Recently in World Truck Manufacturers Category

"Well it runs from St Louis, down to Missouri, Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty you'll see Amarillo, Gallup New Mexico...and all by looking at the Renault Magnum/Road 66 website by clicking on http://www.magnum-route66.renault-trucks.fr/  which has a complete photographic record of the trip across the great Continent made by two Maggies....

Regular BLB readers may well recall me covering the departure of the smart pair for a road trip across the USA following the classic Route 66 (or the bits that are still left)...and here are a few pictures from it to whet you appetite...(and especially for 'The Boss') Now click through here for more...

Cam has sent me this shot from the recent do at the opening of the new Transport museum and Cultural center at gatton where there was this Bicentennial Mack as well as the handy sign that has the names of all of them on it. Now click through here....

He goes on to says: And no race team would be complete without an equally 'well-equipped' cheer squad - so here is the Bishop crew!!" And that's mjust bthe kiind of sexist picture that you WON'T find on Biglorryblog Gary...oh no....and how do you spell phwoar? Now click through here for the full spec of the drag racer and a picture too!

Looking back through the Biglorryblog archives I was suddenly struck by how long a year is in road transport and how quiickly things can change in the face of an economic downturn. Back at the IAA Hanover Show in September 2008 BLB's juices were set flowing by the prospect of getting behind the wheel of one of Daf's limited edition 80th Anniversary XF105 tractors, even though at the time we were told it wouldn't be coming to the UK (or at least for a while). Pity, for there's nothing BLB likes better than a celebratory artic--and I vaguely remember seeing one on the M20 some time ago.. But be that as it may  what also excited yours truly was the appearance in the XF of the ZF 14-speed synchro (also seen on the Daf stand at RAI) which we had heard so much about....

This was the manual transmission that was due to supersede the venerable 16-speed Ecosplit box in Daf's heavies...only what with the recession and all that I understand it's been put on the back burner along with the twin-turbo 560hp version of the MX 13-litre engine. Why? Because when demand and sales fall, now's not the time to start launching new stuff that no-one is likely to buy. Pity though, as I rather fancied using my left-leg again in an XF or CF and the new ZF box sounded rather interesting. Apparently its got a three position shift pattern (like a 14-speed in a Volvo or Scania)...So will it ever see the light of day in the XF? I guess when the market picks up again we probably shall, though If the AS-Tronic auto continues to grow from strength to strength you've got to wonder..... 

Something is stirring in the forest..something with real 'guts!' Yes Biglorryblog thought it was long overdue that we had a Sisu timber hauler on the blog and so,  for the last posting of tonight, how about this big bolstered blue beauty?  And if you want more information on Finml;and's double-touch truck range click through here http://www.sisu-trucks.com/portal/en/products/sisu_timber/ And keep reading for more top timber trucks....

A Biglorryblog's favourite truck painter and proud owner of 'Project Peterbilt' says: "Hi Brian, welcome from Ashley Lovering's very-well attended, brilliant indoor charity show---Ashley's busy at the moment showing the Mayor some competitors' vehicles whilst dressed as a witch! However, I recently had to go to a customer's premises (in my Peterbilt naturally) to look at a couple of jobs and whilst I was there, I saw these and thought of you,(more precisley the blog). These concrete pumpers are owned by Ammanford-based KJ Services and are capable of pumping the grey stuff nearly 50 metres vertical. When I walked around the corner I saw this gem, a Samsung something? None of the company's staff knew what it was exactly,only that it had been very reliable and powered by a 12-litre non turbo Nissan Diesel regards Andrew." To which BLB replies yes I seem to recall a handful of these Samsung pumpers made it over to the UK---I'm sure Alan Bunting did a story on them way back for TRUCK...ring a bell AB? Now click through here for more pristine pumpers....

"Hi Brian," says Nick Garlick, "I've been sitting on this pic for a while. I was told it's a one of T cab extended that was built for the Aussie road train market. Ideal for the 25.25m combis that are on trial in some countries...Regards,Nick." mmmm....Topline T-cab, nice.

