Kenworth (Kirkland, Washington, 1923- ...). One of the most famous brands of trucks, now owned by the Paccar concern. The company itself appeared back in 1912, but at first it was not engaged in production, but was only a dealer for the sale of automotive equipment. It was called Gerlinger Motor Car Works, and in 1915 it produced its first own truck under the Gersix brand. In 1917, the company was bought out by partners Edgar Worthington and Frederick Kent, who in 1923 renamed the production, making the name from the initial letters of their surnames (Ken + Worth). The picture shows a classic, model Kenworth W900.
Freightliner (Portland, Oregon, 1942- ...). The Consolidated Freightways freight company was founded by Leland James in 1929, and in 1942 began to build its own vehicles under the Freightliner brand (literally - "cargo liner"). Financial problems at the turn of the seventies and eighties forced the company to be sold to Daimler AG, which it still owns to this day. Pictured is a 2010 Freightliner CL Columbia.
International (Lyisle, Illinois, 1902- ...). In 1902, the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and the Deering Harvester Company merged to form the International Harvester. It was based in Chicago and produced a wide range of products - agricultural machinery, trucks and cars (!) Cars. The International brand was used primarily for trucks. In 1985, the agricultural division of the company was sold, cars were discontinued even earlier, and the company, renamed Navistar International, focused exclusively on trucks and military equipment - which it still does. Pictured is a 2015 International Lonestar truck.
Caterpillar (Deerfield, Illinois, 1925- ...). Famous caterpillar we associate with mining dump trucks, competitors of "BelAZ", as well as tractors, cranes and other construction or mining equipment. All the more surprising that Cat has a whole line of road truck tractors... Why don't we know anything about her? So the Americans know almost nothing about it - the company from Illinois makes truck tractors only for Australia! I must say that the company began to build trucks for public roads quite recently - in 2011, the first model was the Cat CT660 dump truck. Pictured here is the latest addition, the 2017 Caterpillar CT630LS super-heavy truck tractor, specifically for the Australian market.
Western Star (Portland, Oregon, 1967- ...).In 1967, the industrial giant White Motor Company created the White Western Star division headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The division changed hands many times - after the bankruptcy of White it became part of Volvo, then it was bought by Australian businessman Terrence Peabody, and since 2000 it has been owned by DaimlerChrysler and is part of the Freightliner company. Shown here is the classic Western Star 4900 EX.
Mack (Greensboro, North Carolina, 1900- ...).One of the oldest American companies was founded by John Mack and began with the production of buses. Over its long history, the company has produced dozens of trucks, as well as buses and trolleybuses of various classes and purposes. In the 1980s, things went badly for Mack and the French corporation Renault began to gradually buy up its blocks of shares. The final deal took place in 1990 - Mack became fully French owned. Renault resold the Volvo brand in 2001 - but Mack still makes trucks and is one of the leading American engineering companies. Pictured is 2017 Mack Anthem.
Autocar (Hagerstown, Indiana, 1897- ...).The company, founded by Louis Clarke in Pittsburgh, made passenger cars from 1899 to 1911, and trucks were a "complementary line". But in 1911, Autocar decided to abandon cars, and trucks (in particular, the Type XVII model) became the only products of the company. Soon after the war, in 1953, Autocar became part of the White empire, and after the latter's ruin, in 1980, it passed to Volvo. The Swedes decided to keep the brand. And then something strange happened. In 2001, Volvo bought out Renault's North American truck assets, which resulted in essentially 80% of truck manufacturers in the United States being owned by Volvo. This was opposed by the antimonopoly service, forcing Volvo to sell part of the brands to third parties. Autocar was bought out by the newly formed company Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC - and again, after almost half a century, became independent! Pictured is a classic, 1972 Autocar S64F tractor.
Brockway (Cortland, New York, 1875-1977).Brockway was founded long before the automotive era as a carriage manufacturer. In 1909, she built her first truck, and during World War II, she established herself as a reliable and successful B666 truck chassis. In 1956, the brand was acquired by Mack, and in 1977, the owners of Mack decided to close the division for financial reasons. Pictured is one of the last Brockways, Model 360 (1977).
