GM Buying Chrysler?

[AllianceDiesel]

huh everything I have heard about the aisin and the 68re is that they will make the allison look like the 46re, and I have heard from many chevy mechanics that the allisons are junk and they really aren't a true allison, just like a hemi isn't a true hemi.

 

[DavidC]

I read somewhere that the allison is overrated. It is built to the required diesel HP and torque. If you start increasing those numbers on a stock transmission you will spend some time at the transmission shop.



Dave

 

[Bob4x4]

I go to Church with a guy who is high on the engineering team food chain at the Indy Allison plant. He told me that they were working with Cummins and Dodge on the Cummins-Allison combo, but Dodge or Cummins backed out. He also told me that the Aisin AS68RC is a LTC1000 knock off, and they are ******. Aisin was in on the project to build the TCs, got what they wanted and built their trans off what they learned from Allison.

Years back I heard the Allison was tested for the CTD but had too much in parasitic power loss to be a viable option.

I have yet to see a 68 fail,and I see CTDs at least 6 days a week :-laf



Bob

 

[AHarris]

Nissan Titan or Ram

I've head some rumblings about Nissan wanting to discontinue their unsuccessful Titan and instead re-badge the Dodge Ram. If this deal goes through, here's what I think will happen:



1. Dodge Rams will either be discontinued by GM or Nissan will buy the truck line and the rights to sell the Cummins in HD version. GM doesn't have the room for two truck lines and they sure won't get rid of their own... so unless Nissan or someone else takes the truck line over, the Dodge Ram is dead.

2. Minivans and Jeeps will carry on. GM doesn't have a minivan that is worth a hoot. Agree with previous poster on this and his prediction that the Jeeps will carry on without the "crossover crap" Patriot/Caliber/Compass lines... those will bite the dust.

3. Chrysler cars such as the awesome 300 series and lamo Sebring will be history

4. The Dakota and Durango/Aspen could end up being picked up by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi already sells a re-badged Dakota as the "Raider"

5. Dodge cars such as the awesome Charger and lame Avenger will go away

6. Someone will buy the Viper line and sell that as a custom sports car

7. Who knows with the new Dodge Challenger... GM just released the new Camaro... could it end up becoming the next Firebird??



If this merger happens, it's the eventual end of Chrysler... I had my suspicions when Cerebrus and Nardelli took 80% of Chrysler. Now GM just wants Chrysler's cash pile so it can stay afloat. Wish Chrysler would have not gotten involved with the Germans back in the late 90s and maybe it would be better off now. Daimler wrung what they could out of Chrysler, neglected it, and then dumped it when they saw storm clouds on the horizon.



What a damn shame!

 

[AllianceDiesel]

it has already been announced that dodge is building the titan and nissan is building a car for dodge

 

[raksasa]

GM shares rose more than 6 percent after sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the U. S. automaker and private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management have resolved the major issues in a proposed GM-Chrysler merger.

I think they wanted this done before the election... not much chance of that happening.

 

[Ncostello]

You can't undo 100 years of brand rivalry. GM will not allow Dodge trucks to be called "best in class" anything with GM trucks in competition. Can't happen. So... expect the Ram lineup to dissapear. Jeep will be spared as its an icon in and of its own. Chrysler cars/vans might be spared to an extent since buyers of such don't always do head to head comparisons like truck owners do.



But I fully expect to see the demise of Ram trucks if GM takes over. Its like having matter and anti-matter in the same room.



Now... I do see the new F-250, 350, 450, 550/Cummins available in the fall of 2010 from all this once GM tells Cummins how much to get out of this "dodge" contract? Probably with an Allison option since GM no longer controls Allison. And a 6-speed manual. Then watch F-SuperDutys become the king of the hill overnight. Cummins would be selling more engines and Ford would roll over GM trucks like a midnight express.



JMO.

 

[kenny61]

Treasury says no aid for GM, Chrysler - Oct. 31, 2008

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

But I fully expect to see the demise of Ram trucks if GM takes over. Its like having matter and anti-matter in the same room.

Looks to me like it's just a matter of time until Dodge goes the way of the Studebaker and Packard - what we're seeing now are just the "death quivers" before Rigor Mortis sets in and the bones are picked clean...

 

[HBarlow]

You can't undo 100 years of brand rivalry. GM will not allow Dodge trucks to be called "best in class" anything with GM trucks in competition. Can't happen. So... expect the Ram lineup to dissapear. Jeep will be spared as its an icon in and of its own. Chrysler cars/vans might be spared to an extent since buyers of such don't always do head to head comparisons like truck owners do.

But I fully expect to see the demise of Ram trucks if GM takes over. Its like having matter and anti-matter in the same room.

Now... I do see the new F-250, 350, 450, 550/Cummins available in the fall of 2010 from all this once GM tells Cummins how much to get out of this "dodge" contract? Probably with an Allison option since GM no longer controls Allison. And a 6-speed manual. Then watch F-SuperDutys become the king of the hill overnight. Cummins would be selling more engines and Ford would roll over GM trucks like a midnight express.

JMO.

I don't think so. It would take Ford much longer than a year to reengineer their frames and bodies to allow a longer inline 6 real diesel engine to be fitted and would also have to beef up or purchase stronger driveline components to handle the torque of the mighty Cummins. By comparison, the 6. 4 Navistar is weak engine that doesn't produce torque until it it wound to higher rpm. I don't think the Allison 1000 offered in GM pickups can handle the torque of the Cummins engine either.

