Having had a very successful meeting with Keltruck we've decided that our pimped truck needs to look like nothing else on the road. There are already thousands of very nice Scanias out there with fancy paintwork, lots of lights, alloy wheels and impressive exhaust stacks. What we need is something that's going to turn heads.

Here's a couple of ideas that came up in the boardroom.

Idea 1 - Longline

But with only two ever sold in the UK, second hand Longline cabs are slightly rarer than rocking horse manure! Then again, what about getting hold of a secondhand crewcab from a damaged fire engine? Would that look any good? We could kit it out like a truck limo inside?

Idea 2 - Cabriolet

What about cutting the badly dented roof off and turning it into a cabriolet? That seemed like a great idea to begin with, until Keltruck MD Andrew Jamieson pointed out that it would need a lot of strengthening to be safe. This would make it expensive. I know for a fact that a hell of a lot of hours were spent on the legendary Leyland Roadtrain cabriolet (above).

Besides, this wouldn't be the first time that someone had cut the roof off a Scania, and there's no way we would be able to compete with the legend that is Svempa.

Idea 3 - Pickup truck

We also discussed turning it into a huge 1950s stepside-style American pickup truck - which was an idea I first discussed Tyretracks boss (and vehicle fanatic) Chris Hopton. But again, this one was ruled out on cost and practicality.

Idea 4 - Push-me pull-me

Now how's this for an original idea? I try to persuade Keltruck to donate another Topline cab, and we mount it behind the first one - just facing the opposite way. I certainly noticed that they had a lot of spare cabs sitting around at West Brom.

Now don't laugh, but here's the diagram that one of the people in the meeting scribbled on their notepad (nobody is going to admit to it though). In case you were wondering that's a sun umbrella and deckchairs on the roof of the second cab (sort of a viewing area for attending sports events), and that's a BBQ between the cabs. The question is, what could we use the second cab for? Suggestions please?

Myself and Truck & Driver publisher Andy Salter have been up to see Keltruck (the largest independent scania dealer in Europe), to take a proper look at our truck. Ketruck hasn't only agreed to store the truck througout the duration of this project, but it's going to do its fair share of the pimping too.
Well the good news is that it drives just fine, so hopefully it won't be needing any major mechanical work.

Here's Andy turning up at Keltruck's West Bromwich HQ after taking it for a quick spin.

But what about the bodywork I hear you ask?
Well I can confirm that it looks absolutely fantastic - from a distance! Up close it's a slightly different story. The good news is that it's structurally sound, and the only damage is superficial. You've got to expect a few battlescars, after all the truck is 8 years old and has done enough miles to take you from the earth to the moon, back to the earth, and up to the moon once more for good measure!

No decent toolkit is complete without a stick or two of chewing gum!

Click below for more damage

Continue reading "It looks great from a distance" »

Well you've seen the truck, but what about the dealers who donated it? What do they look like?
It's actually come from a syndicate of three used truck dealers - DW Vehicles, J&L Commercials and Truck 2 Go. And here's a bit of info about them all.

Trucks 2 Go
Tel 01257 475081

Trucks 2 Go MD Chris Hart (pictured right) tells T&D that the used market is buoyant at the moment, which is a far cry from late 2008 when used-truck dealers found themselves with stocks of rapidly devaluating vehicles.
'When the recession hit I had to act fast,' he explains, 'quickly reducing my stock. Those that didn't react quickly enough simply became casualties.'
Trucks 2 Go, which is jointly owned by Paula Jefford (left), has not only survived the recession but is going from strength to strength. In January it moved into impressive new premises in Warrington. The company has between 100 and 200 used trucks in stock at any one time and vehicle age ranges from 1993 to 2008.
Trucks 2 Go also has a thriving export business, shipping mainly ERFs and Mercedes-Benz models to Kenya and Malaysia.

J&L Commercial Vehicles
Tel 01925 291774

Jim Warburton, who runs Warrington-based J&L Commercial Vehicles, used to work with Iveco.
He struck up a good relationship with his customers, many of whom continue to buy used trucks from him today.
Although Jim (pictured right) specialises in Ivecos, his used truck stock is varied.
Jim Warburton also suffered at the beginning of the current recession but he certainly isn't short of customers today.
'The market is bouncing back, and I'm mad busy at the moment,' he explains. 'There are salesmen out there complaining but the business is there if you are prepared to go out and look for it.'

