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Heart of the Motor Industry

26th June 1964, Page 73
26th June 1964
Page 73
Page 73, 26th June 1964 — Heart of the Motor Industry
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1"e previous article in this series I was talking about the Kentucky operators met in LouNville. That city is also the new home of the Ford "special order" commercial manufacturing activities in the Eastern States. Thanks to a lively " after-hours " tour of the plant with Lou Du Vuuno, manager of the special trucks section, 1 was able to see something of this modern factory and then—much to my surprise—my Cummins Engine friends whisked me off to a full-scale Polynesian dinner in (of course) a Polynesian restaurant at, of all places, Louisville Airport. One continually comes across these off-beat, and very good, places in America.

From Louisville I flew up to Detroit, spiritual home of the American automobile industry. Here I concentrated solely on talking to manufacturers, first meeting Rudy Jansa, the general manager of the Perkins Engine Co. Inc., which is the American sales outlet for exported Perkins diesel engines. I have already mentioned some of the information Rudy gave me in an article in our issue of May 1 last; but there is no harm in mentioning again some of the main points.

There were, he told me, plenty of signs that 1964 would be as good as (or even better than) 1963, so far as truck sales were concerned, and it would then become the best year in history. Figures which came to hand only this week prove the truth of his remark. Production is 14 per cent up on 1963 and a recordbreaking output of 1.4 m, vehicles is expected this year. But the American market—as I have remarked before—is not far advanced down the diesel engine path, as can be seen by this table:—

Diesel Engine Annual Output When we consider that at the end of 1962 there were 12,847,000 trucks registered to operate in the U.S.A. (14,091,000 at the end of 1963), wu can see that King Gasoline still very much commands the market. However, everywhere I went there were plenty Of signs of increased interest in--and appreciation of—diesels by American truckers. I should think the present is quite an exciting period for the exponents of the oil engine.

So. far as percentages of the diesel engine market are concerned, Cummins are the clear leaders. In 1962 they had 53.4 per cent of the output. Mack were next with 21.9 per cent; then Detroit Diesel (General Motors) with 15.8, Perkins with 6.2, and "others" accounting for 2-.7 per cent.

Of the chassis manufacturers, Mack and White together provide nearly 50 per cent of the oil-engined vehicles. This, of course, is not surprising, as diesels predominate amongst heavy trucks and are ,barely out of the " novelty" stage in small delivery vehicles. I met several drivers, for instance, who were as proud as punch to be driving a diesel-powered van; there was a distinct element of " oneupmanship " about it all! Naturally, American operators baulk a little at the increased first-cost of :1 diesel engine, when compared with a petrol job. They have not yet accepted the point, now universally accepted in Britain, that it must be balanced oil against the savings inherent in diesel operation. It should be easier over there. however, for in most states there is a differential in tax of at least a few cents per gallon in favour of derv.

So the " premium (as they call it) on a diesel at the moment assumes a disproportionate importance. General Motors, I was told from one source (not General Motors), asks up to $2,400 extra for their diesel engine. The Perkins in an International Harvester truck is about $1,100 dearer than a petrol engine in the same vehicle. Mack, as I reported earlier in this series, are now using (and are well pleased with) the 140 hp. Scania-Vabis D8 engine in their vehicles for grossweight operation at about 15 tons. They ask (again, I was not told this by Mack) about $1,700 " premium " for it.

Later on, during my three days in Detroit, Ford told me that the premium on an International Harvester farm tractor for the Dagenham Ford 6D was $734. and $916 for the Perkins 6.354.

It was obvious that everyone was

obsessed by this business of first-cost, so assume each person was showing his engine in the best possible light. I do not, therefore, advance these " premium " figures as necessarily accurate comparisons. Rather am I trying to make the point that they are, on the whole. proportionately more expensive over there than in this country, when compared with petrol-engined but otherwise identical vehicles. I would venture to suggest that the Americans are still so obsessed by the " premium " aspect that they tend to undersell the advantages.

Diesel-education is a very major matter in the United States. Rudy Jansa told ine that Perkins initially ran into (and are still encountering) difficulties over driver-acceptance and with workshop staff. They hold education sessions for sales staff.

Ford, I was told when I visited their Detroit home, thought servicing was an even bigger obstacle to overcome than was acceptance. But they even had to train drivers how to start a diesel! So ingrained are national habits that American drivers refused to use the pushpull starter and Ford had to ,supply keystarting which gives an imitation-ignition feel to drivers "brought up" on petrol.

They also made an extravagantly pr6duced 26-minute colour film for drivers on the subject of (yes) li.ow to start and drive a diesel-engined vehicle. This they loan out to fleets—and there has been a quite remarkable demand!

Before we laugh superior-like about this, recall the days when this country was predominantly petrol-powered. Was acceptance of the diesel that much easier over here?

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Locations: Louisville, Detroit

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