Latest news with #fabrication
The Drive
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Building This Flatbed Oldsmobile Bravada Work Truck Took 500 Hours. It Shows
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The second-gen Oldsmobile Bravada was built on the Chevy S10 platform, but it was never a pickup truck. Instead, it was a badge-engineered Blazer with a slightly fancier interior. You wouldn't know that by looking at this work rig built by First Choice Fabrication in Colorado, though. Every detail on it is so well-crafted that you'd think it was a factory job, from the chopped single cab to the beautiful flat bed and steel front bumper. Of course, that's what you get when you invest roughly 500 hours in a build. First Choice Fabrication owner Loren Byers explains that it was a 'personal shop project' with no budget, and the skirted flatbed alone starts at $10,000. It's hard to even guess what the rest of the work would cost because there are so many intentional touches. My personal favorite is the big Oldsmobile logo that's worked into the headache rack, but I'm also big into the branded mud flaps. Heck, I even like the teeth on the front brush guard. First Choice Fabrication Given the extensive amount of work it took to convert the SUV to a pickup, you might wonder why he didn't start with a regular S10 pickup. 'I wasn't even planning on building it when I bought it,' Byers told me over the phone. 'Essentially, I bought it as a paperweight to park in front of my garage door at night for safety. I drove it all the way home at 80 mph, the thing had 105,000 miles on it, and it was absolutely perfectly clean except for a smashed back end.' The gap between the rear door and the roof was apparently big enough to fit your hand in. 'Water was just going to dump in there, so it started as, 'Let's just seal it up so it's not getting water in the cab. We're still going to use it as a door blocker.' Then it became a single cab, and then I said, 'I might as well build a bed for it and use it.' And then it just spiraled way out of control,' Byers added. First Choice Fabrication I love how almost every upgrade here has made the Bravada a better workhorse. The flat bed is awesome to look at, obviously, but check out the storage boxes on the sides, not to mention all the tie downs on the deck of the bed itself. Auxiliary LEDs make late-night repairs out in the field a whole lot easier, and those tow hooks would surely come in handy for pulling out stuck equipment. The truck still has a stock 4.3-liter V6 for now, but it's on its last leg. 'Unfortunately, 800 miles after I finished the project—I mean, absolutely done—the motor decided to take a crap,' Byers said. 'It was knocking and ticking and not running anymore.' The fix he has planned is simple: swap in a 5.3-liter V8 next month. That ought to really put those new BFGoodrich all-terrains to use. While you could use a small, maneuverable truck like this in lots of applications, Byers says its main job is running to the steel yard and powder-coat shop. He has a drop-in metal rack that runs from the front bumper to the back of the bed, so he can carry long materials without a trailer. Like I said before, everything here was done on purpose and for a purpose. If only every other truck were built like that. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Oprah Shamed Him. He's Back Anyway.
James Frey was, for a time, one of the most famous nonfiction writers in America. And then someone checked the facts. In 2005, Oprah Winfrey selected his memoir 'A Million Little Pieces' for her book club, only to learn soon after that he had fabricated parts of his story about drug addiction and his time in rehab. She shamed Frey on national TV for betraying the American public, and his publisher offered refunds. He was branded a villain, a fraud — and became perhaps the first canceled man this century. 'Did I lie? Yup,' he told me. 'Did I also write a book that tore people to shreds? Yeah.' Today, lies are told with gusto, while facts are distorted and erased at the speed of tapping thumbs. Just scroll on X for a bit, and the Frey affair might look like a horse and buggy that was ticketed for trotting too fast. As Frey sees it, the public has gotten increasingly comfortable with falsehoods, without getting fully comfortable with him. He finds it all a bit absurd. 'I just sit in my castle and giggle,' he said. This month, he attempts a comeback of sorts: He's publishing a novel that centers on a swingers party and a murder. It features energetic sex scenes, rich-people shenanigans and eccentric punctuation. (Frey believes quotation marks are inauthentic.) He's hoping that his past fabrications, seen in the contemporary glare of the iPhone light, might not look quite as offensive as they once did. After all, the public has lately reconsidered former outcasts for far worse. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Wasco launches UAE fabrication yard, expands capacity to meet modular infrastructure demand
DUBAI — Wasco Energy, the Energy Services division of Bursa Malaysia-listed Wasco Berhad, has officially launched a new fabrication yard in the Jebel Ali Free Zone ('JAFZA'), United Arab Emirates ('UAE'), strengthening its modular engineering and fabrication capabilities to support energy and industrial infrastructure projects across the Middle East and beyond. Spanning 25,000 square metres with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes, the new facility is designed to fabricate process modules, Pre-Assembled Unit/ Pre-Assembled Rack ('PAU/PAR') units, gas compressor packages, substations, and E-Houses for both onshore and offshore applications. Its strategic location near one of the world's busiest ports enhances Wasco's ability to execute high-volume modular projects with greater efficiency and speed. 'This expansion is not just about scaling capacity, it's about positioning Wasco closer to our clients and the region's dynamic energy ecosystem,' said Shan Karupiah, Chief Executive Officer of Wasco Energy. 