

Got some bad news this morning from Bob Manchester that his dad passed away during the night after an on and off battle with cancer.

Bob started a career with Amoco as a driver and when he retired he was a terminal manager. He and his sons established a beautiful collection of Macks, Autocars and a 761 Brockway that carried the name "Manchester Bros" and were kept in Cromwell Ct and Downingtown Pa.

He was a most knowledgable person when it came to distribution in the oil industry as well trucks in general.  And most importantly , a great friend who will be remembered and missed by many.

Bob

On 7/28/2025 at 11:18 PM, RoadwayR said:

Story I was told was there was an underhood heat problem.

Correct.  I was told that by a commercial truck Ford guy.  My comment was .."and the 6.7 Power Stroke doesn't generate a lot of heat".  an absolute bullshit excuse IMO.  Think of the west coast volume they would gain.

2 hours ago, mechohaulic said:

Your NOT alone with the memory fade. alot of good companies back then also had PROFESSIONAL  drivers behind the wheel. have been fortunate to have met regularly many of the drivers from major fleets servicing the east coast back then.  ST Johnsbury/ Adley/ Navaho/ Akers/ LOMBARD = have been honored to know the owners well. Louis Lombard rest in peace.

Did Adley use the slogan on their bumpers..."A Sleeping Giant Who Never Sleeps"??

On 6/20/2025 at 3:59 PM, mrsmackpaul said:

The Ranger and Everest are the best sellers in Australia by a long way, that's gotta say something 

 

Paul

Ford should have these Aussies  engineer the air brake option for 650/750 gas jobs seeing Ford keeps saying they can't offer air brakes on these God Zilla powered trucks because of under hood heat issues! absolute BS

1 hour ago, 66dc75 said:

Heading out 6am tomorrow

Maybe we'll catch Matt

 

Drive safe Rich.  My shoulder is fine-relatively speaking , But now my right knee is killing me-old age sucks.  As Brocky said, send pix, and regards to everyone.

Danny and Kenny heading down tomorrow with the R model fire truck