1992 Chevrolet S-10 Pick-up Truck on 2040-cars

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Train derailment leaves Jeep, GMC, Chevy pickups damaged in Nevada

An unfortunate train derailment is causing some inevitable delays for pickup truck customers west of Nevada. Yesterday morning, 33 train cars derailed in Lincoln County, and the cargo that was being transported consisted of new Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers along with Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras, judging from the photos released by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The train derailment also caused the adjacent road to be closed, and local law enforcement recommends the area is to be avoided as long as it takes to clean it all up. In the photos, damaged Jeeps and other trucks sit either on their wheels or shiny-side-down as the incident is being assessed. Available information says there were thankfully no personal injuries, but itÂ’s not likely any of these trucks will end up in customer hands, even with a significant discount. Pre-registration transport damage, significant or not, has often resulted in scrapping complete vehicles so that manufacturers can steer clear of liability issues. Hooniverse.com, which also reported on the incident, notes a couple of interesting things. Firstly, the upended Gladiator seems to have a pretty sturdy support structure for its glasshouse, thanks to its new rollbars. Another matter is that the GM trucks, also pictured, wear discreet and temporary transport steel wheels instead of fancier items, perhaps to deter thieves eager to grab a shiny set from trucks on their way to the dealer. Still, itÂ’s a shame these vehicles could never fulfill their hauling purposes in the hands of new owners. Perhaps the manufacturers can at least use the damage for data-gathering purposes. Related Video:    

GM announces net 220 job increase as Trump visits Michigan

GM announced today that about 900 jobs would be added (or, importantly, retained) ahead of President Trump's arrival in Michigan, where he is expected to discuss his plan to roll back fuel economy standards. The timing of the announcement is almost certainly not coincidental, as appending it to a Trump visit gives it a higher profile and dovetails with the President's jobs agenda. It's less likely the decision itself was made for those reasons, but the free PR boost is a nice bonus. As for those 900 jobs themselves, they aren't all new jobs. The only net gain is approximately 220 jobs at the Romulus Powertrain Plant, which produces the 10-speed automatic transmission that's proliferating through the company's lineup. The 180 jobs at Flint Assembly and 500 jobs at Lansing Delta Township are retained jobs – that is to say, spots the company found for workers who would otherwise have been laid off. By the way, the Flint jobs will help with production of heavy-duty pickups, and the Lansing jobs are to produce the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. Finding jobs for manufacturing workers in the auto sector, whether new or retained, is admirable. No matter how GM couches it, the company has created or retained a total of 7,000 jobs this year, and its total reinvestment in US production is around $1 billion. But these decisions are business ones, not political ones – timing the announcements to make them seem inspired by economic policy, or the political situation, is simply smart PR. Related Video: Image Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Celebrities Government/Legal Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GMC

Corvette owner finds stolen car, but can't get it back [w/video]

It's not too uncommon to hear about owners being reunited with their stolen cars decades after reporting them missing. The story of Terry Dietrich in Georgia starts that way with police finding her lost 1972 Chevrolet Corvette after over 40 years. However, this case takes a different turn because unless she wants to bid on it, Dietrich's likely not getting the 'Vette back. Just six months after purchasing it in 1972, Dietrich's blue Corvette was stolen in Georgia, and in 1975 the sports car found its way to a man in North Carolina. He kept the car right up until his death just a few months ago, and that's when restorer Gary Green bought the 'Vette from his widow, according to Yahoo Autos. Unfortunately, after acquiring the Corvette, Green found some major discrepancies. For one thing, the listed VIN pointed to a '69 convertible, and there was a different serial number on the frame. Green reported the problem to the local police, and they figured out it was the 'Vette Dietrich lost over four decades ago. Consequently, the cops impounded it. The issue now arises that while Dietrich is the victim of the theft, she isn't technically the car's last legal owner. After the Corvette was stolen, she reported the crime to her insurance company, and it paid on the claim, which essentially forfeited her ownership. To make matters slightly more confusing the company can't find the title on the 'Vette either, according to Yahoo Autos. That leaves the well preserved 'Vette sitting in a police impound lot. It will likely go to auction.