They’ve not evolved much in looks since Smokey and the Bandit was filmed, so why do people love the look of them? I heard someone in a model shop today saying how great they are compared to European “rigs”, and thought I can’t tell the difference between a modern yank and one 20 years old. European stuff stands out a mile.
It is possible for any truck,including some British ones,to be fitted with enough American engine and driveline componentry for that truck to not be a lot different from an ‘American’ truck at least to drive.Which is what matters. 
mmm, a 90s Mack ,engine,gearbox ,rearends still run (i drive one) a 2012 mack(volvo) will be lucky to see 10yrs 
all down to build quality and lack o electric crap.
and CF came across a Volvo FE with a Cat engine today… 
jimmy.
When you think about it most of the fodens you have driven over the years will be american to a large extent, what with the chassis and driveline! the alloy end sections of the chassis crossmembers have been stamped up KW for years
When you think about it the narrow cab fodens were about as sparse on the interior as a willis jeep,the ride was about the same and the doors fitted about as well as the jeep also!
I quite like trucks from over the pond, the dash with proper guages,alloy/chrome switches built to last, full leather interior, far from the brittle plastic and cheap light coloured foam filled ■■■■■ fitted to modern eu limited life throw away crap that look worn out in no time at all !
Look at the new volvo for example the truck looks ok till you look at the finish of the interior, brittle cheap looking plastic switches, and a creaky/brittle dash ffs volvo have had the best part of twenty years to come up with a replacement for the fh and the boffins have raided the off cut bin at blue peter for milk bottle tops,bog roll centres,sticky back plastic,fairy washing up bottles to fit out the cab of this world beating new truck!
never mind the stupid front suspension idea that you have to pay extra for
I like that fact that they are mostly manual transmission & bigger than what we drive, no axors in the US… 
Here’s a good reason to love ‘old’ American trucks…
youtube.com/watch?v=klRq8D97 … ata_player
Sounds fantastic but by the christ it must give one hell of a headache after about 30 minutes driving! Good old 2 stroke diesel.
I think it is something to do with how “iconic” they are. They are big, noisy and have a distinctive shape. People have been seeing them for years in films so when they think of a truck they think of an American one.
Would the films Duel or Roadkill be so popular if it was a guy in a Premium or a CF stalking the kids in a Nissan Micra who ■■■■■■ them off? Rubber Duck would have had to have driven a Scania beyond even Irish level to have come across as the cool, stick it the man, manly man trucker dude that he was. That’s why the public like them at least. Why are European drivers so enamoured towards them? They are different. The same way that many seem to love trucks from the 60’s through to the 80’s, you don’t see them about anymore so they become interesting, exotic.
I bet many Americans find the trucks they have boring, they could be looking at pictures of the new Actros or Volvo and saying “Dayum Dale, I want me one o’ them there Europeeen rigs.” Then again perhaps not, many Americans seem to have a “the best things ever are American attitude”.
I think they’re rubbish, along with their cars and their beer and their crappy motorbikes and their sport is rubbish also.
Why do people look up to America, we invented the industrial revolution, democracy even tarmac was our idea.
To physically drive a European truck is way more refined but the sleeper is massive and they do look nice.
mike68:
I think they’re rubbish, along with their cars and their beer and their crappy motorbikes and their sport is rubbish also.Why do people look up to America, we invented the industrial revolution, democracy even tarmac was our idea.
You’re only jealous cos you lot don’t have the new Camaros or Challengers ,or come to think of it many cars with stonking V8’s .The football is neat when you get into it ,■■■■ site better than the over priced kissball that you lot tolerate.Harleys are rubbish ,end off.Yank beer is knats ■■■■ but come a bit farther North and the ABV increases with the flavor.
The trucks ,they look nice ,they ride well ,they are great to sleep/live in ,spend a few days in a Volvo VN760 and you’d never want anything else.Unfortunately I drive a Kenworth 
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Muckaway:
They’ve not evolved much in looks since Smokey and the Bandit was filmed, so why do people love the look of them? I heard someone in a model shop today saying how great they are compared to European “rigs”, and thought I can’t tell the difference between a modern yank and one 20 years old. European stuff stands out a mile.
May be a good idea to find out if what you say is true before you start typing
Same old crap gets thrown out there all the time 
FYI, the next Daf engine for Euro 6 has been on the road in North America for a couple of years…
The new World engine for all Daimler AG trucks (Mercedes Benz for you) has been on the roads in North America for 5yrs or so…
High Torque, low rpm engines, started in North America…
Air suspension, started in North America…
Electronic fuel injection (EDC) started in North America…
Adaptive cruise, started in North America…
GPS linked cruise, started in North America…
If you’d ever driven an American truck you would know that they’re much better at doing their job than the European ones are at doing theirs
I’ve just done 1355kms (legally) today in my 05 Peterbilt 379, it’s got 1.2million miles on it and it’s as tight as the day it came out of the factory, it’s that comfy to drive that even after a nearly 900mile shift, I’ve come home and started poncing about on here, do the same mileage day in and day out (like we do) in a European truck and you’d be in traction
mike68:
I think they’re rubbish, along with their cars and their beer and their crappy motorbikes and their sport is rubbish also.Why do people look up to America, we invented the industrial revolution, democracy even tarmac was our idea.
Which Harley have you actually owned or ridden to give you such an informed perspective?
