Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
GMC stands for General Motors Corporations, or as it was formerly called, GMC Trucks, not to be confused with Georgia Military College or the Giant Molecular Cloud, which have nothing to do with trucks. GMC is an automotive company that started in Detroit, Michigan, in 1908 and formerly known as GMC Truck, is a brand name used on trucks, vans, and SUVs marketed in North America and the Middle East by General Motors.
All sorts of GMC trucks are covered: light duty truck to heavy duty truck, old to new, military to civilian. Note that from 67-72 they are identical except of course no side marker lights in 67, and the 69-72 models use the hoods with steep front slopes like their 69-72 Chevrolet counterparts. They are some of the toughest vehicles on the road and they are equipped to get the job done.
GMC trucks are positioned as the Professional Grade versions of the equivalent Chevrolet vehicles and are at the same level of the Chevy object and one level above the Yukon. In fact, a lot of GMC trucks are indistinguishable from Chevy except for superficial trim designs. The current Chevrolets and GMCs are still pretty new (they were redesigned for the 1999 model year), but their conservative styling doesn’t look as modern as the Ford’s. The new GMC trucks are good buys.
General Motors Corporations currently manufactures SUVs, vans, pickup, light-duty and medium-duty trucks. They offer more options and standard features than Chevrolet, while Chevrolet is often offered as an entry-level car. General Motors Corporations makes automobiles and automobile engines as well. They also manufacture trucks for Budget Truck Rental, along with other companies, Ford truck, Navistar International and Isuzu trucks.
General Motors Corporations trucks are known for their performance and reliability on and off the road. The best acknowledgment probably was the attention from tradesmen at job sites, guys who really drive and use pickups.
A fine American made trucks, Chevy trucks and GMC trucks are easy to drive and comfortable. They are easy to park and inviting to drive in tight spots that would scare you behind the wheel of rivals. That’s a big reason they feel so very satisfying to drive.Whichever GMC truck vehicle you own, the need for its performance, aftermarket, or replacement parts including stylish and practical accessories is an indispensable aspect of owning such vehicle.
GMC trucks are known for their performance and reliability on and off the road.They are engineered to the highest grade: Professional Grade(tm) and are packed with features that make them outstanding medium duty trucks, such as: standard automatic transmissions; 14-inch no-adjust Valeo clutch;outstanding turning radius (53 degrees); standard hydraulic antilock brakes or available air antilock brakes; and progressive spring aids to provide soft landings in”bottoming out” situations.
GMC trucks are made with car quality. They are good for the private user and are the smart choice for successful businesses. General Motors has a lot riding on the success of its new design full-size pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. They will celebrate its one hundredth anniversary in 2008.
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Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
Antique trucks since long have interested American inhabitants. It has become their favorite pastime. Collecting these trucks is not only a hobby but it is a passion for some. Special groups, clubs and museums have been created to showcase the collected automobiles.
Older trucks were used largely in agriculture. They belonged to the 20th century. The oldest and the most original truck was the Mack truck which was owned by John Mack. They were introduced during the 1800s and since then have seen their expansion to buses, dump trucks, semis and other 18 wheeler vehicles.
The popular brands include Chevy, Dodge, and Ford truck out of which the Dodge truck is a favorite one. The value and the cost of the truck depend upon its rarity and its present condition. The price ranges from anything few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Many museums and magazines have been designed to house these antique Dodge trucks.
The oldest Dodge truck model was the Dodge Model 30 which as built in the year 1914 by the dodge brothers company. It was a 4 cylinder truck with a body made entirely of steel. The features of this antique truck were 12 volt electrical system and sliding gear transmission. The other Dodge model was model T which had an antique planetary pattern but it was phased out of market very soon by the year 1927. During the years of introduction of the company only light duty trucks were manufactured but later during the 1930s and 1940s the medium and heavy duty trucks were also introduced.
During late 1930s, the Dodge Company introduced the 14 cylinder trucks which proved to be major breakthrough for the company. The company also introduced newer and more improved versions of trucks during the year 1939. But due to the Second World War the company was shut down. Later in the years from 1945 to 1949 a number of 6 cylinder trucks came into being which were named the ‘Power Wagon’.
Antique dodge trucks can be bought from auctions, trade shows, trade magazines or even web site biddings. An American truck Historical Society has been formed specially which deals with the buying and selling of antique trucks. They even have memberships and newsletters to keep the interested ones updated about antique dodge trucks. An antique truck museum can be found in almost all states of USA.
There are a number of antique dodge trucks to choose from. They include Dodge Model 30, Dodge Model T, Series 116 and many more. Even today some of these trucks are on display and even for sale. Interested people can participate in auctions and biddings to own one of the antique Dodge trucks. These trucks are extremely popular and are a symbol of prestige. Hence more and more people have opted for buying these antique Dodge trucks. Even though the Dodge trucks gained more popularity after the Second World War, even today there are many people who want to add these vintage automobiles to their collection.
