RV Catch Up

The yearly influx of RVs from Europe continues, and I was able to catch a few of them during the summer.

Mercedes Sprinter types remain favourites including this very North American looking LMC Liberty.

A rare MB100D small van dates from 1992-1995. Note the two handled side door.

Ivecos remain popular too. This much travelled unit, sports a Mobilvetta Icaro 510 RV body.

Carado rebrands their RVs, at least with the radiator badge, but the hubcaps still have the Fiat name.

Not all RVs are from Europe. The North American visitors, often from the US, are usually fairly typical, but there are occasional odd balls.

 

Isuzu "stealth" RV from Oregon sports a tiny exhaust stack. The small side window is a bit of a giveaway, but so is the tail board with bike stowage and propane bottles below. It looks like there might be some solar panels on the roof.

Back in May I caught this early season visitor an unusual Merc "dually". Not sure I've ever seen a double rear axle on such a small vehicle, but it does serve a useful purpose for a light suspension chassis. And yes those rear axles have single tires -not duals.

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They're Back

They're back and so am I, at least partially. Since August vacation I have been traveling on business, so I have a backlog of photos to post. I will work away at them over the coming weeks.

By "them" I mean those prolific recreational vehicles from abroad, which stream in and out of Halifax by ship all summer long and well into the autumn. Most are from Europe, but last week I spotted a first- an Australian.

Plastered with souvenir license plates and carrying a large set of moose antlers on the roof, this Isuzu is certainly a rare sight too. I could not tell from a distance if it was right hand drive, which it should be, since Japan and Australia are among the few right hand drive countries in the world (and Britain of course.).

The vehicle advertises a web address, but I would not follow up on it as it shows as not secure.

More typical are European visitors, such as this sleek little Citroen with Possl van conversion. The occupants were airing a little laundry on the driver's side as they waited for the Fairview Cove terminal gates to open.

These vehicles fan out all over North America, so it wasn't much of a surprise to see several in Quebec this summer.

This odd  little Toyota Hilux pick-up chassis with camper body was a lot more basic than many of the European vehicles I have seen from Germany, although I did see a similar one in 2013. It does appear to have a pass through into the cab.

More big trucks to come...

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Isuzu joins the mainstream

1. GMC W5500 with Dynamic box, November 23, 2010. The season's first snow is busily melting off the bumper.

2. Isuzu NRR with step side body. (The step side is on the passenger side only.) November 22, 2010.

3. Sears/Budget crew cab Isuzu FSR, June 23, 1993. (Oklahoma plates)

4. Isuzu NPR with Spectra, No-Mar towing gear, Tampa FL April 27, 1994

Isuzu Motors Ltd has been the number one best seller in the low cab forward mid-weight range trucks in North America since 1986. That is when they joined with GMC and Chev to produce the N series. Marketed under the Isuzu, Chev and GMC banner, that arrangement has apparently ended, with Chev and GMC folding their W series into Isuzu. After November 1, 2010 only Isuzu dealers will be supporting the Chev and GMC W series, and all new truck sales will be Isuzus.

The story grows a bit murkier however. Apparently GM built all the Isuzu, Chev and GMC trucks in North America, and have or will close their factory. Isuzu has therefore turned to none other than Spartan Motors Inc (originally founded by Diamond Reo execs when White pulled the plug) to produce the Isuzu LCF models. At the same time Utilimaster (which is associated with Spartan -see previous post on Step-Vans) will develop a new type of step-van using the Isuzu frame and engine (strip chassis.) These will be gas engined trucks.

Isuzu is a major player on the world truck stage, including large trucks, but in North America confines itself to class 5-6 and 7 trucks-no heavies, and has gotten out of cars and SUVs long since. The largest shareholder in Isuzu is Toyota, with Mitsubishi also a shareholder.

The competition in the light LCF market includes Blue Diamond Truck Co (who?) a joint venture between Ford and Navistar, which since 2004 has been building vehicles in Escobedo, Mexico, using Mazda cabs. Thse are the Ford LCF and International CF500.

Also Hino, and UD (formerly Nissan, marketed by Freightliner) are in the LCF game.

For 2011 Isuzu will produce the NPR/W3500, NPR HD/W4500, NOR/W5500 and NRR/W5500 series with crew cab options.