CLT-Series
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 9
From: Pittsburgh,Pa.
I have to agree. I can think of at least 4 IHC dealers that only sold trucks. 1 sold only medium-heavy models the other 3 were full line dealers. None of them sold any type of tractors or farm machinery. I also know of 2 other dealers that sold only Cub Cadet and lawn equipment.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 198
Wow, bringing back memories. It is true that some Dodge dealers sold everything from passenger cars to heavy trucks, Dodge did have a network of exclusive heavy truck dealers. Dodge Trucks of Los Angeles in Downey was one of them. You could buy a pickup in there if you wanted to, but it was a commercial truck dealership. Dodge's problem was they never had enough dedicated medium/heavy stores. They had a really tough heavy truck, not too fancy but reliable. The Ford CLT 9000 did replace the W series. The W was a good cheap no-frills cabover. Only W problem I remember was they were available with both a steel or aluminum cab, and the steel cabs rusted big time in the north east. The CLT 9000 didn't have a great reputation, and didn't sell too well. A company I was with at the time had ONE, and that was plenty!
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 9
From: Pittsburgh,Pa.
Louisville Joe, I've repaired and driven countless medium-heavies. Some good, some not so good. One heavy that I would love to drive is a Dodge Big Horn. I've only ever seen 2 of them and read some where that Dodge only built about 1000 or so Big Horns.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 198
You and me both! I remember seeing only a couple of Bighorns back in the day.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 614
Likes: 1
From: Fort Wayne IN
Our dealership did not carry light trucks due to the fact it was a separate Ford franchise and some of the car dealers opposed us having light trucks. This happened with a lot of Ford heavy truck dealers in larger cities. A lot of dealers in smaller towns carried all the truck franchises.
Was the dealership a combination passenger car-light truck-medium/heavy truck dealer, or was it a dedicated medium/heavy truck dealer?
Somebody tells me that both Ford, GM with their medium busniess and their heavy busniess that got sold to White/Volvo, and Chrysler with the Dodge medium/heavy duties were always sold under the same roof as a passenger car or light truck, that the same salesperson that sold a customer either a passenger car or light truck sold a medium/heavy duty, and that the passenger car/light truck salesperson had little or no experience regarding the needs of a busniess consumer for a medium/heavy duty, or a school bus chassis. This same person thinks that because of the "whimsical" late 20th century and 21st century ways of Freightliner, Peterbuilt, and Kenworth being their "core busniess"; that the salespeople at these dealers today only have experience regarding the needs of a busniess consumer for a medium/heavy duty, or a school bus chassis. This same person also never liked it when any busniess diverted into ventures other than what he refers to as their "core busniess"; i.e; when GM made refrigerators under their former Frigidaire division, when Ford made refrigerators, and when Chrysler made refrigerators under their former Airtemp/Honeywell division.
Do I agree with this person? No. And the moral of my story is that I think Ford's medium/heavy busniess was always here to stay; and that they should have never sold it to Freightliner to become Sterling in the first place.
I do know that it used to always be the case with GMC dealers where they had to carry light trucks, and medium/heavy trucks under one roof, and also service the school bus chassis and the GM P-chassis that was later sold to Workhorse; under one roof. My father bought a brand new 1973 K5 Jimmy from a GMC dealer when this used to be the case.
I also know this used to be the case with International Harvester before it became Navistar; where they had to carry light trucks, medium/heacy trucks, farm equipment, construction equipment, and Cub Cadet lawn equipment lawn equipment under one roof, and also service their school bus chassis under the same roof.
Somebody tells me that both Ford, GM with their medium busniess and their heavy busniess that got sold to White/Volvo, and Chrysler with the Dodge medium/heavy duties were always sold under the same roof as a passenger car or light truck, that the same salesperson that sold a customer either a passenger car or light truck sold a medium/heavy duty, and that the passenger car/light truck salesperson had little or no experience regarding the needs of a busniess consumer for a medium/heavy duty, or a school bus chassis. This same person thinks that because of the "whimsical" late 20th century and 21st century ways of Freightliner, Peterbuilt, and Kenworth being their "core busniess"; that the salespeople at these dealers today only have experience regarding the needs of a busniess consumer for a medium/heavy duty, or a school bus chassis. This same person also never liked it when any busniess diverted into ventures other than what he refers to as their "core busniess"; i.e; when GM made refrigerators under their former Frigidaire division, when Ford made refrigerators, and when Chrysler made refrigerators under their former Airtemp/Honeywell division.
Do I agree with this person? No. And the moral of my story is that I think Ford's medium/heavy busniess was always here to stay; and that they should have never sold it to Freightliner to become Sterling in the first place.
I do know that it used to always be the case with GMC dealers where they had to carry light trucks, and medium/heavy trucks under one roof, and also service the school bus chassis and the GM P-chassis that was later sold to Workhorse; under one roof. My father bought a brand new 1973 K5 Jimmy from a GMC dealer when this used to be the case.
I also know this used to be the case with International Harvester before it became Navistar; where they had to carry light trucks, medium/heacy trucks, farm equipment, construction equipment, and Cub Cadet lawn equipment lawn equipment under one roof, and also service their school bus chassis under the same roof.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,191
Likes: 4
From: Blairsville,Ga
With 261 sold they were a might scarce.Estimated at about 110 still in captivity
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