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Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Truck and diesel-engine maker Navistar International Corp., citing a “significant reduction” in engine orders from struggling Ford Motor Co., disclosed in a regulatory filing Wednesday that Navistar may have to record up to $430 million in charges to write down the value of assets linked to its Ford contract.
While best known as a maker of medium-duty trucks and heavy-duty trucks sold under the International brand, Navistar is also Ford’s sole provider of diesel engines used in heavy-duty Ford pickup trucks.
The longstanding supply contract has been a sore spot for Navistar for well over a year, because of a dispute between Ford and the supplier over contract pricing and certain warranty-related issues. The contract feud is headed for trial, and many observers think that Navistar’s engine-supply contract with Ford won’t be extended when it expires ?
The charges the company discusses in today’s Securities and Exchange filing are related not the legal fight, but to the dramatic dropoff in pickup-engine orders that Ford has placed with Navistar: surging fuel costs, combined with a sagging U.S. economy, have significantly reduced Ford pickup truck for sales in recent quarters, lowering demand for the diesels that Navistar provides the auto maker.
Navistar says in its filing that management has concluded that accounting regulations require the company to take a “material charge for impairment” of the ford-related assets, which include its engine plants in Indianapolis and Huntsville, Ala; and its Indianapolis foundry operation.
Of the total $375 million to $430 million in charges, Navistar said, only $25 million to $35 million will require cash outlays.
Based on the drop in demand from Ford, “and the expectation that Ford’s demand for diesel engines will continue to be below previously anticipated levels,” Navistar says, the company expects to record expenses in the fiscal year that ended Oct. 31 of $375 million to $430 million.
The majority of those charges will be recognized in the fiscal fourth quarter, Navistar said. In the charges, between $345 million and $385 million are expected to be non-cash charges to write down the value of those long-lived assets.
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Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
Pickup trucks come with a variety of features, designs and luxury options. They are heavy duty trucks with enough space for a big family and enough power to complete heavy tasks. The most famous among them are made by Ford truck, Chevy truck and GMC truck . Choose your next pickup truck by following these guidelines.
Step1
Determine your budget and look for a pickup truck for sale that falls within your affordability range. Also decide the size of the vehicle that you need depending upon the number of passengers or load size. Choose from standard pickup trucks, no second rows or trucks that offer extended row seating options.
Step2
Make a list of all the makes you are interested in. Read online reviews and ratings or talk to the owners of these pickup trucks to narrow down your choice.
Step3
Choose a pickup truck with a four, six or eight engine gasoline or diesel cylinder depending upon your engine preference. For heavy work related purposes, the bigger the engine the better.
Step4
Pick a truck which is either a two wheel (2WD) or a four wheel drive (4WD). Apart from that, look for a truck that has various traction control options with manual or automatic transmission choices.
Step5
Select a pickup truck with a five to eight foot long bed if you want to use it to haul heavy material or supplies of different lengths. If you need a truck for a towing business, get a towing extender attached to the end of the vehicle.
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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Big trucks are the heaviest trucks i.e heavy duty trucks allowed on roads, and are generally used for long-distance journeys. A truck is a motor vehicle for transporting goods. The word “truck” comes from the Greek “trochos” that means a “wheel.”
Road damage increases very quickly with axle weight or truck weight divided by the number of axles. In many countries with good quality roads, a 6-axle truck is permitted to have a maximum weight of 50,000 kg.
Big trucks are a major source of smog (smoke + fog), of poisonous chemical contamination, and of fine particle soot. The federal government rates any automobile above 8500 pounds as a “heavy-duty truck”, and that includes large pickup trucks and many other types. Big trucks are legally permitted to emit as much pollution as a dozen of cars, but in reality, many big trucks produce as much pollution as 150 cars.
Urban areas suffer the most because of big trucks and buses. In case of an accident, big trucks, because of their size, can cause the worst damage to occupants in a car. Hence, it is natural that many drivers are frightened when they must share a road with big trucks. According to AAA (American Automobile Association), people in passenger cars comprise 98% of deaths in deadly two-vehicle crashes involving a car and a truck weighing over 10,000 pounds.
Big trucks produce air turbulence that can suck another vehicle towards them or push it out. This means that a vehicle needs to have sufficiently large space alongside between a truck and itself.
In spite of all these issues, it is important to note that truck drivers are trained. Statistically their safety record is satisfactory and is getting better. According to the Ontario Trucking Association website, truck drivers of commercial trucks are the safest drivers and motor vehicles on roads. Actually, trucks are involved in 20% fewer accidents at present than they were 10 years ago.
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