Sterling (Redford, Michigan, 1907-1953, 1997-2009). The original Steling company, founded in 1907, was based in Wisconsin and produced a wide range of trucks and specialty equipment. In 1951, the company was "swallowed" by White, and two years later he abolished the brand. In 1997, Freightliner bought a license from Ford to build pickups and trucks - and began building them under the revived Sterling brand, along with tractors and other agricultural equipment. In 2009, the reincarnation of the old brand was liquidated for economic reasons. The picture shows Sterling during the "reincarnation" period.
Marmon-Herrington (Louisville, Kentucky, 1931- ...). In 1931, the owner of the car company Marmon Walter Marmon decided to start new business... He teamed up with Arthur Herrington to found Marmon-Herrington, which quickly made a name for itself in the production of aircraft tankers and other military and paramilitary equipment. At the height of the Great Depression, in 1933, Marmon closed production. passenger cars Marmon, focusing on commercial and industrial engineering. Subsequently, he added buses and trolleybuses to the lines. In the early 1960s, the company was sold to the Pritzker family, after which it changed hands many times and changed the scope of activities - MH built airplanes, ground-to-ground rockets and components for space technology. Today, the brand belongs to the conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway and produces components - axles, axles, engines, and also "converts" trucks from conventional to four-wheel drive. The last Marmon truck was made in 1997. Pictured is Marmon Conventional, Rolls-Royce Among Trucks, 1986.
So, American trucks are so flawless that even Zadornov would not have found a single reason for jokes. Compared to the "heavyweights" of other countries, the American ones have a recognizable design signature and style. Here are the best-selling trucks in US history.
Peterbilt 386 hybrid
Year: 2009
Number of copies: 120 560
Created on the basis of the already existing 386 Peterbilt in 2009, the Hybrid was greeted more cordially than its predecessor - the reason for this is a slight reinforcement of the frame, since the weight of the car increased by 3 tons. The car became more beautiful, and even the pale green color of the truck fell in love with the harsh truckers. The main advantage for such a tractor is economical fuel consumption (25 liters per 100 km). The car gained popularity, despite the fact that official dealers warn about poor climbing at the start.
InternationalLoneStar Tractor Trailer
Year: 2008
Number of copies: 152 456
It used to be that truck buyers were completely oblivious to vehicle performance. However, with the release of the next model, the LoneStar designers decided to conduct a survey what customers liked most about the International LoneStar Tractor Trailer. 73% voted for the futuristic cockpit design. Also, the popularity of the truck was partially ensured warranty conditions sales from the manufacturer - discount parts and repairs. International LoneStar is equipped with a 12.4-liter MaxxForce power unit with a capacity of 475 hp. with. Among the significant advantages of LoneStar, experts also note excellent maneuverability, high productivity, low noise and vibration levels in the cab.
Freightliner FLA9664
Year: 1984
Number of copies: 160,070
This model could not collect the indicated number of sales. Judge for yourself - a cramped sleeping compartment, high consumption fuel (45 liters per 100 km), torque - 1900 Nm at 1200 rpm. Usually Freightliner makes trucks really well. However, for some reason, this particular tractor attracted James Cameron, who used it in the most dynamic scene of the second "Terminator", where John Connor at his motocross motorcycle trying to hide from the T-1000 on a Freightliner FLA 9664. During the chase, the tractor was presented so powerful and terrifying that it made the "weakest" tractor of the company the best-selling
KenworthW 900
Year: 2005
Number of copies: 155 367
In 2005, long-haul tractors with hoods underwent another modernization. The W 900 has a classic "old school" style, but nevertheless has an original cab design. It was equipped in such a way that a kind of tunnel goes between the seats to the driver's rest room. Without exaggeration, the resting place is almost a small hotel room. A full sleeping place, an air conditioning system, an audio system - all this is conducive to a pleasant sleep and leisure. The Kenworth W900 is powered by a Caterpillar engine. And although the manufacturer did possible installation Detroit Diesel and Cummins engines, orders for the latter are few.
MackR700
Year: 1965
Number of copies: 215 670
Typically, truck models stay on the market for several years, then the model is upgraded to a new generation. "Seven hundredth", as truckers called it, stayed on the market for 25 years, acquiring minor upgrades during all this time. R700 of the seventies is very similar in design to our KrAZ of the eighties. Usually, Soviet designers did not look up to bad models, so one can judge the cult status of this tractor. A repeated hero of films and computer games, the "seven hundredth" is also a very frequent participant in races and a victim of tuning - alterations to lowrider and big foot. By the way, it was this truck that got into the Guinness Book of Records in 1972 for the fastest acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h. The record was 17 seconds. In 2005, he was beaten by Kenworth.