DW Vehicles

Tel 01782 373190;
mobile 07971 020293

DW Vehicles has an extensive customer base, consisting largely of truck buyers who come back year after year with the knowledge that they will be looked after by managing director Dave Watts.
Although the company does hold a stock of vehicles, Dave describes his business as 'much more of a personal service'.
He is always happy to help customers, and in some cases dealers, with specific problems.
'We've had a lot of customers over the years whose opening lines have been, "I don't think you'll be able to help me, but"...,' says Dave. 'Generally they're looking for a piece of kit that doesn't fit the norm and as a result will require a bit of specialist help. We've extended chassis, shortened wheelbases, added axles, changed suspension and switched bodies over the years, working with the experts to make sure the vehicle will be fit for purpose and fully warranted.
'Customer focus is an over-used expression,' says Dave. 'What it really means is giving people what they want, be innovative and always look for a positive outcome. In my experience people don't mind paying for a service, they just don't want to be ripped off.'

According to previous owner Kev Dandy, 'YC02DYX' has been a brilliant workhorse. 'It has also proved to be incredibly comfortable,' says Kev, who purchased the ex-McFarlane truck in 2006 for his small Chester-based firm Kev Dandy Transport Ltd. 'Then again I did come out of an old ERF,' he admits, 'and the difference between that and the Scania is the difference between sitting on cold bricks or a leather sofa. You can drive all day in an ERF and it feels like you've driven all day. You can drive all day in a Scania and you could easily do it all again - if the law would let you.'

So if it's so great, then why did he sell it? Quite simply because he was offered a deal he couldn't refuse by Warrington-based J&L Commercials.

'Jim Warburton of J&L offered me the most incredible deal on an Iveco Stralis, and I just couldn't say no. Everything about the deal was right, and he even organised the finance for me. In fact I've been so impressed with his helpfulness and professionalism, and indeed the truck itself, that yesterday I bought another Stralis from him. I really can't recommend him enough.'

Although he admits to missing the Scania, he says the Iveco is considerably better on fuel. 'The Scania was doing 8.5mpg, which was good, but the Stralis is returning 9.6 to 10.1mpg.

Sorry it's been a while, but believe me I've been very busy since my last post. The good news is that we now have a truck (courtesy of J&L Commercial Vehicles, Trucks 2 Go and DW Vehicles ), and as you can see, it was well worth the wait.
Somehow I managed to persuade our generous dealers to hand over the keys to a rather nice 2002 Scania 124 420. OK, so it had definitely worked hard for a living, it looks a little 'tired' in places, and has covered almost 1 million kms, but it's absolutely perfect for pimping. And what's more, it's got the Topline cab.
Scania dealer Keltruck has very kindly agreed to store the truck for the duration of this project, which is a real result. And I'm pretty sure its expertise (and abundance of used parts) is going to be called upon over the next few months. I've got a meeting with Keltruck shortly (who are about to check over the truck for us), and I'll keep you posted.
The list of companies/individuals who have agreed to get involved with this project is growing by the day, and now includes Michelin, Tyretracks, Powertrucks, Eminox, Tachodisc, Kelsa, Sharman Multicom, SB Components, Coles & Sons Transport, CDC, Tom Cunningham Photographic, South Wales Polishing Services and Larry Piper.
I'm going to give the truck's old owner Kev Dandy a call now to see if I can find any history on it. I've noticed a bit of green paint by the dent in the roof - which looks suspiciously like McFarlane green.

Although I've been quiet for the last week or so, that doesn't mean I haven't been hard at work with the 'Pimp My Truck' project. I've spent ages on the phone to various companies, drumming up as much support as possible for the project. Everyone I've spoken to have been incredibly positive, and it looks like I've sourced plenty of stuff, including the wheels from Tyretracks, tyres from Michelin, exhaust stacks from Eminox and light bars from Kelsa. Now all we need is a truck!
Well, I'm pleased to report that Jim Warburton from J&L Commercial Vehicles, Chris Hart and Paula Jefford from Trucks 2 Go and Dave Watts from DW Vehicles have come to the rescue - and have offered us a choice of three different trucks. The question is, which one is the most 'pimpable'?

Daf CF

I'm a big fan of Dafs, and this 2005 CF85 430 Space cab is certainly a nice example. The only thing that troubles me slightly is that it's a CF and not an XF. Then again, beggars can't be choosers, and I definitely don't want to appear ungrateful.

Iveco Stralis

This Stralis 430 is only four years old, and looks bloody good too. But, when you walk around Truckfest you don't see too many blinged Ivecos.

Mercedes-Benz Actros

This 2002 Actros 2546 is the oldest of the bunch, but it's got the Megaspace cab, and is probably my favourite.

I'm going to pay them a visit over the Christmas period, where I'll get a better look at all three trucks. Who knows, I might even be able to persuade them to give us a little bit more choice. I know for a fact that J&L Commercials are about to take a rather nice Scania 124 420 Topline as a part exchange. I'll keep you posted.

Move over Huggy Bear, there's a new pimp in town - Truck & Driver!

