Tag Archives: Cab

More, More, More – Dodge Ram Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie

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When the Dodge Ram Mega Cab hit the market in late 2007 it was all about more, isn’t it always when anything new hits the market ?

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

The 2008 Mega Cab offered more space, more comfort and more practicality setting new standards in the ‘room with a view’ pick up market.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

Mega Cab featured the largest ever cab with 143 cubic feet of interior space, room for six which included reclining seats for passengers in the back.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

This particular model is powered by a 350 hp 6.7 litre / 408 cui straight six Cummins turbo diesel motor which can deliver class leading 650lb/ft torque.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

Payload capacity for the Mega Cab was given as 3,150 lbs, that’s a little more than what a first generation generation Ford Thunderbird would weigh.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

The emissions system of the Cummins diesel is Government certified 120,000 miles, that’s about 10 years for the average British motorist.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

Unique features to the 2008 Larimie Spec Mega Cab include Dual Zone Climate Control, steering wheel mounted audio controls security alarm and Sentry Key® engine immobiliser.

Dodge Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Larimie, Goodwood Revival

Towing capacity for the 2008 3500 version of the Mega Cab is 16,000 lbs to give a gross combined weight rating of 24,000 lbs which was up 1000lbs from the 2007 model.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘More, More, More’ edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Hudson Commercial – Terraplane Six Cab Pickup Express

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A couple of weeks ago I was ferreting around for answers to questions I had about the Hudson Super Six Special I featured a couple of weeks ago, on the Hudson Forum, when much to my delight surprise I found out that Hudson had marketed a pick up truck under the Terraplane brand between 1932 and 1939.

Terraplane Pick Up, Wayne Grafen

Wayne Graefen found this example with the standard Detwiler pick up body in McMinnville, Portland Oregon belonging to Hudson collector Mr Robert (Bob) Harbaugh in 1985 and purchased it taking the photo above with Mrs Harbaugh standing in front of the traillored pick up.

Terraplane Pick Up, Wayne Grafen

Over the next 18 months Wayne took all the paint off replaced a wooden door hinge pillar and procured some missing parts before painting the truck and getting the bumper bars rechromed. Wayne then sold the truck to his business partner Press Kale who over the following two years had the stock flat head 212 cui 6 cylinder motor and 3 speed manual transmission rebuilt.

Terraplane Pick Up, Wayne Grafen

Press did a deal with Coker Tire Co. who used the Terraplane Pick Up on their SEMA stand in Las Vegas in exchange for some white wall tyres. Wayne tells me that the 1/2 ton truck is still 100% stock including the vintage 6 volt electrical system and the cable operated mechanical brakes.

Alex Burr at the Hudson Forum reckons around 1281 commercial Terraplanes were shipped of all types including pick ups, vans, and bare commercial chassis which were shipped to body shops for full custom bodies.

My thanks to Wayne Graefen for sharing the Terraplanes story & photographs and to Alex Burr for the production volumes of the Terraplane commercial vehicles.

Thanks for joining me on this Hudson Commercial edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a vintage racing MG. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Bristol Blue Hackney Carriage – LTI TX1

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A hackney carriage is a taxicab licensed by a local authority to ply the streets looking for passengers to pick up.

London’s stringent Public Carriage Office licensing authority has always been at the fore front of legislation demanding particular qualities of licensed taxicabs which have led to the evolution of a London Taxi. These include a max 28 foot / min 25 ft turning circle in order to be able to safely maneuver round the entrance of London’s Savoy Hotel and most recently, a wheel chair accessibility requirement.

London’s Black Cabs have mostly, but not exclusively been built by a company called Carbodies now known as London Taxis International (LTI), in Coventry since 1948, and are almost as well known as London’s bright red AEC Routemaster RML buses.

This model is a 2.7 litre / 164 cui Nissan powered TX1 built from 1997 to 2002 the retro lines recall the classic Carbodies FX4 / LTI Fairways design that dates back to 1958.

Recently the Bristol Hackney cab licensing authority issued an edict declaring that all of Bristols 780 Hackney Carriages would be Bristol Blue Glass blue by May 2011. There were attempts to appeal this decision in the courts on grounds of the repainting costs incurred by cab drivers, but the legal process proved too expensive to fight the decision.

Hope you have enjoyed this Bristol Blue edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me tomorrow for a look at an award winning Brazilian in Switzerland. Don’t forget to come back now !

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