Last one for today (and it's a long one!) from Gary Richards, Biglorryblog's man in Oz looking after Volvo's and Macks (not a bad 'portfolio' there Gary.)
Anyroadup he recently sent me this whole shed-load of shots from one of his trips abroad and he says: "
"So this prompted me," he says, "at the risk of turning BLB into a truckie's travel log, to share some of my own on road experiences in this wonderful and fascinating country. There were no Enfields or motorcycles of any type involved this time, just a car from Ho Chi Min City (aka Saigon) to
And click through here for the full 50 cent tour of Vietnamese trucks from Gary!
Where else but Biglorryblog would you get such a trucking travelogue?
Gary continues: "I was amazed at the diversity of truck makes - Russian, Korean, US, Polish, and now Chinese...a general reflection of the political alignments over time and within the country. Even the odd big (though rare)Japanese."
"Have a browse thru this broad selection - just wanted to share a flavour of what is on the road...leave it to you to use as you see fit...and whenever. There's quite a ot of unusual stuff out there including this Ford CL9000! Cheers
Here's a big Czech coming to the rescue of a small truck that went off the road (you can just see it on the bottom left).
Big IH fleet with Freightliner FLB in the foreground. They have a national love affair with old US COEs!
Gary tells me this is 'tranferring freight' between the border of South and North Vietnam...he says the North is much more rural...
Collection of tired US lowboys in HCMC.
Ex-JB Hunt machine toiling in Ho Chi Min City..
Farmer's rig...tipper variety..bonnet extra..
farmer's rig..tanker model..with fully air-conditioned cab.
Premier league truck dealership in HCMC...
Looked (and soundy) very heavily laden..check out the steel coils on the back. Ex-JB Hunt.
Fleet of Daewoo powder tankers.
HUGE billboard..must be a good truck!
Another MAZ fairly common as a rigid..
Ex-US signwriting included in the price...
And amidst all the old stuff the latest Chinese eight-wheeler!
In the fast lane...fully loaded.
Older IH still doing the rounds...
Newer Kamaz.
Reclamation job..with Hyundais...
Typical road scene...ZIL and motorbikes.
Kamaz dealer's yard....pretty upmarket!
And finally...old vs older. Great stuff Gary and thanks!
Great photos - very interesting.
Reckon you could sell a few trucks over there Gary, but the trade ins might have you scratching your head. Great selection
What a fascinating collection of photos, thanks for posting them up, Gary.
Number 1 Gary,looks like a Hyundi is a Fuso copy,are they tied up with Daimler Chrysler as well?The Foton is looking very Isuzu.Great pics thanks for sharing.
Dear Friends at BLB,
Photograph number 2 is very interesting, because this Yellow Tractor Unit is a Russian Belaz 6x4 chassis( Or Kamaz depending on which factory in Russia produced it). but the yellow tanker behind it is Ex-US Army and was left behind by retreating forces on 28th April 1975. ( Yes 1975). For while Vietnam was 'Bombed back to the Stone Age' by General William Westmoreland (d) of US Army. He did at least have the courtesy to leave behind hundreds of thousands of trucks, trailers, cranes, dozers, graders and other military hardware still in full working order and probably still hard at work 34 years after the greatest military rout in modern history. The Vietnamese are very enterprising people and when I last toured this marvellous, fascinating and hospitable country, I found lots of examples of one working truck, created out of two or three donor vehicles. Including but not limited to Ex-US Army International 6x4 rigids re-engineered with Cummins, Mercedes and Chinese Engines.
May I commend Vietnam as a cost effective holiday destination for all readers of BLB, with an interest in Transport and how David did indeed defeat Goliath.
Kind Regards
Mike Ponsonby BA
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the comment although I think the guy who actually said 'We'll bomb them back into the stone age' was the US Air Force General and father of the Strategic Air command Curtis le May
Hi Brian,
US General Curtis Le May is indeed widely credited with saying " We will Bomb them back to the Stone Age" . But General William Westmoreland (d) also said it live on ITV, in an Interview on camera in June 1968.
One of his Colleagues also said on his deathbed, that " I would like to meet these men who defeated my troops with little more than Punji Sticks and Bicycles for transport " during the Tet offensive in Vietnam.
Kind Regards
Mike Ponsonby BA