Category Archives: NEWS

1966 World Cup Truck

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Every now and then I get a press release from some one other than a truck manufacturer that’s worth publishing. This just so happens to one of those press releases so here you go; 

Fifty years after the England World Cup winning squad held the magnificent trophy aloft, nostalgia for the glory days of football is still endemic.

To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary and capitalise on the nation’s continued affection for Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Bobby and Jack Charlton, Gordon Banks and the rest of the team, road haulage specialist to the construction industry Barry Proctor Services recently commissioned a 1966 World Cup show truck to tour the UK at shows such as Knutsford, Malvern and Peterborough as well as charity events, attended by thousands of enthusiasts. The DAF XF 106 Super Space Cab and catwalk feature all the players from the 1966 squad set against a backdrop of Wembley Way, which lights up at night. The images have been intricately airbrushed by independent artist Andy Scott and his son Tom.


Barry Proctor explains, “We’ve been delivering bricks and tiles to the construction industry for 31 years. Around 15 years ago, we decided to airbrush our trucks with different themes to stand out in the marketplace. The drivers appreciate the responsibility they have towards the trucks, which cost in the region of £105,000 each, because they are so special. They religiously maintain the high quality appearance and finish of the vehicles, keeping them in tiptop condition.” As well as the specialist airbrushing required, the trucks are prepared and clearcoated by expert bodyshop M&G Commercial Body Refinishing Limited in Stoke-on-Trent owned by Martin Carver. Martin’s team has been working on Barry Proctor’s trucks for over 10 years, producing around four a year to meet the exacting standards required.


Martin says, “An enormous amount of work goes into stripping down and preparing the cab and catwalk area ready for airbrushing. Once the truck comes back into the workshop, we move into the spraybooth where we use Glasurit 924-68 2K HS CV clearcoat, which provides excellent UV resistance, outstanding application characteristics and high gloss levels to enhance and protect the artwork. The gloss and usability of the product is fantastic. We low bake for just one hour and then fine sand it. Because of the depth of the airbrushing, we apply four coats, flatting between coats with superfine discs, and then finally polishing the vehicle to a super gloss. All the separate components like wings and black plastic are removed and painted and then refitted. In total, there’s about 150 hours work and plenty of arm ache, but the end result is stunning.”

With new truck designs in the pipeline, Barry Proctor is looking forward to more truck shows and charity events, helping to generate goodwill and funds for worthy causes. He comments, “Our aim is to keep innovating exciting new themes for our trucks so we can continue to make an impact in the industry.”

Scania S Series wins IToY 2017

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Scania’s brand new S series wins the International Truck of The Year 2017 award at the IAA in Hannover. 

Scania’s new truck generation honoured – The S series elected “International Truck of the Year 2017”
Scania has once again won the prestigious “International Truck of the Year” award. The jury’s motivation emphasised the new truck generation’s driver comfort, safety aspects and its positive impact on haulers’ overall economy, among other factors.
“The award is the leading recognition in the industry that all our engineers and in practice the entire Scania organisation have done an excellent job,” says Henrik Henriksson, Scania’s President and CEO. “Our goal is to always meet our customers’ expectations and needs and the jury’s motivation is a clear confirmation that we have also followed the right approach with the new truck generation.”
The jury, which is today composed of 25 leading European trade press journalists and chaired by the Italian automotive journalist Gianenrico Griffini, wrote the following in its motivation:
“With its new range, Scania has delivered a truck that represents a real “state-of-the- art” offering in the heavy duty segment, capable of satisfying not only today’s but also tomorrow’s transport needs.”
The IToY jury also highlighted Scania’s tailored service offering, which is based on the fact that more than 200,000 connected Scania vehicles are out on the roads.
The award is for the S series − the new sleeper cab with a flat floor that is mainly intended for long-haulage trucks and that Scania has just introduced within the framework of its new truck generation.
“The S cab, with its flat floor, offers a truly car-like driving experience,” says Griffini.
Besides offering exceptional comfort and unrivalled space, the S cabs can also be fitted out with dual side curtain airbags, a safety feature, which Scania is the first in the truck world to be able to offer.
“The new truck generation, which will be honoured was developed by our 3,500 engineers in Södertälje together with other Scania employees and in close dialogue with our customers,” says Henriksson. “The award shows that Sweden is still a leading industrial nation and that we can compete in the world markets.”


Scania’s investment in the model range is the largest ever in the company’s 125-year history. In total, SEK 20 billion has been invested in the development of new products and services, including in the adjustment of production.

