Aluminum F-150

[bbqboy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/bl...l?page=all
witter | LinkedIn | Google+
Ford Motor Co. is expected to make a huge splash at the Detroit Auto Show in January, with the debut of an aluminum version of the F-150 pickup truck, according to reports in multiple news outlets.
Auto industry analysts have been reporting for months that Ford was experimenting with different materials in order to shed weight and meet the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that go into effect in 2015. The new standard requires light trucks to get at least 28.6 miles-per-gallon. Ford's top-rated 2014 F-150 currently averages about 23 miles-per-gallon. So Ford is looking for ways to shed about 700 pounds from the F-150, with a target of achieving about 30 miles-per-gallon, which should keep it compliant through at least 2020.
According to an article in Automotive News, Ford asked Alcoa Inc. to share some of the military-grade aluminum it uses to make blast shields for combat vehicles. It's an interesting report as it could point to an approach Ford might use to market the new aluminum vehicle.
TOPIC: Automotive News
Built at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, the F-150 has been the top-selling vehicle in North America for decades. Its long-running marketing campaign focuses on the use of the slogan "Built Ford Tough," so switching to aluminum construction will require Ford to convince those loyal customers that its vehicles are still tough enough to handle all the rugged jobs they've been used for in the past.
That's a huge gamble.
To complicate things further, military-grade aluminum is expensive and would drive up the cost of producing the vehicle, cutting into profit margins. Also, aluminum is not magnetic, rendering the huge magnets used to move body panels around the production plant useless. The change also would require adjustments to the stamping plants, dies and robotic welders used to make the body panels, since aluminum has different characteristics in those processes than steel.
Analysts at IHS Automotive told The Wall Street Journal they estimate Ford would need to take about six weeks of downtime at its truck plants to retool and replace robots and other machinery. That's a major issue for production given that Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant is already running three shifts to keep up with current demand.
RELATED: Ford F-150's popularity causes production dilemma
Along with Ford preparing the Kansas City Assembly Plant for production of the all new Ford Transit commercial van, 2014 should be a very interesting year.
James reports about banking, financial services, manufacturing and sports business.
Related links: Automotive, Claycomo
Industries: Manufacturing

[tvguy]

So Ford is looking for ways to shed about 700 pounds from the F-150, with a target of achieving about 30 miles-per-gallon,

I could shed 700 pounds from my pickup just by cleaning all of the crap out of the cab

[Wonky]

So Ford is looking for ways to shed about 700 pounds from the F-150, with a target of achieving about 30 miles-per-gallon,

I could shed 700 pounds from my pickup just by cleaning all of the crap out of the cab

No.
I've seen your pickup.
Cleaning the cab would shed at least 1500 pounds and maybe…just maybe, clear the stink of all those nacho wrappers.
By the way, a windshield wiper on the passenger side would be a nice touch. Maybe even a passenger seat in place of the milk carton.

[TennisMom]

Just when I think it might be safe to buy an American-made car, my daughter buys one and has endless troubles.

It's been to the dealer for ten days, if you add up all the days. They fixed some of the problems, dealt with a recall issue and are UNABLE to fix a problem with the reverse. When she puts it into reverse, it stops short like she's hitting a wall. Ford has said they'll fix it, although they tried once already.

It's a 2007 Ford Edge and she really likes it but I'll be damned if I buy another American-made car. I hope she can get rid of it someday.

[Scrapper]

Ford... there's the problem. As soon as I read "Ford"... I knew it. Should have went with Chevy.

[tvguy]

Ford... there's the problem. As soon as I read "Ford"... I knew it. Should have went with Chevy.

I've been a Chevy guy my whole life. The company I worked for had a fleet of ford trucks. They were extremely tough and dependable. So when I wanted a newer truck I bought a Ford. It's been great.
Then I needed a van because I could use it for most things my truck normally does and the van gets 20+ MPH. It's a Ford Aerostar. I'ts been an awesome ride like my truck.

[tvguy]

Just when I think it might be safe to buy an American-made car, my daughter buys one and has endless troubles.

It's been to the dealer for ten days, if you add up all the days. They fixed some of the problems, dealt with a recall issue and are UNABLE to fix a problem with the reverse. When she puts it into reverse, it stops short like she's hitting a wall. Ford has said they'll fix it, although they tried once already.

It's a 2007 Ford Edge and she really likes it but I'll be damned if I buy another American-made car. I hope she can get rid of it someday.

Wow you seem pretty quick to write off ALL American made cars based on one loser or based on one loser of a year, 2007

[BeerMe]

Just when I think it might be safe to buy an American-made car, my daughter buys one and has endless troubles.

It's been to the dealer for ten days, if you add up all the days. They fixed some of the problems, dealt with a recall issue and are UNABLE to fix a problem with the reverse. When she puts it into reverse, it stops short like she's hitting a wall. Ford has said they'll fix it, although they tried once already.

It's a 2007 Ford Edge and she really likes it but I'll be damned if I buy another American-made car. I hope she can get rid of it someday.

I have 200,000 miles on my Silverado. Awful, awful, American made vehicles. Did you know that dealerships that sell foreign made cars don't have repair shops?

[BeerMe]

BTW, the Ford Edge is made in Canada.

[Scar]

Ford... there's the problem. As soon as I read "Ford"... I knew it. Should have went with Chevy.

I've been a Chevy guy my whole life. The company I worked for had a fleet of ford trucks. They were extremely tough and dependable. So when I wanted a newer truck I bought a Ford. It's been great.
Then I needed a van because I could use it for most things my truck normally does and the van gets 20+ MPH. It's a Ford Aerostar. I'ts been an awesome ride like my truck.

