On Saturday May 21, several local companies kept open house and welcomed anyone who was interested in their business. I decided to skip my 12th lesson Fret Sawing for Advanced Learners and drove straight to the Lewiszong hauling company. No regrets.
The latest member of the fleet, a 2022 DAF XG 450 FT tractor, powered by the 10.8 liter MX-11 engine. The red letters ATi stand for Advanced Turbo Intercooling, an old DAF designation, dating back to the eighties. A nice detail on a brand new tractor and model.
In the background the work shop with a grease pit. The company was established in 1973, when founder Jan Lewiszong traded a color TV for an old 6×6 dump truck, while he was still in school. And the rest is history, as they say.
In the Netherlands, any 4×2 tractor chassis in the on-highway top segment must be able to cope with a gross combination weight of 50 tons (110,000 lbs). If not, get off my lawn yard!
A 2011 DAF FTG XF 105.410 6×2/4 tractor with a 1999 Burg flatbed semi-trailer. Its bed is as flat as a flatbed can be. The Burg’s registered payload capacity is 30,490 kg (67,220 lbs).
There’s a cable-controlled steering system on the third semi-trailer axle, guided by the tractor’s fifth wheel coupling. Such a semi is typically used to transport weighty steel products.
The Lewiszong family is also known for their extensive collection of classic, heavy vehicles. I posted many of them over the past years, they were displayed at almost all events I visited.
On the left, a 2001 DAF 95XF tractor. Next in the line-up, a 2017 DAF XF 440 FT. Both share the same cab structure, originating from the 1987 F248, 95-series.
You must have noticed on which truck maker the company relies for their core-business. As for the classics, anything goes. Besides DAF, of course.
Outstanding, this 1996 Scania 143H V8 500 6×2 tractor with the Streamline aero-package and the aftermarket, Estepe raised roof. Scania’s 3-series was never offered with a factory high roof.
Not all old rides are keepers or get a full restoration after purchase. Here’s an original, 1990 Volvo F12 6×2 truck.
The Volvo teamed up with a 1969 DAF full trailer. From the days that Van Doorne also built trailers and semi-trailers. And small cars, for that matter.
Another Volvo 6×2 truck, a 1989 F16. The first heavy Volvo-series with the 16.1 liter, inline-six, introduced in 1987. With a maximum power output of 470 hp, it was an absolute brute in its days. Throughout the years, the truck maker’s biggest engine evolved into a 750 hp powerhouse.
It seems like the 1990 Pacton full trailer is missing its flatbed. But it never had a bed, it’s a dedicated 20ft shipping container carrier. Just like the Pacton, the Volvo also has twistlocks for securing a 20 ft container.
Wonderful, these two on-highway legends, recognizable from far away. Father (in red) and son, in a way. A 1976 DAF FT 2800 next to a 1972 DAF FTR 2600.
The 2800, also known as the F241-series, was introduced in 1973 and was DAF’s first flagship model with a tilt cab. Furthermore, its 11.6 liter engine was the first turbocharged truck diesel with an intercooler.
A whole fleet of classic company trucks and tractors in motion can be found on YouTube. Typing Lewiszong in the search bar is enough.
One of my favorites is this footage of an air-cooled, 1971 Magirus-Deutz 170 D 21 “Eckhauber” 6×6 dump truck. On a related note, Lewiszong’s first truck -back in 1973- was an ex-military REO with a DAF diesel, used for similar earth moving jobs.
Ranks right up there with Performance tuning your Solex carburetor!
Thanks, it’s always interesting for me to see how things are done in Europe!
Cool pics and interesting info. Thanks
Don’t fret. Everyone likes a good underdog story. Trading a color TV for a 6×6 Dump Truck then working hard and turning it into a successful company. I counted thirteen modern DAF tractors in company livery. You also mentioned an additional fleet of heavy vehicles you featured previously. That’s a quite a success. I’ll take the 96 Scania 6×2 with Streamline Aero-Package.
Just over 20 tractors now. Until 1988, it was a one-man-show. All according to their website.
And speaking of a one-man-show, here’s the founder in another role:
There’s a twist… he is singing the harmony instead of the lead… and, why not?
Thanks. I wouldn’t have had the slightest clue 🙂
I like DAFs nice trucks to drive and their intarder system is awesome downhill, Ive noticed some get chipped here for more power climbing which doesnt hurt, I’d happily go back to a DAF fleet.
The 2022 model at top is a beauty. The designers certainly channeled an idea of airflow. Wonder if the CD supports what the curves imply? The only jarring note is the arrow-straight Lewiszong logo on the front, which I would have been tempted to adjust to the curve of the panel…
The latest series of big DAFs, introduced in June 2021, features the slickest (aerodynamics-wise), safest (crash protection, driver visibility) and biggest factory tilt cab on the market.
Given the 90 km/h top speed -in real life- a more sloping/pointy front would only lead to a marginally better fuel economy and doesn’t outweigh the drawbacks.
90 km/hr? Is that the result of gearing for mountain terrain? I’m not knowledgeable about the optimal speeds for heavy hauling in Europe.
It’s the result of the speed limiter. Required in the EU since January 1, 1996. Legally and officially, anyway…
…and its exhaust dumping out down at wheel level. That was something I really noticed when I made my first trips to Europe in the early-mid ’90s: trucks that would surely have had vertical exhaust stacks in North America had ground-level tailpipes. A very unpleasant experience if you happened to be positioned just wrong in the street. »koff«
That F16 and the pictured F12 have the headlamps that should’ve gone on the ’66-’69 Dodge Darts built by Barreiros in Spain.