LAUNCHED: The New Scania 

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  • Ten years of development work, SEK 20 billion in investments
  • More than 10 million kilometres of test driving
  • Global launches in five phases
  • 40,000 customers to be invited to experience Scania’s range first-hand on site in Södertälje
  • A strong focus on customer profitability, through precisely cust­om­ised transportation solutions in the form of sustainable products and services
  • The new truck delivers 5% lower fuel consumption on average
  • Scania’s entire range is re-defining the market’s view of the term ‘premium’

Scania is introducing a new truck range, the result of ten years of development work and investments in the region of SEK 20 billion. With the new range, Scania is extending its offering and can now, thanks to its unique modular system, supply more performance stages, connectivity and a comprehensive palette of productivity-enhancing services as well as sustainable transportation solutions that are precisely customised for each type of customer in the highly comp­etitive transportation industry. The promise is that Scania’s customers will always be able to carry out their work in the most sustainable and profitable way, regardless of industry and area of application.

“It is undoubtedly the biggest investment in Scania’s 125 year history,” declares Henrik Henriksson, President and CEO of Scania. “It is with hearts bursting with pride that my colleagues and I are now presenting the products and services that will bring Scania to new levels regarding market shares and carry us far into the next decade.

“Today we are not just launching a new truck range but also a unique, ingenious toolbox of sustainable solutions in the form of products and services that Scania is first in the industry to be able to deliver – and I feel I can claim this with confidence. We are focusing firmly on our main task: to give our customers the necessary tools for achieving profitability in the one business that really means something to them, namely their own.”

Production of the new trucks starts immediately at Scania’s final assembly plant in Södertälje. Initially the focus will be on vehicles and services for long-haul transportation, but additional options will be continually introduced as more Scania plants readjust and additional options emerge.

“There is a tremendous amount of development work by our engineers behind this introduction,” emphasises Henrik Henriksson, Scania’s President and CEO.

“The most noticeable features are of course the new cabs, but the real innovation is that we are now introducing new technologies, services and insights that will help our customers gain an overview of both their costs and their revenues. Our goal is for our customers to be able to achieve sustainable profitability, regardless of assignment type or the conditions in which they work. Our customers’ vehicles always constitute a link within the bigger picture; Scania embraces this through quality, accessibility and a range of physical or connected services. Our new range of products and services re­defines the term ‘premium’ within the truck industry.”


Scania is launching its new range in phases, with a clear focus on various customer segments and according to a carefully planned schedule. The introductions will continue after the first unveiling in Europe, with more customer options, before the entire process concludes with simultaneous launches on markets outside Europe. Among the improvements Scania is introducing, one that is particularly noticeable is a 5% reduction in diesel fuel consumption, thanks to factors such as improved powertrains and better aerodynamics.

The express goal is for at least 40,000 customers and prospective customers to have test driven the new vehicles themselves in connection with the launches, and to have been introduced to Scania’s entire range, covering everything from sustainability optimisation to financing, insurance and maintenance. Other channels are online communication, the media and Scania’s approximately 1,700 dealers in more than 100 countries. The unveiling was held earlier tonight in Paris, live in front of roughly 1,500 special guests and globally to the online community.

Volvo – The fastest truck in the World???

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The Iron Knight’ is a specially-built vehicle and the result of a unique co-operation between technicians, engineers and designers at Volvo Trucks. With the exception of the engine and its series-built I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission, the truck is entirely custom-built. Now with 2400hp on tap, the truck will attempt to set new international speed records on August 24th and the attempt on the record will be shown on Volvo Trucks’ social media channels. A tough challenge and a dream project for the technically-minded, which is how the team behind ‘The Iron Knight’ describe the task of designing the specially-built truck. The powertrain is based on the same unit that sits in a road-going Volvo FH, but the engine has been pushed to its limits to produce maximum power.

“The Iron Knight is the perfect way to showcase the competence and innovative power of Volvo Trucks. At the same time, our aim was to generate new insights into technical and design solutions. The intention is to transfer some of these to our series-produced trucks,” says Claes Nilsson, President and CEO of Volvo Trucks.

With 2400 hp, 6000 Nm of torque and weighing 4.5 tonnes, The Iron Knight has a power-to-weight ratio above 0.5 hp/kg.

More important facts figures that you need to know;

• The mid-mounted engine is a significantly modified D13 unit with water-cooled intercoolers and four turbochargers.

• The I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission maintains torque delivery during gear changes. Apart from a reinforced clutch (the discs and pressure plates are made of a sintered material), The Iron Knight uses the same gearbox that is fitted to series-manufactured Volvo FH trucks.

• Electronics kept to a minimum to lower the vehicle’s weight.

• The software has been re-programmed to permit the high performance.

• The fibreglass cab is aerodynamically optimised with large air intakes in the side-skirts to supply the engine with cooling-air.