Ford is the way to go. chevy sucks.

[tvguy]

Ford... there's the problem. As soon as I read "Ford"... I knew it. Should have went with Chevy.

I've been a Chevy guy my whole life. The company I worked for had a fleet of ford trucks. They were extremely tough and dependable. So when I wanted a newer truck I bought a Ford. It's been great.
Then I needed a van because I could use it for most things my truck normally does and the van gets 20+ MPH. It's a Ford Aerostar. I'ts been an awesome ride like my truck.

Ford is the way to go. chevy sucks.

Never mind that the most popular motor EVER, the bullet proof Chevy small blocks basically kicked Fords ass.

Plus I put enough miles on my 72 Chevy pickup to go to the moon and back and they were hard miles.

I'm a Mopar guy too, Many Dodge trucks and vans are bullet proof. I had a duster with the famous slant 6. That's been called one of the best motors ever made.

[Scar]

Tax payers lost enough already to Government Motors.

[tvguy]

Tax payers lost enough already to Government Motors.

We would have lost a lot more if the auto makers would have gone out of business. A LOT of jobs depend on this industry that would have vanished. A lot of people would be drawing unemployment extensions and be on food stamps. Your favorites things right?
The auto companies are paying back the loan. And now the government is and always will be making a LOT of cash in taxes.

[Scar]

Tax payers lost enough already to Government Motors.

We would have lost a lot more if the auto makers would have gone out of business. A LOT of jobs depend on this industry that would have vanished. A lot of people would be drawing unemployment extensions and be on food stamps. Your favorites things right?
The auto companies are paying back the loan. And now the government is and always will be making a LOT of cash in taxes.

Ford survived just fine without the gov't handout and GM could have also but they chose to burden the tax payers. GM won't be paying back the 10.5 mil we lost on the stocks either.

[orygunluvr]

Ford... there's the problem. As soon as I read "Ford"... I knew it. Should have went with Chevy.

I've been a Chevy guy my whole life. The company I worked for had a fleet of ford trucks. They were extremely tough and dependable. So when I wanted a newer truck I bought a Ford. It's been great.
Then I needed a van because I could use it for most things my truck normally does and the van gets 20+ MPH. It's a Ford Aerostar. I'ts been an awesome ride like my truck.

Ford is the way to go. chevy sucks.

Never mind that the most popular motor EVER, the bullet proof Chevy small blocks basically kicked Fords ass.

Plus I put enough miles on my 72 Chevy pickup to go to the moon and back and they were hard miles.

I'm a Mopar guy too, Many Dodge trucks and vans are bullet proof.

You don't know just how true that is. The 727 transmission is also the best on the market aside from the electronic crap. It was the go to for bracket and pro stock cars at one time.

[orygunluvr]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/12/sin...latestnews

Sinkhole opens up at National Corvette Museum, swallows cars

A massive sinkhole that opened up under a Kentucky museum Wednesday morning swallowed several vintage and rare Corvettes.

The National Corvette Museum said the Bowling Green Fire Department estimates the sinkhole to be around 25-30 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

"This is going to be an interesting situation," Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode told the Bowling Green Daily News, noting that a structural engineer is at the Bowling Green facility to evaluate the damage inside its Sky Dome section.

Six of the cars in the sinkhole are owned by the museum; two others are owned by General Motors.

"It is with heavy hearts that we report that eight Corvettes were affected by this incident," the museum said in a press release.

The museum said the cars are a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder and 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil" on loan from General Motors; a 1962 Black Corvette; 1984 PPG Pace Car; 1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette; 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette; 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette and a 2009 White 1.5 Millionth Corvette.

Strode told the Courier-Journal that emergency personnel allowed museum staff to remove the only surviving 1983 Corvette, which was at risk of joining the other cars in the sinkhole.

[tvguy]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/12/sin...latestnews

Sinkhole opens up at National Corvette Museum, swallows cars

A massive sinkhole that opened up under a Kentucky museum Wednesday morning swallowed several vintage and rare Corvettes.

The National Corvette Museum said the Bowling Green Fire Department estimates the sinkhole to be around 25-30 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

"This is going to be an interesting situation," Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode told the Bowling Green Daily News, noting that a structural engineer is at the Bowling Green facility to evaluate the damage inside its Sky Dome section.

Six of the cars in the sinkhole are owned by the museum; two others are owned by General Motors.

"It is with heavy hearts that we report that eight Corvettes were affected by this incident," the museum said in a press release.

The museum said the cars are a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder and 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil" on loan from General Motors; a 1962 Black Corvette; 1984 PPG Pace Car; 1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette; 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette; 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette and a 2009 White 1.5 Millionth Corvette.

Strode told the Courier-Journal that emergency personnel allowed museum staff to remove the only surviving 1983 Corvette, which was at risk of joining the other cars in the sinkhole.

Yeah I saw that, crazy... just think some guy loaned his car to the the museum saying..... a sink hole swallowed my car?? Yeah right, you have ten seconds to go get it... ONE!

[Scar]

Oh yeah, another reason not to buy chevrolet is that they've gone gay.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index...ening.html

[tvguy]

Oh yeah, another reason not to buy chevrolet is that they've gone gay.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index...ening.html

Chevy must be making a car that's suitable for destroying Americas family values. Just think of the accessories it must have.

[Scar]

Oh yeah, another reason not to buy chevrolet is that they've gone gay.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index...ening.html

Chevy must be making a car that's suitable for destroying Americas family values. Just think of the accessories it must have.

If I had a chevrolet I would torch it and push it over a cliff. No way I would support them now or even take the chance of being seen in one of their vehicles.