I don’t “get” American football, and many of my American friends don’t understand cricket; however ice hockey has to be one of the great contact sports. Their cars might seem to be crap but you’ll probably find that apart from enthusiasts, most Americans don’t have a great deal of good things to say about British cars either; take a look at the equipment levels of 1960’s vehicles (I own a 1963 GMC pick-up) and the Americans were light years ahead, as they always have been with unleaded fuel technology too. As for the beer; after decades of mass-produced ■■■■, there’s now a micro-brewery revolution working its way across the USA. If you’re old enough to remember the bland rubbish we had to suffer in British pubs during the 1980’s, you’ll understand that we suffered the same.
You’re probably right to claim the Industrial Revolution started in Britain, but it’s fair to say that the USA wasn’t that far behind; the popular concept of 19th century America being a land of cowboys is to ignore the rapid industrial development of places like Detroit and Chicago. Mass production, as we know it, was largely an American development.
Oh, and for the record, the invention (or rather evolution) of democracy as we now know it is generally credited to the Ancient Greeks. Even the Americans admit that.
The Pariah:
Would the films Duel or Roadkill be so popular if it was a guy in a Premium or a CF stalking the kids in a Nissan Micra who ■■■■■■ them off? Rubber Duck would have had to have driven a Scania beyond even Irish level to have come across as the cool, stick it the man, manly man trucker dude that he was.I bet many Americans find the trucks they have boring, they could be looking at pictures of the new Actros or Volvo and saying “Dayum Dale, I want me one o’ them there Europeeen rigs.” Then again perhaps not, many Americans seem to have a “the best things ever are American attitude”.
Brilliant stuff!!
Carryfast:
It is possible for any truck,including some British ones,to be fitted with enough American engine and driveline componentry for that truck to not be a lot different from an ‘American’ truck at least to drive.Which is what matters.
Not often I agree with Carryfast, but he’s right here. The classic later ERF was ■■■■■■■ engine, Eaton box, Rockwell axle. That’s as American as it gets. Simple, durable, and until the advent of emission regulations, very much the combination of choice for both drivers and operators.
mike68:
I think they’re rubbish, along with their cars and their beer and their crappy motorbikes and their sport is rubbish also.Why do people look up to America, we invented the industrial revolution, democracy even tarmac was our idea.
X2 
They’re not a priority of mine when visiting truck shows.
‘Convoy’ was the thing that sparked my intrest in trucks in the first place. When I see American trucks in context on IRT or in films I still think the’re impressive.
When I see European registered US truck donkeying about on the M6 or stacks roaring off to a truck show, I can’t help thinking about Chris Eubank and how daft they look…
On the whole I much prefer the multi trailer combinations I’ve seen in Scandinavia or the logging trucks I’ve seen in Scotland and Wales.
Each to their own I suppose?
W
mike68:
I think they’re rubbish, along with their cars and their beer and their crappy motorbikes and their sport is rubbish also.Why do people look up to America, we invented the industrial revolution, democracy even tarmac was our idea.
I agree with the bike part to a certain extent, but the rest of that is BS.
When they had the likes of Challengers, Camero’s, Pontiac, The Road Runner, Mustang etc etc, WTF did we have■■?
Oh yeah, the Maxi, the Marina, the Mini, the Minor, the ■■■■■■ and that crappy MBGT rubbish!
We also invented the steam locomotive and the railway but we ■■■■■■ that up to by making the things to dam small and all the bridges to low!
The yanks have built some of the most impressive locomotives of all time, and boy do they know how to paint one.
Look at that Peterbilt 379, now THATS a truck!
COR!!!
Look at this!!! I see what you mean, the eptitome of British engineering!!!
No wonder Thatcher sold us off.
newmercman:
If you’d ever driven an American truck you would know that they’re much better at doing their job than the European ones are at doing theirsI’ve just done 1355kms (legally) today in my 05 Peterbilt 379, it’s got 1.2million miles on it and it’s as tight as the day it came out of the factory, it’s that comfy to drive that even after a nearly 900mile shift, I’ve come home and started poncing about on here, do the same mileage day in and day out (like we do) in a European truck and you’d be in traction
Well that’s the point NMM… American trucks are built specifically to handle American conditions. Not to mention US transport regulations, which I suspect are considerably more oriented towards long distance transport efficiency, than European regulations.
I’m certain that driving a Euro truck on long distance US work, would be the equivalent of turning up for work in the UK wearing a tutu, high heels and full on Danny La Rue make up. (i.e. you’d be laughed at!) Even though it would probably do the job; just not as efficiently.
Driving an American truck in the UK, even a modern one, doing traditional UK work - and that includes tramping - would no doubt have all the fanboys creaming their strides, but actually having to drive it, would be a pain in the [zb]!
I spent many a happy year driving US trucks all over Australia, including a two stroke 6v-71, and several ■■■■■■■ equipped vehicles. The worst was a Ford Louisville with no air con and a straight up exhaust by my right ear which almost deafened me on a trip from Brisbane to Melbourne. The best was a KW SAR with a ■■■■■■■ 350 + Jacobs brake and torsion bar suspension, hauling frozen chips across the Nullabor. The Europeans had the trucks and they were OK, but thought of as “ladies” trucks by comparison.
Now I’m trundling around in Scanias, Volvos and Dafs, doing what would be considered local work in Oz, but with 20 times more traffic, and I’d hate to have even the KW with it’s Fuller box to do it in.
That said, it was an iconic truck!