GM ends production of medium-duty trucks June 08, 2009, 01:11:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103119Bankrupt automaker to stop building the Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC Topkick by July 31. http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/08/news/companies/gm_trucks.reut/index.htm?postversion=2009060812I wonder if Steve will continue the effort with SOB of MDT. The International DuraStar MDT looks like it has some potential.
Re: GM ends production of medium-duty trucks Reply #1 – June 08, 2009, 01:31:52 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103120How Many chassis are sitting on the lot. If there any will they be built out or sold off as is. Any ideas?Garry
Re: GM ends production of medium-duty trucks Reply #2 – June 08, 2009, 06:51:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103129jreitz2001 wrote:Bankrupt automaker to stop building the Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC Topkick by July 31.I wonder if Steve will continue the effort with SOB of MDT. ---Nobody can speak for Steve but Steve, and I won't even speculate as to where the project might go from here, but I can sure imagine that even with some prior knowledge of this development, Steve still likely feels as if he's been hit upside the head with a very big shovel. As many folks know, he has spent *countless* hours over the last three years or so designing, engineering, tweaking and re-tweaking an LD "box" for the Kodiak chassis. The engineers and mechanics on this board can speak to how difficult it is to re-design and re-engineer the box specs, re-tool the production line, and re-train the workers along a different learning curve necessary to successfully put the coach on a different chassis. The prototype Kodiak LD may well be one-of-a-kind, like the one rig that LD produced a few years ago on the E550 before Ford discontinued that chassis. Hard times, indeed, and certainly disheartening. I imagine that we'll hear about any decisions to be made by LD on any future changes to their product line. :-(Joan
Re: GM ends production of medium-duty trucks Reply #3 – June 09, 2009, 12:14:35 am Yahoo Message Number: 103146QuoteBankrupt automaker to stop building the Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC Topkick by July 31. http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/08/news/companies/gm_trucks.reut/index.htm?postversion=2009060812I wonder if Steve will continue the effort with SOB of MDT. The International DuraStar MDT looks like it has some potential.Lets see. LD built 2 on the Ford 550 chassis, how many on the Chev Kodiak? I would think he would wait to see how the market shakes out before spending design time on a new MDT project. LD suceeds not by being a market leader but by tweaking a quality, well designed product that appeals to a nich market. FWIW: Jack in wet Reno