Automatic?! Well, there you go...

i dont think their would be much point in putting a auto into a older "underpowered" truck..even the mercedes 240hp i just bought needs constant massaging of the 8 speed manual box ... by the same token id hate to drive a garbage truck that wasnt a auto !

Hired a little furniture van recently from Avis only a 3 tonner or something. But it had an automatic in it. All computer controlled. But what amazed me was that every time it changed gears the delay was long and the change was rough. Wasn't good experience.

Even the change into reverse was sudden and rough!

And amazingly when selecting 1st gear for slow moving actually get gear grinding! That was stationary, brake on, no accelerator or anything! Even when in so called sports shift the computer still decided when to change etc.

So over all give me a Manual box any day!

JB,

It wasn't a 05 to 07 Isuzu NPR200 Premium now, was it? I've ridden shotgun in one with a man from the local Avis branch... not too good with the AMT in auto mode - might have been better off using the manual mode!

Joe

A bit late with this reply, but

---

Auto g'boxes have been around for decades, first one I ever come across was fitted to an Inter 1710 with a 345 hp V8 petrol pinger and a 4 speed Allison mated to it. Went quite well actually, M'borough to Melb daily , then everything was OK till you hit the big hill going home just out of Baccus Marsh, some bugger chucked the anchor out and boy did it drag the chain then, fuel economy went out the window, boy, was it heavy on the fuel. This was back in 1975.

Loved the sign on the Lion Park fence at the Marsh, it read -- Pommies on bicycles admitted FREE -- dunno if anybody ever took 'em up on the offer though.

Next one I came across was an absolute bloody beauty, a Volvo F 89 prime mover with about a 350 shetland pony motor fitted, followed by the clutch, then the slush box which was then attached to the 10 speed synchro Volvo box.
The idea of this arrangement was to be able to pull Chr!$T of'n the cross, boy did it have some grunt down low, this jigger was used for Heavy Haulage in Brisbane by Brambles.
Hooked up to a 2 x 8 dolly, then Drake 4 x 8 widening low loader then dropping about a hundred ton on it's back, the sequence was as follows.
Clutch in, pull the knob on the dash that looked like a choke, this engaged the slush box, then shunt the stick into grandma, whilst still at idle rpm, ease out the clutch, you could now sit there for ages, just like an auto car, then when you wanted to go, start to apply pressure to the go pedal, no go, then give it more throttle pressure.
This jigger did the job where an R700 V8 Mack give up and just bounced up and down when it hit the ramp, the Mack was fitted with 5 x 4 Spicers, the diffs were heavy duty about 5.9 reduction with the 12 spring camel back set-up. Bloody hard on the kidneys these animals, boy did they give you a kick every time you hit a big bump.
The Mack was removed and the Volvo 89 hooked up, it just walked the train loco out of the bowls of that ship and up the ramp, even had the boss buggered at how easy it done it.
The best bit was running around bob tail, drop the float and heading home you could scare car drivers, pull up at the lights, pull the choke, shove it into 7th, lights turn green and away you go. There were quite a few drivers that did not believe what they just seen, a prime mover that took of as though it were at the starting lights on a drag strip, no smoke from the tyres, just a rocket propelled movement forwards. Embarrassed a lot of young blokes doing that, they could not believe that the prime mover was quicker than their cars across the intersection.
It was a normal manual change once you got rolling and then shoved the choke back in, that Volvo was around the yard for about 5 yrs before they farmed it of to another yard, can't remember who got it.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Hey Greenie the Lions Park was never at Bacuas Marsh it was at Rockbank going out of town on the L.H.S. just before Melton. Dave

Hi Greenie, I remember a ' Brambles red' V8 Mack with a dolly and low loader, was a regular visitor to Wabco at Eagle Farm where I did my apprenticeship as a diesel fitter. It often used used to bring in the real heavy equipment such as big scrapers and dump tuck chassis. I used to think it was an awesome looking truck. I don't recall the Volvo, but thats not to say it didn't visit. good memories.
Harleigh.

Sorry Greenie, just realized you're talking about Melbourne, got confused when I saw you are in BrisVegas!
Harleigh.

G'day Greenie
Reading your post reminded me of something. In the mid 70's I worked at the Volvo truck factory at Wacol as a mechanic and amongst the various models built at the time were from memory 8 N12 series Volvo rigids that were built for BHP Port Kembla. These trucks had the 8 speed box and had a torque converter fitted between the engine and flywheel with an electrically operated lock-up. During developement it was found that for whatever reason the gearbox oil was overheating and an oil cooler hooked up to the engine cooling system was fitted. These fixed the problem until the coolers cracked and filled the box with oil, this was remedied eventually.
By the way Deadly, there was a lion park at Bacchus Marsh, the old entrance is still there but without any trace of the old signs. It is visible from the freeway.

Harliegh, - Nope, not talking about Melbourne with the Volvo and the Mack's, that was in Brissy where I still am.

Dave, -- what year are you talking about?

In about 75/76 there-a-bouts, the new section of the Western Freeway was opened which cut of the Marsh.
As you headed East from the when you saw the old pub at Myrniong , then you started to go down the Pentland Hills which was the actual range, half way down this hill on the LHS was a bloody big 10 foot high DOUBLE fence, electrified wires were on both fences. There was a gap of about 20 - 30ft between each fence, there were African Lions with-in this enclosure, that was where I remember this sign hanging on that fence.
Passed it 3 to 4 times every week for about 3 yrs and always got a chuckle from it.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Hi Greenie, I remember a ' Brambles red' V8 Mack with a dolly and low loader, was a regular visitor to Wabco at Eagle Farm where I did my apprenticeship as a diesel fitter. It often used used to bring in the real heavy equipment such as big scrapers and dump tuck chassis. I used to think it was an awesome looking truck. I don't recall the Volvo, but thats not to say it didn't visit. good memories.
Harleigh.

Yep, there were 3 bent eights, all looked pretty much the same, you had to know the different rego plates to tell 'em apart.

This will bring back some memories then, photo taken at Gailes weigh-bridge, Eric was headin' outa town when he took this shot.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Greenie
GuddayM8

Gr8 Pix
Keep m Cummin

tiz th@ a 12 or 14' wide drake?
close cuple 4x8 dont get max loading U need wide spread 4'8'4' centres

ButEyeDoSt&2BCorrected

LOL
cya