WhiteGMCWx64
Year: 1994
Number of copies: 171,332
Despite excellent characteristicsThe WX64 was never used as a tractor. Its purpose is to be a fuel truck, concrete mixer, garbage truck, sweeper. This is the reason for the large number of manufactured models - if the manufacturer relies on municipal orders, then this significantly saves production costs with a good prepayment. Not a very popular brand trucks White Motor Company built its legendary WX64 with General Motors. The result was a car that was praised by everyone - from the townspeople who did not experience discomfort from the noise of the truck, to the drivers.
Sterling trucks acterra
Year: 2004
Numberhonorin copies: 90 980
Sterling Trucks has a short history. In 1998, it was organized by the giant of the automotive industry Freightliner as one of the production units that produce equipment with its own network of dealerships and service centers. A few years later, the company moved to Daimler, and in 2008, the new owner announced that the brand would be liquidated. During this short period of existence, the company was able to issue a masterpiece model Acterra, which, after the liquidation of the company, continued to be produced, but already under ford (model LNT 9000). Some models also found their way to the CIS countries, but after the collapse of the company, their prices rose sharply. It is extremely difficult to find Sterling Acterra on our territory now.
A75 TAutocar
Year: 1961
Number of copies: 140,058
Before you is the grandfather of the American car industry. No exhibition is complete without Autocar novelties. However, the A75T model deserves special attention. The truck was introduced not only to heavy industry, but also to agriculture. In 1961, it became a national brand, since the manufacturer released it at almost cost (as it was said). Be that as it may, the car was cheaper than competing products, and this despite the fact that the Caterpillar engine was under the hood. The A75T became very popular also because 1961 was the year of a jump in gasoline prices. The model has cemented its reputation as a "truck that even runs on diluted diesel fuel." By the way, no one ever dilutes fuel in America, so when some clever guys tried to dilute fuel and the car was on the move, it was a miracle for an American.
Themes:
The beginning of the heyday of the van era can be called the end of the 60s. It was then that the culture that surrounded this type of car began to form. In many ways, I must say, this was facilitated by the "children of flowers", who drove around the cities on the Volkswagen T1 painted in all colors of the rainbow.
When we hear the phrase "classic car", images of sports coupes from the 60s, 70s and 80s of the last century usually pop up in our head, and this is not surprising, because fast and powerful cars have always attracted a lot of attention. However, the list classic cars includes other special classes as well. One of these classes spread widely in the United States in the late sixties and early seventies - vans or vans. They are what will be discussed in today's article.
History of origin
Among van lovers, there is an opinion that if you ask one of them how the so-called vanning began, everyone will find something to answer, but you will not hear a single story that is the same. Let's try to look at this issue from the point of view of the history of the automotive industry. The first van is considered to be the legendary Volkswagen Type 2 (later the model became known as T1), released in 1950. The car has actively spread in Europe and made it to the North American continent. Due to its low price, ease of maintenance and spaciousness, it has become popular both among the population, as perfect car for travel and business - light and compact commercial vehicles. Soon, American companies, keeping up with the growing trend, produced a number of competing models - first the Ford Econoline and Chevrolet Corvan 95 in 1961, and then, in 1964 and 1965, the Chevrolet Van and Dodge A-100.
Culture and characteristics
The beginning of the heyday of the van era can be called the end of the 60s. It was then that the culture that surrounded this type of car began to form. In many ways, I must say, this was facilitated by the "children of flowers", who traveled around the cities on T1 painted in all colors of the rainbow and shocked the local population with their antics. The popularity of vans grew at a tremendous rate, for example, at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, vans made up almost half of all vehicles.
The general obsession with vans captured the United States in the early 1970s. Young Americans appreciated the versatility of the van, as it provided the basic principle of freedom at the time: the ability to go anywhere at any time. It was possible to go to the beach with friends, grab surfboards, transport a motorcycle or go on tour with a musical group, and if necessary, even live in a van.