 

[AllianceDiesel]

Thank You Dodge Gods, Please Keep This Going

 

[Grizzly]

You can't undo 100 years of brand rivalry. GM will not allow Dodge trucks to be called "best in class" anything with GM trucks in competition. Can't happen. So... expect the Ram lineup to dissapear. Jeep will be spared as its an icon in and of its own. Chrysler cars/vans might be spared to an extent since buyers of such don't always do head to head comparisons like truck owners do.



But I fully expect to see the demise of Ram trucks if GM takes over. Its like having matter and anti-matter in the same room.



Now... I do see the new F-250, 350, 450, 550/Cummins available in the fall of 2010 from all this once GM tells Cummins how much to get out of this "dodge" contract? Probably with an Allison option since GM no longer controls Allison. And a 6-speed manual. Then watch F-SuperDutys become the king of the hill overnight. Cummins would be selling more engines and Ford would roll over GM trucks like a midnight express.



JMO.

I don't see any of this happening. Dodge, Chrysler and Cummins will survive and stay together.



Ford will never pick up the Cummins because they will not retool the F series to handle the longer and higher torque engine. I agree with Harvey 100%.



Lets not push the panic button, we will survive.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Ford will never pick up the Cummins because they will not retool the F series to handle the longer and higher torque engine.

Ford may never pick up the Cummins as their base engine - but sure didn't have any frame design problems when they supplied Cummins 5. 9 and CAT as options in their 550/650 series trucks...

 

[DavidC]

I personally would not like the idea of installing an overhead crane in the garage so I could lift the cab off to work on the engine. I drive an 08 350 ford service truck at work and although I have had the hood open a few times I still haven't seen an engine. I do have to keep adding diesel to the tank so it must be going somewhere. The avg. mileage to date hangs betweem 10-12.



Dave

 

[HBarlow]

Ford may never pick up the Cummins as their base engine - but sure didn't have any frame design problems when they supplied Cummins 5. 9 and CAT as options in their 550/650 series trucks...

A Cat or Cummins engine has never been installed in a Ford F-550. The Cummins was/is an option in the F-650/750 which is an entirely different truck.

 

[HBarlow]

I don't see any of this happening. Dodge, Chrysler and Cummins will survive and stay together.

Ford will never pick up the Cummins because they will not retool the F series to handle the longer and higher torque engine. I agree with Harvey 100%.

Lets not push the panic button, we will survive.

I think Grizzly is wise to suggest that we relax and wait. Speaking doom and gloom may be unnecessary and won't help us anyway.

I don't remember seeing any sales and profit numbers but I would guess that the Dodge Ram has been very profitable for Chrysler since 1994. I suppose a buyer could extinguish the brand to eliminate competition for their inferior product but it would be hard for me to understand why a manufacturer would dump a profitable line. Most of us loyal diehard Dodge Cummins owners would probably run out and buy a new one before production ends or continue driving the one we have now. I have no interest whatsoever in a lousy GM truck.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

A Cat or Cummins engine has never been installed in a Ford F-550. The Cummins was/is an option in the F-650/750 which is an entirely different truck.

I thought so too - until I personally SAW one in a Ford 550 badged tow truck over on the Oregon coast a few years back. Don't know the specifics as to how or where the tow truck operator got it, not a conversion, OEM, but there it was, just the same. I've heard a few other reports of guys also seeing one, so I'm not alone! Looked just like an ordinary Ford 550 - but the B 5. 9 was undeniable... From that time, others too have insisted there's no such animal - wish I had taken pictures...

 

[amsoilman]

As per the Ford Site, (Ford Motor Company: Cars, Trucks, SUVs, Hybrids, Parts - Ford) the only Ford trucks that have the Cummins/Cat option is the 650/750 or bigger units.



The trannies offered in those truck is an Allison 2000, not the Allison 1000 that is in the GM vehicles.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

As per the Ford Site, (Ford Motor Company: Cars, Trucks, SUVs, Hybrids, Parts - Ford) the only Ford trucks that have the Cummins/Cat option is the 650/750 or bigger units.



The trannies offered in those truck is an Allison 2000, not the Allison 1000 that is in the GM vehicles.

YUP - I know - that's why the one I, and several others have seen is strange. Wonder if there might have been some sort of limited, trial production at some point in Ford's truck history?



The one I saw was over in the Coos Bay area, probably close to 7 years ago - probably no one living there in this group that might have more info. In any event, it sure wasn't a regular production item at any point it seems. If it was, the Dodge-hating Cummins lovers would probably have lined up to buy one! :-laf

 

[HBarlow]

I thought so too - until I personally SAW one in a Ford 550 badged tow truck over on the Oregon coast a few years back. Don't know the specifics as to how or where the tow truck operator got it, not a conversion, OEM, but there it was, just the same. I've heard a few other reports of guys also seeing one, so I'm not alone! Looked just like an ordinary Ford 550 - but the B 5. 9 was undeniable... From that time, others too have insisted there's no such animal - wish I had taken pictures...

Gee, who would have thought that Ford would build just one Ford F-550 with a Cummins engine.