NY-B61

Why wait until Spring? I know what's coming next. Thanks to all you guys, contact info in ad link. 1964 Mack B61 flat truck with convertible rack panels. Recently restored and repowered with a rebuilt Mack END673T turbo diesel - Mack 15 Speed Triplex Transmission - Full air brakes with 4-wheel Maxis - 38K suspension with 4.50 Mack rear ends - 10 new heavy duty radial tires. Converted to 12V, negative ground with alternator. Dual 50 gal. Mack step tanks with automatic crossfeed. Like new cab interior with new paint and new upholstery on factory-original seats. New leather cab roof headliner- new firewall, floor, and under seat mats - good vent windows and mechanisms in both doors. Fully functional heater, fog lights and light arrays. Never driven in rain, snow or salt - this Mack B61 is a lot of fun and can be driven anywhere. Clean title and current registration, can deliver for additional cost. http://buffalo.craigslist.org/cto/5931275807.html Thanks!

Nice pictures and scenery. Thanks!

Aw, shucks. I'll go ahead and sign up for one of those empty 2400sf stalls to park my antique truck and a couple of Barcaloungers for three days. What is MATS paying and will I have access to real food and free internet service?

Just for giggles, here's the current MATS "Application and Agreement". I have to "Apply" for a show that people are "skipping"? I don't think so. Lol! http://www.truckingshow.com/sites/docs/2016MATSExhibitorApplication.pdf

Well, golly gee, why do you suppose that is? It could be the average $25,000 stall fee MATS is charging an exhibitor for this year's 3-day event. I could pay 1/3 of an Engineer's yearly salary or hold an Annual Sales Conference for that amount. It could be that I'm obligated to use Genesis Exposition Services as the "Exclusive for rigging, sign hanging, ceiling work, etc." Who is Genesis? What is their hourly rate? Why can't I use my labor and insurance - I already pay for them? It might be that I'm obligated to have Kentucky Exhibition provide all "all utilities and drayage." I'm a truck manufacturer, I don't need your 'help', or fees, with my drayage. What am I paying for? Perhaps it's MATS' requirement that I use Levy Restaurants, "Exclusive for catering", to supply food for my staff and customers. Who is Levy Catering? What is their hourly rate? What is their markup on food and beverage? Why can't I order from Domino's? Even a Motel 6 offers free internet. Why must I pay Smart City, "Exclusive for Internet & Telecommunications", a daily fee while confined to the MATS event? What is their daily rate? How are they better than a free service? Add parking fees, overpriced hot dogs, shitty coffee, inflated hotel rates and other sundry gouges I'll experience at "The Event" and I have to ask, "What took everyone else so long to bail out?" Oh, couldn't find this info anyplace, but what does the ceremonial head of MATS pull down in the way of a salary every year? It seems like there's a lot of overhead to cover before I can even enjoy the show. Worth it? Apparently not.

Like the radiators.

Nice. Thanks!

Nice work!

Nice looking unit!

Thanks!

What a difference between before and after!!

Smart. I had to special order the 7.5's - then cut them with the pruner.

Sure, if they were competitively priced and manufactured or assembled in the United States. Will the premium price a buyer pays for this latest, greatest, newest import - even with its twin steering axles and a big engine - cost the owner more or less over the service life of the truck? Will replacement parts be manufactured in the United States? What percentage of the truck's initial price, and the costs associated with it's replacement parts manufacturing, will stay in the United States over the next 3 - 7 years?

I have 38K rears also. 7.5" caps are just a shade too small and 8's are way too big. I made two tiny, parallel cuts in the curled lip of my 7.5's with a tree limb pruner (a hacksaw would probably work ), bent the 'tab' a bit to go over and lock on the odd stud. They haven't fallen off or shifted yet. Hope this helps!

Cool pics! I like the green Pacific in the first set. Any idea of the year?

You'd worked your way through 9 gears by the time you passed the camera! Great Mack rebuild story, excellent photography and sound.

Thank you for the answers. I'll have a chance to take a closer look this weekend.

This is like truck porn.

I'm hoping our resident experts can help a relatively new guy like myself get to the bottom of this. My B61, END673T, was converted to a 12v negative ground system some time ago. I got it with a 1100 cca@32 battery which has worked fine for three years. I tried to start her the other day, the starter not spinning quite fast enough to start the engine and the battery seeming to get weaker with each try of 5 cranks/revolutions followed by a 30 second wait. I figured the battery had reached the end of it's life but Like a complete idiot I didn't meter the battery. I bought a replacement at NAPA instead, 1035 cca@32 was the closest I could find. When I cranked the engine this time, it was still slow, got progressively slower with each attempt and then I smelled smoke. The negative battery terminal had turned to molten lead and the battery casing had partially melted. As an idiot afterthought I decided to meter the original 'dying' battery and found a cheerful 12.59 volts. I should have stopped there. After reconnecting it and cranking, the same thing occured. It was the positive battery terminal that liquified this time, the stainless attaching bolt falling on the battery casing and doing the China Syndrome thing into the battery acid where it died with a sulfurous hiss. Any ideas? I had the cables connected to the correct terminals. Would a short in the starter winding cause this? Thank you!

Outstanding craftsmanship, Vlad! You enjoy what you do and it shows.

Hats off to your derangement, Steelman!

Seriously. You're putting some of us to shame!

You could serve dinner on that thing!

That is a great answer. How many first-timers, all with good intentions, have lost interest along the way once they realized the corresponding investment in time and money? Or money and time? I have a partially completed FC-170 in the garage left over from when I was deciding whether to make the leap to a real truck. I have no interest in completing it, but it's kept the garage full for four years!

Opinions is all I'm looking for. The price of scrap can fluctuate though. That's why I took labor of love out of the original equation.