'With this new UAE facility, we are better equipped to deliver high-quality, customised, and modular solutions with speed, precision, and engineering depth.' Backed by a global team of over 600 in-house engineers, Wasco Energy offers end-to-end modular solutions—from Front-end Engineering Design ('FEED') to fabrication and final delivery—leveraging multidisciplinary expertise and proven execution capabilities. The facility is built to international Health, Safety, and Environment ('HSE') standards, incorporating stringent safety protocols and a strong zero-incident culture. The UAE yard complements Wasco's existing fabrication hubs in Batam (Indonesia) and Telok Panglima Garang (Malaysia), and pipe coating plants in Qatar, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Tanzania—reinforcing the Group's global infrastructure delivery network. Aligned with the UAE's In-Country Value ('ICV') programme, the new yard also advances local industrial development by promoting domestic content and strengthening regional supply chains. 'Our expanding global footprint underscores Wasco's commitment to executional excellence,' Shan added. 'This strategic expansion enhances our ability to service both regional and global projects with tailored engineering solutions that address the complex demands of today's energy landscape.' Wasco extended its appreciation to Mr. Abdulla Al Hashmi, Chief Operating Officer, Parks & Zones, DP World GCC; Ms. Ebtesam Alkaabi, Vice President, JAFZA Sales; and Mr. Saoud AlAwadhi, Director of Sales, for their support in establishing the facility. Mr. Al Hashmi welcomed Wasco's investment and reaffirmed JAFZA's commitment to long-term collaboration. About Wasco Berhad Founded in 1999, Wasco Berhad ( is a leading provider of energy infrastructure solutions with operations in over 14 countries. The Group operates through two key divisions: Energy Services and Bioenergy Services. Its Energy Services Division delivers advanced pipe coating, corrosion protection, modular fabrication, and EPC solutions to conventional and renewable energy sectors. Wasco is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia (KLSE: WASCO), is a member of the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index, and a signatory of the UN Global Compact. Issued by Wasco Berhad. For media enquiries, please contact Juliana Jamaluddin ( or Elinar Yasmeen (
Irish Times
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Clint Eastwood calls viral interview a fabrication: ‘Completely phony'
Clint Eastwood has released a statement to claim a recent interview with him is a fabrication. Quotes from an alleged interview with the Oscar -winning actor and director had gone viral over the weekend and were picked up by a number of sites. Yet Eastwood says he never spoke to anyone from German-language Austrian newspaper Kurier. 'A couple of items about me have recently shown up in the news,' Eastwood said in a statement released to Deadline. 'I thought I would set the record straight. I can confirm I've turned 95. I can also confirm that I never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phoney.' Eastwood, who turned 95 over the weekend, had been originally quoted as being in pre-production on his new movie and had rallied against 'an era of remakes and franchises'. READ MORE Kurier is based in Vienna and has a circulation of approximately 100,000 copies. There is no official statement from Kurier or any details on how the interview was assembled. [ Show Clint Eastwood some respect. His new film Juror #2 is no dud Opens in new window ] Eastwood's most recent film Juror #2, which starred Nicholas Hoult, was released at the end of last year with no confirmed word on what his next film will be. In an interview to support the film with the Metrograph magazine, he addressed his legacy as a film-maker. 'That would be up to them, to the audiences, to answer,' he said. 'Up to the people on the outside. I just kind of go along. I consider this, again, emotional. It comes upon you. You have a story, you make a movie of it. You have to just go for it. If you think too much about how it happened you might ruin it. I go back and look at films I've made, and I could easily ask, 'Why the heck did I make this?' I don't remember! It might have been a long time ago.' Eastwood recently paid tribute to costar Gene Hackman after Hackman's death in February. 'There was no finer actor than Gene,' he said. 'Intense and instinctive. Never a false note.' 'He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.'
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Clint Eastwood calls viral interview a fabrication: ‘Completely phony'
Clint Eastwood has released a statement to claim a recent interview with him is a fabrication. Quotes from an alleged interview with the Oscar-winning actor and director had gone viral over the weekend and were picked up by a number of sites. Yet Eastwood has now said that he never spoke to anyone from German-language Austrian newspaper Kurier. 'A couple of items about me have recently shown up in the news,' Eastwood said in a statement released to Deadline. 'I thought I would set the record straight. I can confirm I've turned 95. I can also confirm that I never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phony.' Eastwood, who turned 95 over the weekend, had been originally quoted as saying he was in pre-production on his new movie and had rallied against 'an era of remakes and franchises'. Kurier is based in Vienna and has a circulation of approximately 100,000 copies. There is no official statement from Kurier or any details on how the interview was assembled. Eastwood's most recent film Juror #2, which starred Nicholas Hoult, was released at the end of last year with no confirmed word on what his next film will be. In an interview to support the film with the Metrograph magazine, he addressed his legacy as a film-maker. 'That would be up to them, to the audiences, to answer,' he said. 'Up to the people on the outside. I just kind of go along. I consider this, again, emotional. It comes upon you. You have a story, you make a movie of it. You have to just go for it. If you think too much about how it happened you might ruin it. I go back and look at films I've made, and I could easily ask, 'Why the heck did I make this?' I don't remember! It might have been a long time ago.' Eastwood had recently paid tribute to co-star Gene Hackman after Hackman's death in February. 'There was no finer actor than Gene,' he said. 'Intense and instinctive. Never a false note.' He added: 'He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.'