The number of vans on the roads of the United States was growing, and their owners' need for self-expression hit these cars like a wave. They began to actively "customize", that is, alter and modify depending on their own preferences. The emergence of a new "canvas" for creativity also marked the end of the hot rod era. By the time, get hold of a 30s roadster in good condition it got harder and harder. Ford's iconic T, A and B models rose in price and were nowhere near as affordable to American youth as they were in the early 50s. And given that powerful V-shaped "eights" were put in the vans, they could well be called "hot". Clubs of van owners began to appear all over the country, who wanted to communicate with each other and drive together, showing off their cars. This opportunity was not long in coming.
The link between vans and hot rods is the magazine editor Hot rod Magazine Terry Cook (many Rodders, by the way, still dislike him for his articles about vans, which came out with enviable popularity against the background of the fading interest in traditional hot rods). In 1973, he not only united the movement by organizing the first ever mass convention of van owners - National Truck-in, but also influenced the further development of this culture. The venue for the first meeting of the "Vanners" chose a town called Tiger Run in Colorado, which received more than 1000 cars.
The second meeting took place in the same year, and 1.5 times as many vans gathered for it. Such interest could not go unnoticed and soon there were those who wanted to make money on it. So, in 1974, the organizer of the third National Truck-in was an organization called the National Street Van Association (NSVA). Many were unhappy with the event, since the chosen site simply could not accommodate everyone. The next year, the venue did not change, the event looked more like a commercial entertainment than a meeting of friends. In addition, plainclothes policemen were spotted at the festival, which significantly increased the number of disaffected.
In 1976, the confrontation between the original organizers in the person of Terry Cook and the newly-minted NSVA resulted in a split in the movement and the appearance of the so-called 2% Vanners. Cook was supported by two large clubs - Rocky Mountain Vans and Midwest Vans, together they tried to prove their right to the "National Truck-in" brand, to which the head of the NSVA said that he has every right to organize an event under this name, since 98% of amateurs represent vans. The same 2% of the disaffected issued a statement urging the owners of the vans to stick together, to support local clubs, and not imaginary "national" associations with new rules.
The culture of vans continued to develop actively, in 1977 the movie The Van was released, in which the main role was played by a yellow Dodge Street Van.
National Truck-in collected more and more cars, each of which was unique in its own way. In addition to the boosted engines and wide wheels, the owners of the vans were proud, of course, interior decoration their cars, because the dimensions made it possible to embody even the most daring ideas.
In the 1980s, more and more vans grew and fupgon owners were no longer one tight-knit community. It was now rather a small group of fans among the hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who bought vans because of their practicality. In the mid-1980s, the first minivans began to appear as a separate class; the Dodge Caravan paved the way for them in 1984. These cars have firmly occupied a niche family carsand traditional large vans migrated to commercial transportation. Gradually, the Vanning movement was losing its followers.
The most legendary vans
Volkswagen T1
The same car that spawned the vanning. The idea for the minibus came from Ben Pon, one of the designers at Volkswagen. The management of the concern liked it and in 1950 the world saw the VW T1, originally called Type 2 (under the name Type 1 we know the VW Beetle). The engine and transmission were taken from the Beetle and were located at the rear of the car. The body was produced in various modifications: in addition to the minibus already familiar to us, there were also platform trucks, elongated and camping models, even versions for special vehicles.
Dodge street van
Dodge street van
Dodge's Street Van, produced in 1976, is a prime example of the Vanning movement's influence on automotive industry... The Street Van appeared as a factory version of the Ram Tradesman and was distinguished by an abundance of chrome on the body, wide wheels and various variations of interior space. The car was positioned in advertising as "Toy for Adults" and could boast not only external beauty and convenience, but also powerful V8 engines from 5.9 to 7.2 liters.
Chevrolet Van (third generation)
Third generation Chevrolet Van was produced by General Motors from 1971 to 1996 with a huge number of various modifications... One of the most famous Chevy Van is considered the GMC Vandura, which many will remember from the TV series "Team A". Over the years, the car was equipped with engines from a straight-six, with a volume of 4.1 liters to the most powerful V8 with a volume of 7.2 liters.
