OKC again...

[zasxcd]

I suppose it is a dead horse by now, but just wanted to add another fact to the situation.

When OKC happened, I remember the Feebs saying that the delivery van had been traced back to the rental company by the serial number on the rear axle that had been blown away from the area. Well, here's the truth for you. At that time, I was working on the Ford assembly line in the Mustang plant, building up the rear axles just before they were put into the cars. I have no reason to believe that Ford would have done anything different for trucks. The rear axles we handled (ALL Mustangs were built on this line) did NOT have a serial number, or any way to trace a certain axle to a certain car. If there was any identification at all, it was a for part number, and a tag that showed the differential ratio. PERIOD. Any claim that they traced a specific axle to a specific car is BS!!!

Just a quick thought, in addition. In the photos of the building, didn't I see trees still standing just a little way from where the truck supposedly blew up? So, the explosion could tear the front of the building off but couldn't even blow the leaves off of a tree the same distance away?

[SHOOTALL]

Don't mean to steal your thunder but the rental company put an ID number on major parts in case the truck was stolen and sent to a chop shop ! I seem to remember the news saying that an ID number had been use not a serial number .
They went on to explain why ! I worked in a service shop for large trucks for a short while in 1974 and many major parts had ser. numbers then . warranties were up to 500000 miles and parts needed to be traced way back then . And yes ford as well as other truck builders treat trucks different . Think about this you have a truck with a defective rear . You rent a like truck and switch rears . that's why trucks are treated different .
As far as the trees and leaves , it would depend on what was between the trees and explosion .
If the off side of the truck failed first it may have directed much of the force away from the trees , but that is a wild a-- guess at best !

[zasxcd]

OK, I stand corrected on the serial number. Thanks.

[SHOOTALL]

still to many   unanswered !

[SHOOTALL]

seems like the rental companies put the numbers on in some cases and for all i know it could be part or all the vin. number . Other companies used the ser. already on maj. parts
I have one story that might help , my dad and i used to eat breakfast in the same greasy spoon as one of the wheels at overnite trucking ,he told this story of  one of there people was on vacation in a northern city that they did not deliver to , while at a stop light a truck pulled along side and he could see a company applied ID number on the trailer . He called police and the stolen trl. was recovered .
as a side note the new trucks with computers , you can't switch computers without factory reprogramming and some parts require the same . We have a truck that has been in the shop for 3 mos. , it was struck by lighting and so far a new computer , dash cluster , sensors and wiring and the dealer can't get to run long enough to program it over the computer with ford .