Road Report - Classics

During the month of August, always on the search for unusual trucks, I didn't see much until the drive home through New Brunswick. I did catch a few in Quebec however.


Pristine Mack restoration:

Badged as a Superliner, it lacks the golden bulldog, but with the R model cab and notched sleeper, it is a classic - and sounds good too. The RW (for R Western) as it was called was built from 1977 based on a Brockway prototype, and was probably never equaled until the arrival of the Titan.

Always on the lookout for working Autocars, I saw two, but only caught up with one. Both were late model (White GMC / Volvo era), twin steers.

I have shown this one here before - it is used by a foundation contractor, so does not accumulate much mileage, but was rebuilt in the last two or three years, and is still looking good.

On the way through New Brunswick, I saw a few "used iron" lots where it seems the oldies have come to roost until a buyer shows up:

Early set back with White/ Autocar cab is much used but appears to have life left in it.

Parked nearby was this 1982 Metalfab pumper tanker built on a GMC 7000 series commercial chassis.

The tank capacity is a large 1200 (imperial) gallons, and dates from October 1982.

Further down the road in Fredericton, I struck gold - at least for White GMC /Volvo fans:

 The finest looking White GMCs were these short lived models, with tombstone rad, particularly with the low rise integral sleeper.

White contributed this COE cab, which was continued for some time into the Volvo era. This former New Brunswick Department of Highways unit, was likely shop built. 

A great hi-rise plow with spreader body, was likely a Highways Department unit originally. It covers all the bases with White GMC on the rad with Volvo bar and Autocar on the hood.

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K Country

On any trip to Quebec you are bound to see mighty Kenworths. No exception this time.

These three are taking a weekend break.

 In from the woods,

 In from the long haul,

 (note the one piece windshield and single wiper.)

and in from the back roads.

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Summer

It is summer and thus hard to find time to post regularly. I will be off on my usual road trip in August, so posts may be rare until September.

Some recent spottings:

Parts for Trucks in Burnside had this spotless Sterling outside their repair bay. Painted in traditional Day + Ross "big orange" colours, I hope to see it on parade duty somewhere this summer.

Edit

Mercedes Unimog fitted with van body, in military colours but Netherland  German plate (HH XL 1300),

Out to pasture, this "Never Back Down" version Western Star, appears to be the same one I saw at  the Atlantic Truck Show in Moncton in June, but is now at the Western Star dealer in Dartmouth.

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Waht Am I

This giant piece of wheeled machinery, looking very much like an alien beetle, sits perched on a Bellemare trailer at Fairview this evening waiting for midnight.

The International daycab tells me that it will be making "short hops" between layup periods because it may be restricted to certain travel hours.

If anyone can identify it, please let me know!

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Thanks to readers, I now know it is the Long-Ma dragon horse (cheval dragon) - a fire breathing animated horse to be used in public performances, for the Canada 150 celebrations. The 45 tonne load took months of planning for its route from Nantes, France to Ottawa, where it will appear July 27 to 30.
There are nuimerous internet references to it, such as this You Tube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQxkVKBp6HY

Atlantic Truck Show 2017

The place to be to see the big rigs was the Atlantic Truck Show at the Moncton Colosseum, June 10 and 11. My flying visit June 11 took in most of the sights. Some highlights:

The Freightliner Western /Star display took up most of the ice surface area, but there was much more to see in other halls.

Western Star
Celebrating is 50th anniversary, Western Star pulled out the stops and brought in some stunning looking trucks.

The Bandit 5700XE stood tall next to its more traditional stable mate.

Wedged into a tight corner Big Red 6900XD deserved more space and more attention.

 Larochelle used a Western Star to carry its plow and spreader body.

Freightliner
The other part of Daimler Trucks North America was also front and centre:

Their new Cascadia model shared the stage with several other models.

Volvo

 

 Volvo certainly put on a shine show, but it seemed to me that they devoted more space to their other brand:

Mack

 

 
Although not part of the Volvo Mack stand, this interesting unit was also on display: 

 Beautifully restored 1947 Mack stake side was a marked contrast to the big rigs.

Kenworth

Kenworths were shoehorned in but impressive even so.

Navistar International

 

There were lots of Internationals at the show, but almost all of them had their hoods open  when I was there, so were not photo'd.

Miscellaneous
A few other eye poppers stood out:

 A pristine GMC, complete with chrome grille was a reminder of  days gone by. 


Autocar

 

 Autocar's history since the bankruptcy of White Motor Co in 1980 has been quite different from Western Star, but at least the name is still around.

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It's all down hill from here and other Vantastic tales

In hopes of atoning for neglecting this site for the past several months, here is a bit of catch up.

Euro RVS
Yes they are rolling again in large numbers. Those European RVs keep arriving in Halifax by ship but I only get to see very few of them. Here is a sampling:

Swiss Dude (who may have a web site - his name is Demian) drives this VW van. Tight quarters inside no matter the raised roof, but being Swiss I guess he has no problem parking on hills.

This Merc from Germany has a very durable looking Wochner RV body. Over the front windshield it says "Xantaro 470 B4 4X4".

Vantastic Conversions
This array of ambulance / van conversions is largely self-explanatory:

 

Malley Industries Inc of Moncton, NB produced this Dodge conversion for Ambulance New Brunswick.

 Tri-Star Industries of Yarmouth, NS produces ambulances for Nova Scotia EHS on Ford chassis.

 

Niagara Region runs Mercs with Demers bodies, built in Saskatchewan.

 

 Crestline, also based in Saskatchewan built this unit on a Ford chassis.

 

 Looks like an ambulance but isn't. Ferno uses this Ford to demonstrate ambulance equipment and patient handling devices.

 Stryker also produces patient handling equipment. They use this van to promote their product.


Best Looking Truck of the Week
This rig takes the prize this week - in part because of its matching trailer. Also because the driver is still waiting after three days for his load. Likely a piece of farm machinery from a shipment that arrived some time ago - maybe hung up in customs.

Wheeler Trucking of New Lothrop, MI runs this handsome low-rise Volvo.
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Bus a gut
No matter where I was, I could not get a clear shot . Two layers of chain link fence forms a  fairly effective filter, but I did see that number 8147 is one of at least three new OC Transpo buses to arrive in the past week.

It appears to be an Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 model, an add on to the 43 similar units in the OC Transpo fleet. Two more are virtually invisible within the confines of the Fairview Cove container terminal.

Globetrotter hitches a ride
A Volvo Globetrotter arrived in port early in the week and waited outside the compound for a time until it was lashed down on its trailer.

Although it looked to be set up as a tractor for a semi-unit, it was fitted with an odd little scissor lift type dump body and was marked "Test Vehicle" in the rear. The contents of the non-IMO container will have to remain a mystery.

Watson keeps on rollin'
There are Watson trucks nearly every week now, hauling Bombardier airplane components.

 KW number W3895 sports a non-standard Watson paint job. Watson runs their own escort fleet.

 KW 3901 has the traditional mint green name on the cab door.

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