I've just (re)discovered these shots from Ron Johl which have been hiding in my e-mail inbox for far too long so Biglorryblog's apologies Ron! He says: "Hello Brian , could this be the only time these Texas trucks are brought together only as pics or will we ever see them at a Rally side by side? First pic was taken at Santa Pod the Marmon is/was (it's up for sale) owned by P Nash he also owns the Peterbilt." Have things moved on since then wonders BLB? Now click through here for more....

Tim Cotton has dug these up from his archives and e-mails me: "Brian, here are some holiday photos from Lake Iseo, Italy in 2007.  The hotel room looked down on the main road so some of these were taken looking down from there. There's a Fiat-cabbed OM and an Astra cement mixer. Tim."

Anmd for a pizza...who were the original members of Iveco? And what's happened to them since? Now click through here for a couple more... 

Thought you might be missing some decent BIG lorries on Biglorryblog so where best than to visit the Western Star Australia website where you'll find some fabulous 'Star's including this selection of cream-of-the-crop cattle carriers....

Chalmers triple-trailer outfit kicking up the dust....now click through here for one more...

Rod Simmonds in New Zealand has been following the Kiwi Oshkosh thread on Biglorryblog and offers the following for your perusal...

And it's started me wondering...what engine choice could you get in an Oshkosh cabover tractor?

Sil van Wanrooij has sent me this selection of 'Dutch Treats'---a real barrowload of Bussings: "Kamphuis one with the nose...and a 3-axle trailer on the back..."

And here's one without a nose too....and it's a special in so far as it's an underfloor engine with a reefer body. Now click through here for more...

Last of your 'Five a day' Biglorryblog posts (or anyway at least for this morning). And it's by way of a request from my beloved anorak army. In addition to this (I assume) all metal cab ERF also produced a boxy square 'European' export model, again ion steel. I seem to recall TRUCK magazine testing it over its Eurotest route. And I'd rather like to get hold of some pictures of it to put up on the blog. Something 'The Brochure King' might be able to help me with? Meanwhile, where did this cab pictured above come from and click through here for a quick pie quiz....

Mmmm...this looks interesting. Forget your European Iveco Stralis. THIS is what the Stralis should really look like! Yes it's an Aussie Iveco Stralis B-Double with a big 500hp Cursor 13 under the Active Space cab hood, EuroTronic auto and Meritor (yes that's right) double-drive back bogie all ready to run at 65-tonnes with an A and B trailer in back...

Looking good with all those shiny new chrome wheels too...I believe this one took part in a recent  nationwide Aussie tour (maybe some of my Biglorryblog army saw it?) and considering just how big the country is down-under that would have taken a fair bit of time--and diesel to get around it. Now click through here for one more..

Crikey that's one hell of a colour to paint a truck cab! Meanwhile, word reaches Biglorryblog that Volvo Trucks' cab factory in Umeå, (that's in Sweden err...duh!)  will soon be an entirely CO2-neutral factory. "How so BLB?" I hear you ask. Well those clever folk have achieved it by replacing propane with DME and by cutting energy consumption through the use of an ice-cold underground river to cool the production machinery. At the same time, considerable environmental improvements in the paintshop have helped create the world's cleanest and most energy-efficient paintshop...now click through here for more...

Following the mystery Dutch truck picture from Fangio Sil van Wanrooij has sent these two pictures to me and re-confirms to me that the truck in Fangio's picture was/is a Busssing. Sil says: " These pictures are from wikipedia [and if anyone knows who took them let me know and I'll gladly credit them-BLB] there's no radiator at the front the engine is hanging (underfloor) beneath the chassis which gave the truck a spacious cabin." Now click through here for one more....but before you do, what's the blue truck next to it? (For a pie).

Apparently, some people think REAL men drive Kenworths......well Biglorryblog is here to tell you that 'real' men drive Rowe Hillmasters! (With the odd day out in a Commer Imp van too I should imagine...). Aah...but what do 'real' men clean their Kenworth's with? That's the question...and click through here for the answer....

Commer, Commer, Commer, chameleons...Six of the err..best from the Rootes Group including the nippy Commer Imp van... Must have been great getting to the engine once you'd loaded it up. But click through here for more on the Imp van... And why didn't they call it 'The Cob' after the other Hillman light vans?