It's in the News

[zippy1]

Someplace to write up what's in the news. World, or right in your backyard.
Goes over well on another forum I belong to, so we shall see. Feel free to comment. GM Slashing Plants, Personnel, Six North American Models

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/gm...roduction-cars

[sir_lancealot]

They've been planning the model cuts for awhile now. They are cutting models with dwindling sales so they can focus on more popular models. The consumer trend is moving toward crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. Under the old GM, they would have just discounted these underperforming models and lost profits. That didn't work so well for them (remember the bailout?), so they are not going to go through that process again. The models they are cutting served their purpose for where the market was, but are no longer relevant.

Ford is doing the same thing. The only cars they will keep are the Mustang and Focus crossover.

[J-Mech]

Ford started it's cuts like last model year I think.

The American auto manufacturers have a real disadvantage to other companies. The sooner they figure it out, the sooner they will be competitive. Until then..... we get what we get.

[Greenstripewideframe]

I heard navistar is putting their name on gm's new medium duty truck.
popped up on my Google a couple weeks ago.

[Rescue11]

Yuck

[J-Mech]

Cory, it's kind of a joint venture between the two. One of Lance and I's other brothers works for Navistar. He's been sending us pics for a while now, lol.

Navistar chassis, GM powertrain.

[Greenstripewideframe]

Neat I can't wait to see one and see how well it's made.
Are they putting the 6.0 gas in it to compete with ford?

[J-Mech]

Duramax

[Greenstripewideframe]

👍

[J-Mech]

Here you go Cory....

IMG950274.jpg


GM version.

https://youtu.be/lGbWt9q7mo8

[Rumblefish]

Saw one if these trucks a couple weeks ago at the dealer my O was sold new

[DeltaCub]

The Lordstown, Ohio GM plant scheduled to close next spring is near me. It is/was one of two large employers left near Youngstown, OH. This area was decimated when the steel mills and Delphi Packard closed and has never recovered. Trump promised this area that new steel mills and car plants would be built. Needless to say, many are sad and dismayed by the news and still hope Trump keeps his promises.

The new Silverado/Navistar looks like a great truck. Personally, I would like to see a Cummins powerplant option.

[J-Mech]

Navistar uses a lot of Cummins motors. I am kind of surprised it wasn't an option.
The medium duty trucks need some more work in my opinion. (GM/Navistar) Only one engine/transmission combo available, and it's automatic. The Duramax is a de-tuned version of the pickup engine. Less HP and torque. Seems counter productive for a larger class truck. I do see some things I like, such as the tip open hood.... simple as that may be.

Beth, don't give up on the steel mill coming back. It's happening. Things are changing, it just takes time.

[Greenstripewideframe]

Navistar uses a lot of Cummins motors. I am kind of surprised it wasn't an option.
The medium duty trucks need some more work in my opinion. (GM/Navistar) Only one engine/transmission combo available, and it's automatic. The Duramax is a de-tuned version of the pickup engine. Less HP and torque. Seems counter productive for a larger class truck. I do see some things I like, such as the tip open hood.... simple as that may be.

Beth, don't give up on the steel mill coming back. It's happening. Things are changing, it just takes time.

Maybe just a signal powertrain for now Then hopefully they'll add more choices.
Ford only has an auto too, but they have a gas and diesel option.

Air brakes would be nice too.

[olds45512]

The Lordstown, Ohio GM plant scheduled to close next spring is near me. It is/was one of two large employers left near Youngstown, OH. This area was decimated when the steel mills and Delphi Packard closed and has never recovered. Trump promised this area that new steel mills and car plants would be built. Needless to say, many are sad and dismayed by the news and still hope Trump keeps his promises.

The new Silverado/Navistar looks like a great truck. Personally, I would like to see a Cummins powerplant option.

I don't think Trump has much control over what GM does.

[J-Mech]

Cory, I agree on air brakes!

Tim, no... he doesn't have direct control. Bit policies that make it easier, and cheaper, to build more within the US makes it easier for giants like GM to employ people here. The imposed tariffs are one such infuence. But there are other factors not yet addressed that need to be, like healthcare, and unions. The biggest problem with auto makes inside the US, is the cost to employ one person. Remember, GM sells cars worldwide. If it's too expensive to build desirable cars in the US, they can just build and sell them elsewhere.

[Diesel Doc]

Jon, you're right. The tilt hood is long overdue. With low hood lines for aerodynamic efficiency, it's been nearly impossible to preform under hood maintenance or repairs. Ford says lift the cab and nose for repairs on the F450 - F650 chassis. I'm happy to see Navistar and GM acknowledge a need for a 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 ton capacity truck. Now add a proven diesel like a Cummins B and a good standard tranny like the old New Process boxes, then you'd have a truck. Maybe even a medium duty with air brakes. I believe there is a need.

[J-Mech]

Jon, you're right. The tilt hood is long overdue. With low hood lines for aerodynamic efficiency, it's been nearly impossible to preform under hood maintenance or repairs. Ford says lift the cab and nose for repairs on the F450 - F650 chassis. I'm happy to see Navistar and GM acknowledge a need for a 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 ton capacity truck. Now add a proven diesel like a Cummins B and a good standard tranny like the old New Process boxes, then you'd have a truck. Maybe even a medium duty with air brakes. I believe there is a need.

There is a need Stan, I agree! The medium duty truck line has been reduced to Mach, Autocar, and Freightliner. Probably a few more, but not many. Personally, I've worked on several F450-F650's and I think they are a joke. Just an overgrown pickup. Not built heavy enough at all, underpowered, underbraked, and too difficult to work on. One company I serviced a fleet for ran the Ford F450 and 550 trucks. They got 18,000 miles out of a set of brakes PERIOD. Didn't matter what I put on it, it only varied by a few thousand miles. Simply not large enough. They ran these trucks right at the max GVWR or just over all the time and they just couldn't hold them together. Engine problems, especially in the engine department, and you couldn't get to anything to work on them without removing the doghouse, which I was not equipped to do. So, I either had to sub it out, or turn it down altogether.

The Freightliner FL50-70's and such were pretty good trucks, but pretty large. You could get them with the Cummins in them and a Eaton Trans. But they dropped the FL line, and went to a different model. Personally, I hated the cab, but they weren't bad to drive or work on. Chevrolet hasn't made Medium duty trucks in a long while, and I don't believe Navistar has either.... Chevy dropped out at some point with the Kodiak, which was actually a pretty decent truck. Tip up hood, and not bad to work on. Good trans line, but again...... lacking in the power plant. I don't for the life of me understand why Chevrolet and Navistar can't get a good motor into their trucks. Truth be told, my brother said that after the bailout of GM a few years ago, a lot of the "top dogs" got let go... and where did they go? Navistar. It's no wonder that Navistar can't turn a profit, or get a good motor. The same people who ran GM are over there now!

Wow..... that was long winded, lol.

[J-Mech]

In other news, our little town was rocked with a suicide this week. Prominent figure hung himself in the city park the other night. I don't want to say much more out of respect, but I knew him. He was the local Jr. Football league head coach, and he pretty much umpired every baseball game in my little town. Very sad. Had like 6 kids (not all born to him, but adopted) and some had already lost their "real" dad. Tragic that they now lost their other one. Keep the family in your prayers please. Very sad.

[Diesel Doc]

Sorry for the loss of your acquaintance. Suicide is always a tragedy (any unexpected death really) and you have to wonder would things have been different if they had gotten some help. RIP.