The engine in the potential record-breaker is a mid-mounted and significantly modified D13 unit with water-cooled intercooler and four turbochargers, producing 2400hp and 6000 Nm of torque. The electric and electronic systems have been scaled down and the software has been re-programmed, all so that the highly-tuned engine can communicate optimally with the transmission – an I-Shift Dual Clutch of the same model that is fitted to series-manufactured Volvo FH models. The only adjustment to the gearbox is its reinforced clutch, which is necessary to handle the remarkably high torque.

“In order to beat a world speed record, you have to have exceptional performance. The I-Shift Dual Clutch is the best possible transmission for the job since it maintains torque on the drive wheel during gear changes, just like a racing car does. Thanks to this, The Iron Knight can accelerate without losing vital time during gear changes,” explains Niklas Öberg, Volvo Trucks’ Test Engineer.

The Iron Knight is a tribute to the Volvo FH. Its technology and design complement one another and every single detail – from the grille at the front to the side-skirts – fulfils a precise function.

“The cab is made of fibreglass and designed to cut air resistance to an absolute minimum. The side-skirts give the truck an impressive stance with their large air ducts that supply the engine with cooling-air. ‘The Iron Knight’ has an attractive and powerful design inspired by today’s Volvo FH. You just have to look at the vehicle to realise that this is a truly fast truck. Even when it’s at a standstill it looks like it’s on the move,” says Nigel Atterbury, Senior Designer at Volvo Trucks.

 With the celebrated racing driver, Boije Ovebrink behind the wheel, ‘The Iron Knight’ will take a tilt at the world record in two categories: 500 and 1000 metres from a standing start. On August 24th it will be possible to watch the record-breaking attempt on Volvo Trucks’ social media channels, including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Truckstar, Assen – Day 1

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I left work late yesterday! Typical I had a busy day trying to get stuff done before a couple of days away. I got Wilson’s yard for 1830hrs chucked all the stuff in the cab, beer in the coffin mounted on the chassis and off to Harwich for the boat. On the way down to Harwich we got overtaken by a couple of show mates with their lovely Volvo. We’ve met a few times at Assen and to be fair it’s well worth their trip from the Isle of White to NL. 


Arrived at Harwich and as has become the norm we didn’t get onboard til 2300hrs. Not a worry with a host of others all heading out to the show, it rather nice to stand in the dock with a big group of UK drivers, just like the good old days! 


As always the few Dutch trucks waiting were delightful and the drivers friendly. They all wished us well for the weekend and a pleasant trip, who said romance of the road is dead?? GW?

Eminox Exhausts

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The original Eminox custom stack, favoured by truckers and truck enthusiasts for generations, is still ‘alive and kicking’, and can now be found in a dedicated section on the company’s website.
 The website, www.eminox.com, brings the classic Eminox stack – with its long heritage and quality pedigree – right up-to-date with the latest photography. The site also showcases a wide range of other custom exhaust systems. Eminox custom exhausts can also be found Facebook and Twitter accounts. Visitors are encouraged to post images of their own installations of the original stack and other Eminox custom exhaust systems on the following social media channels:

Eminox FACEBOOK page

Eminox TWITTER account 

Owners and drivers who enjoy customising their trucks and appreciate the deep, resonant sound and highly polished stainless steel heatshield of the Eminox classic stack, will find the new website and social media platforms a great source of inspiration. Introduced in 1978, the Eminox stack retains its iconic look, but can be fitted to modern vehicles equipped with exhaust after-treatment systems, without affecting Euro 4 and 5 emissions compliance. Euro 6 options are also available on request. The vertical stack directs exhaust gas overhead and is therefore ideal when operators work in close proximity to the vehicle. The system can also provide additional ground clearance and free up more chassis space, allowing for paint customisations, larger fuel tanks and crane installations.


 “We’ve been manufacturing our original stack since 1978 and although the design and aesthetic appearance have remained largely unchanged, it is compatible with the latest exhaust after-treatment systems.” said Bob Wheeler, Branch Manager at Eminox, Stoke-on-Trent.
“That means customers can have the best of both worlds – vintage design and a vehicle which is fully compliant with current emissions legislation. Creating dedicated pages on our website should reassure owner/drivers and truck enthusiasts that the original Eminox stack is very much ‘alive and kicking’.” The company offers a complete design and manufacture service of stainless steel single and twin vertical stacks, and bespoke tailpipe or side pipe conversions, installed on-site at Stoke to the highest standard.

 To view the full custom exhaust range, including the iconic stack design, please visit:

http://www.eminox.com/exhaust-conversions

To enquire about an exhaust conversion, please Call:​​ 01782 206300 or Email: stoke@eminox.com