International showed up in Chicago with their new International MXT, part of their high end image line of XT pickups that also includes the CXT and RXT.

International press release follows:

International Truck and Engine, a Navistar company, is marking the 100th anniversary of its first truck by unleashing a truck that is re-defining image pickup trucks. The production model International® MXT™ 4×4 pickup and a new special edition, the International® MXT™ Limited, are being showcased at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show.

Geared toward those who want to make a powerful statement and demand exclusivity, the International MXT provides a balanced blend of head-turning looks and jaw-dropping performance. Its sleek, yet imposing presence gives the MXT the boldest appearance on the road. With a 300-horsepower International® V-8 engine, 530 lb. ft. of torque and a chassis capable of towing 7 ¾ tons, the MXT offers performance to be reckoned with. In fact, the MXT stands out from the crowd with a unique combination of power, styling and 4×4 capabilities. It is a perfect compliment to International’s other pickup trucks, the International® RXT® Hauler and International® CXT®. Read the rest of this entry »

After two articles about home built Peterbilt pickup trucks, I thought the heavy duty pickup topic was pretty well taken care of for a while, those along with the International CXT should just about do it. Then I came across these, the SportChassis Heavy Duty Pickups by Freightliner Specialty Vehicles. As you would guess, they’re based on the Freightliner truck chassis and come in a variety of body styles and when you need a really big rig to pull your trailer or RV, these will do it in high style.

Somewhere along the line, the word pickup no longer applies and these would seem to stretch the definition of the word about as far as it will go. They do look like spectacular trucks, but pickups? C’mon … Read the rest of this entry »

A little while back we wrote about a Dodge Peterbilt pickup conversion. It was pretty impressive. Little did we know at the time that someone else was working on another Peterbilt pickup, this time based on a Ford frame. As impressive as the Dodge based pickup was, this one is a step up.

Lynn Mullinax of Albertville, Alabama had done all this before, building a Kenworth pickup that he liked a lot. Then one day, someone asked if he would sell it and when Lynn tossed out a number the fellow bought it on the spot. That left an empty parking spot and Lynn without a truck. Since he really liked that pickup he figured, why not do it again? This time he figured a Peterbilt was the way to go so he started looking for parts.

It began with a 1996 Ford F350 one ton ambulance frame that had air ride suspension on the rear. I’ll let Lynn jump in here:

I bought a salvage 2002 Freightliner FL60 truck and removed the Cummins 24 V, ISB 5.9 engine and Allison 1000 series automatic transmission, radiator and air to air engine cooler. I fabricated new motor mounts and installed them all in the Ford frame. I took a 1995 Peterbilt cab and completely stripped it down to the bare aluminum. I fabricated a hood using the grill parts from a 379 standard hood. I fabricated the side panels of the hood and used the two top hood panels from a standard 379 hood. I bought a new Ford F350 bed off a new truck that was being changed over to a service bed. I painted the the cab and hood to match the bed. Added what chrome and stainless steel parts I could find and fabricate. The dash has 22 gauges and 19 switches, which are all hooked up and working.

It took him 3 1/2 years to complete the build and though he’s been offered $70,000 for it, Lynn says he’s not selling. Smart man. He says it rides and drives just fine and sure gets its share of looks as he motors down the road.

I really like this project. This is a great example of coming up with an idea and then doing the hard work of making it happen. There’s no shortage of ideas floating around, but we can always use more guys like Lynn Mullinax who actually make those ideas come to life. Great work!

A lot more photos below: Read the rest of this entry »

Southern Motor Company of Liberty, South Carolina, is getting set to introduce the all new and complete from the factory Southern 358 Pickup. If you like trucks, especially the classic trucks, you’ll immediately start checking your bank account because this truck’s a beauty.

The Southern 358 is a brand new all steel bodied pickup powered by a 4.6 liter, 330 horsepower Mustang V8 engine. A four speed automatic with overdrive is standard, a five speed manual is optional. Rear drive is through 3:73 gears with disc brakes all around. Overall length is 194 inches and wheelbase is 116 inches. The bed is 6ft 2 inches. The truck comes in standard colors or your choice of practically any color you might want. The complete list of equipment offered in the standard configuration is really impressive.

Also, to reflect the fact that this is no backyard custom but a complete production vehicle, the Southern 358 comes with airbags, side impact beams, seatbelt pre-tensioners and a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

Take a look at these photos and see if you don’t agree this is one gorgeous truck like the ones we remember, only better. They are taking pre-orders for the first 100 sequentially numbered trucks which requires a deposit of $10,000 applied toward the suggested selling price of $55,000. That’s a great value for a truck of this caliber. I like it!

Link: Southern Motor Company via Jalopnik

More photos below: Read the rest of this entry »

The new Toyota Tundra, going into production next month, may use a diesel built by a company other than Toyota. While the practice of going outside for a diesel engine is standard procedure elsewhere, Cummins building for Dodge and International building for Ford, Toyota has never gone outside their own walls for an engine.

With everyone demanding more diesels and the major U.S. light trucks scheduled to get diesels by 2010, you basically need a diesel to play in this game and Toyota doesn’t have one yet.

According to Toyota, they will probably develop one on their own or look to their commercial truck division to supply what they need, but in the mean time, someone else may get the call.

Link: Autoweek

So there you were, trying to sell your truck because the price of gas was rising like crazy and it was killing your wallet. Your friends dumped their trucks for a huge loss and were glad to do it and they laughed when they saw you still stuck with yours.

But then something funny happened, the price of gas started dropping. In the past month, we’ve seen gas fall fifty cents and more and it’s still dropping. Some areas are seeing gas down close to $2.00 a gallon and then there’s this article in Forbes that makes me smile.

Michael C. Lynch, 51, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research in Amherst, Mass., predicts oil prices will continue to fall:

New supply, coming online from all corners of the world, is more than ample to satisfy growth in demand and sufficient even to withstand an embargo against Iran, which produces 3.75 million barrels of oil a day. Lynch argues that the threat of disruptions–nuclear brinkmanship, war, terrorism, hurricanes, pipeline corrosion–has larded oil prices with a $20-a-barrel risk premium. As these perils recede, oil prices will fall.

He continues with predictions of gas under $2.00 by next year as more supplies come online.

Makes a person think it might be a good idea to hang on to that truck after all, maybe your friends won’t be smiling when they see a rebound in truck prices, might even be a good time to buy a truck at firesale prices. Yep, makes a person think …

In what has to be the ultimate truck body kit, Greg Severt of Jacksonville, Florida took a brand new 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup, removed the original bodywork and then mated the Dodge chassis with a cab and tilt front end from a ‘94 Peterbilt plus a bed designed for a ‘53 Chevy. Power comes from the original Cummins turbodiesel and it retains the stock four-wheel drive.

As all custom builders know, getting the stance right makes all the difference, so Greg picked up some 20-inch Weld Racing rims and mounted 40X13.50-R20LT Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ tires. He then added a lift kit to clear the new rubber.

The Cummins diesel is stock but a lot of the underhood components had to be moved since the fixed fenderwells were gone. The air conditioning compressor is the stock unit hooked up to the Peterbilt interior components.

The finished truck, though looking like the big rig it replicates, is actually lighter than stock because of the aluminum body. Greg reports 20mpg in normal driving which certainly isn’t bad. Nice work Greg!

Link: DieselPowerMag via Autoblog