Ford Econoline E-series
Ford Econoline E-series
The Ford Econoline model has been produced from 1961 to the present day, but the second and third generations, which were produced from 1968 to 1991, are popular in the vanning culture. It was the second generation Econoline that opened a new page in the life of American vans, moving away from the bonnetless design and moving the engine forward. Over the next 6 years, the other two Big Three, GMC and Chrysler, will redesign their vans in a similar fashion to Ford.
Now these vans, once forgotten, but not losing their charm, are experiencing a rebirth. I really hope that the movement will continue to grow and develop further, because it is always pleasant to watch when a car, taken out of production 30-40 years ago, in the caring hands of its owner takes on the look in which he once came off the assembly line, and starts again please others with special charisma.
Text: Stepan Gordienko
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The USA is one of the world's largest manufacturers of semitrailer tractors. Due to the fact that in America there are no such strict restrictions on the length of the road train as in Europe, american tractors are distinguished by a large sleeping compartment and a large engine compartment... However, there are many models with "shortened" sleeping bags, and cabins without a sleeping bag at all (the so-called "day" cab: day cab). Most models of American tractors have a bonnet configuration, but there are also cabover versions (cabover), for example, the Freightliner Argosy. All American trucks can be roughly divided into two groups: cars made in the traditional American West Coast style ("western") with straight shapes and an abundance of chrome parts, and tractors, the cabin of which has a modern aerodynamic shape. However, some modern American trucks cannot be unambiguously ranked in any one group, they combine elements of American style and good aerodynamics. Truly traditional tractors include, for example, the International 9900 series tractors.
How does an American trucker truck work? aslan wrote in October 1st, 2016
Checked out today a new thing from my friend working as a truck driver. He made it to New York for once and finally showed off his new work truck: the 2012 Freighliner Cascadia. It so happened that I love trucks, but I never drove one, and I never even sat inside. Therefore, there was no need to beg me. We got into the car and went to study the new thing.
2. Condition - the fly did not sit. Inside, the smell of a new car, not yet rubbed plastic and service stickers from the store. 
3. Run only 32,237 miles. On passenger car so much you travel in one and a half to two years. He dashed it off in less than two months. 
4. The landing is comfortable and the forward view is fantastic. After you sit down in a car, and such sensations, as if, sat down on the asphalt booty. 
5. True, when you look in the mirrors, it becomes already scary. It is clear that you can learn everything, but for now, for me, driving such cars is like flying into space. Probably, it's not so difficult to drive in a straight line, but an attempt to back up, and also with a turn, will cause my brain paralysis and hysteria. I don't always fit in my Volvo the first time, but I just can't imagine how to park such a thing. 
6. Driver's seat. 
7.
8. Transponders for paying for roads and bridges. It turns out that there are states where such systems do not work and you have to pay in cash. 
9. But the thrill is here. 
10. Machine on the machine. 
11. The most important inspector climbed to study the sleeping bag. There are two shelves and several spacious cabinets for utensils and clothes. This is the top one. 
12. A bunch of bulbs, windows, curtains and other things. There is no TV. He put the usual small refrigerator. There are so many places that you want to go on a trip with the whole family. 
13. This is the bottom shelf. It's a working mess. He does not use the upper one, because works alone. 
14. The chief inspector checks the operation of the steering. 
15. Cabin with a high sleeping bag. 
16. The car is new and still on transit numbers. 
17. He has a refrigerator on the trailer, which has its own engine for cooling / heating the load. In the parking lot, you have to unhitch the trailer and drive a few meters forward in order to sleep well. Otherwise, noise interferes. 
18. Car in a livery of the company Penske, which rents and leases trucks. This one is on lease. 
19. Headlights are fully diode. 
20. Under the hood Detroit Disel DD15, 505 hp. 
21.
22. Fuel filter the size of a 3 liter can. 
23. The refrigerator is also new. 
24. Inside there is a lot of space and the smell of a switched-off refrigerator. Above is an air supply hose. 
He told me a lot more about the car and his work, and we agreed that he would somehow take me on a trip. Then you will be able to look at all this live and more systematically describe thoughts, emotions and impressions. And so today the sensations were like a child whose parents brought him to the carousel for the first time. Now my hands are itching to ride this. Although after listening to the stories, I understand that the life of a trucker is far from sugar. Especially when he works here for Russian-speaking owners. But that's another story.
Would you like to go to work as a truck driver in America? To drive on such a truck, without sleep and across the country?