That's right, the UK's best-selling truck magazine is about to try its hand at pimping - truck pimping that is!

The idea is simple. First we get hold of a truck, then we customise it, and finally we auction it off and give all the profit to the Help for Heroes charity.

Sounds simple doesn't it? Now for the difficult bit - we have an incredibly small budget. In fact it's miniscule! In other words, for this to work, and for us to have a truck that's going to turn heads and raise a serious sum of money for Help for Heroes at the end of the project, we're going to need to do some serious chugging.

Over the next few months the T&D staff will be calling in on some of the UK's best aftermarket accessory manufacturers, component suppliers and customisers, armed only with a begging bowl. We'll be asking for tyres, wheels, paintwork, exhaust stacks, spot lights, in-cab-entertainment, a CB, digital tachograph and all the usual 'bling' that every pimped truck requires. Who knows, we may even be able to blag a pair of those tasteful naked lady silhouettes for the mudguards!

The project has got off to a fantastic start, thanks to the generosity of truck dealers J & L Commercial Vehicles, Trucks 2 Go and D W Vehicles, who have agreed to donate a truck. I've been invited to meet with them next Thursday, when I'm hoping I'll be able to choose a suitable wagon. Be sure to tune into the blog at the end of next week to see what I've chosen. You will also be able to follow the progress on the pages of Truck & Driver magazine.

Logo image copyright: Shutterstock/Mechanik

VW has released the first official images of its new pickup, the Amarok, and we have 'em here for you. It's certainly a looker and and you don't have to even squint your eyes to see the Polo/Golf influences of VW's current designs. Read the news news story for more info, but in the mean time have a look at the full gallery of pics...

Click through for more.

Continue reading "VW Amarok: the official gallery" »

Despite the publicity and hoo-ha Dick Denby and his 'superlorry' did not progress the argument for longer vehicles in the UK.

Although he was bold enough to put the argument on the front pages by taking to the road in the B-train 'superlorry' (someone at the BBC must have been up all night thinking of that one) the bravery of the local constabulary and VOSA in stopping the 'superlorry' created a media scrum that helped miss the whole point.

What is more an antiquated design and bating, by the likes of Radio 2 presenter Jeremy 'the nations heartbeat' Vine, allowed the issue to become swallowed up by pre-conceived ideas about road congestion being caused by trucks, with the 'superlorry' only adding to the mix.

The real debate is yet to be fully formed but it's likely the government will endorse extending the overall length of semi-trailers to match drawbar combinations. Industry experts, while falling short of publicly condemning the B-train employed by Dick Denby, see it as the easiest solution.

In the fullness of time longer combinations will be explored and endorsed. The 25.25m combination trialled by the Dutch government will eventually be used here, once government have their eyes prised open to the cost benefits of improving productivity. The design will embrace the Swedish model for longer vehicles; prime mover with a body using a drawbar application towing a full-length semi-trailer on a dolly or fixed front bogie.

As for it causing more congestion... The American crime writer Rex Stout once said: "There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up, and the kind you make up."

With that fresh in your mind, statistics from the 35th edition of the Transport Statistics Great Britain, published by the Department for Transport, reveal that there are less goods vehicles on Britain's roads today, than in 1950 when records began.

Fifty-nine years ago there were 3.97m vehicles, which included 439,000 goods vehicles and 1.98m cars. By 2008 the number swelled to 34.2m vehicles, of which there were 27.0m cars and...wait for it...436,000 goods vehicles.

So the next time Jeremy 'the nations heartbeat' Vine or a rail appreciation club member tries to tell you that moving freight onto rail will help reduce congestion, kindly refer them to Rex Stout.

The timing for Ford's launch of the latest version of its Ranger pick-up is a strange one especially when one considers the market for these types of vehicles is down nearly 50% for 2009.

Despite the numbers, Ford has taken the view that attack is the best form of defence and it is hoping the updated Ranger will bring about a return to the happy times.

Four trim levels are on offer starting with the base XL, followed by the XLT, Thunder and finally the range-topping Wildtrak. Softer styling, engine refinement and commanding driving position ticks all the right boxes and the Ranger is one of the few commercial vehicles that manages to be comfortable, luxurious and practical all at the same time.

We're not sure about the Wildtrak's on-road performance, which is mainly down to the larger 18-inch wheels and tyres that fail to soak-up bumps in the road.

Off-road the Ranger is as you'd expect it to be, but with the anti-stall device installed (principally designed to stop the dual-mass flywheel from overheating) it makes off-road driving a little too simple and unengaging.

If you're in the market for a tough, reliable and comfortable pick-up then the revised Ranger is definitely worth a look. The revisions help to increase appeal as does the high level of specification on each respective variant. Read the rest of the first drive in Commercial Motor 27 August.