harrybarbon

Some pics from Mack Melbourne Australia - 100 years celebration 16 Nov 2019

Here are some parked Mason Dixon B models - I recall reading somewhere that because Mason Dixon had big orders, Mack built custom B models to Mason's specifications - these seem to be similar to the B67 models, short hoods however with the alloy radiator and the straight rear cab wall - whereas I read that usually the B67 had the concave cab and the steel radiator cowl with vertical shutters. And from the pictures it is hard to see what motors were in Mason's B models, possibly not the V8 - 864's, so likely a 6 cyl Mack motor that sat back into the cabin. I remember seeing a B 67 here in Aust with the concave cab and vertical shutters. I recall the passenger seat was factory cut out like a quarter circle, for the two gear sticks because the engine was set back into the cab, so the gear sticks were further back and so the seat was modified for the gear sticks - the driver of this B67 complained of the tight space, as he changed gears his elbow hit the rear banana cab wall. And somehow this driver, about 6 feet, actually managed to curl up and sleep in the cab. And the green B model could be a Mason Dixon unit, red paint under the green and same square fuel tanks and red frame

2 pictures of a 56 B75 with the same cowl and vertical shutters as the B43 and B61. When was this alloy radiator with horizontal shutters, that is on the B73 and B75 series, (and B615) introduced by Mack? It was before the B615 which were available approx 1962 and ended 1964 or 65 - B615 was a short production period. If the yellow Mack B75 is a a guide, then alloy radiator was maybe after 1956!!!

Thank you Vlad for a story of successful improvising, where there is a will there is a solution. And your English as second (you may even speak more) language!!! You mentioned 25 years ago, so is that 25 and possibly more years that Macks have been imported into Russia? Do you have knowledge of when the first Macks came into Russia and did they come via a European country or new direct from USA or Canada? Here in Australia our media reported 25 years ago and before, that there was no such trade into Russia on account of the cold war. And that is what I remember from my school teachers as well. Now I am not convinced that we were correctly informed by our teachers!

Brocky The finished pictures were at Castlemaine truck show Nov 2016, soon after Ian's team completed the truck. The unpainted bare cab was around 2013, kind of lost track of time, our Mack took about 17 years, from start to finish, time seemed to pass us by and being a custom job, the end was nothing like what we originally started. That was same for Ian's Princess Diana, Diamond T - not time wise, but what was planned and what Ian completed. When you guys were at Ian's after Alice Springs and then Tony Champion's, Ian's team then put in a big effort to get it finished for Castlemaine, always a mad rush to finish, but it happened with lots of goodwill and passion. We are going to Gatton, Queensland with our Mack for the 100 years of Mack in Australia - 28 & 29 September 2019, should be a big popular Doggie show.

This is also the R model clutch pedal and yes standard right side drive, the reverse should apply for LHD. We fitted the complete R model steering with adjusting slide in/out and clutch system, all mounted to reinforced lower B cab dash board - all works perfectly. These are our work in progress with R model steering system, a bit dark but should give you an idea. Also here is Mert Huberts B75 with the the standard B75 steering system that you may want to consider, you should be able to find a B 75 steering system - maybe try contact Kevin All, he has a good stock supply. And here are 3 pics of the Outlaw B75 steering column and an original B75 B 75 green 8.bmp B 75 green 6.bmp B 75 green 8.bmp

here is a couple of pictures of R model steering column in B model, copy the pictures and then open them through microsoft office so you can zoom in close to get a good clear vision, you won't get a clear picture if you just zoom in.

Oh, I grew up around Jimmys, their V8's have their sweet sound, however I agree with AZB, all Mack V8's - on another level of ..., like Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound, no music comes close - play loud Righteous Bros - You've lost that loving feeling - Mack V8 raw power!!! especially if coming out of 8 inch straits

Thank you, we are thinking of a colour plan for our V8 Valueliner and this R model green colour matches our classic doggie, something to think about for a while yet.

Please J, do you have any more pictures of this beaut Mack with the hood closed, I would like to see it with the complete truck, thank you

Please Brocky or any other reader - can you explain why trucks in the 1960/70's era the front bumpers were cut off both sides of the frame, like the C model?

You can try applying with roller or brush, on the rear panel, it washes with water and you would only need a small quantity of LS. It is worth an experiment. We applied the Sound control first and then the LS on top to every panel that is an external panel with paint finish. Definitely the underside of floor panel and the fire wall, do the engine side if you can do it. On hot day after running our truck, I feel no heat on the floor carpet, we have carpet direct on the steel floor, there is no underlay, the floor carpet directly above transmission was cool and same on the fire wall. Bob Call told me that they did an experiment with 2 Safeway 48 foot refrigerator trailers in AZ or nearby on a very hot day around 95-100 F. Identical vans, trucks and exactly same products loaded in the 2 vans. The roof of 1 van had LS applied to the external roof top, the other van did not have the LS. Both trucks ran the same trip to various stores for deliveries over an 8 hour shift and all daytime under the hot sun, both had the same temperature settings for cooling inside the vans. They had test equipment in both vans. The results were that the van painted with LS had a 35% reduction in fuel usage for the frig motor and both vans had same internal cold temps maintained, because the LS van motor worked less than the non LS van. Apart from motor vehicle usage, LS is great for securing air conditioning duct joints, for homes, offices and vehicles, normally we wrap duct tape around the joints to hold the 2 sections. After a time with hot and cold the duct tape dries and degrades and it lets go, and with air pressure the ducts separate. That happened to us the tape came off. I rejoined the ducts, reapplied new duct tape and then ran over the duct tape with thin coat of LS by brush covering all the tape. Repair now 5 years and duct joint is perfect. Also good for insulating around recessed lighting to stop heating inside the ceiling for fire risk.

May I add a light heart comment to the mix, Malatesta is an Italian surname, not uncommon, and the translation is something like Sickhead, (please that it is an "S") Sorehead or Headache, being Mala is Sick/Sore and Testa is head. I student at my primary school was Tony Malatesta.

AZB, the guy who invented the Lizard skin, Bob Call, was from Arizona. I spoke to Bob a number of times to get to understand the product, real friendly and happy to talk about his history building hot rods from age 13 and he said that insulation was the only area of vehicle development that had not really progressed. That was his motive to find a better way and he found it from the space shuttle. Bob told me he bought up to 100 new fry pans for the annual national hot rod show. He performed the fry pan test throughout the show for 7 days. He would paint a thin cover of LS onto the fry pan inside base, allow it to dry, which it did quickly, then he turned on the electric power and let the pan heat to maximum temp. Bob would then place his hand flat on the inside of the fry pan base, just like the story in the bible. And no heat on the base. He said people thought he was faking it, so he got them to test the fry pans and then do their own hand tests and they were convinced of the LS. When we first got the LS we did the same test as Bob, to test Bob's product for ourselves, but with 1 step in between, we painted all of the pan inside, bottom and sides with the LS. Left the LS to dry about 45 minutes. Then we added water about half full in the pan and left the fry pan heating for nearly 1 hour at full temp, with the lid on, the water remained cool, never heated. So then we removed the water, let the pan heat for 30 minutes on full heat, then did the hand palm test and no heat came through the LS. Yes you are correct, once applied it stays on for ever. We have applied all the undersides of our B 75, including the underside of the aluminium hood. Tapping the hood and doors with knuckles, it sounds like tapping fiberglass. And great for under/inside the fenders to absorb/reduce road noise, the stones don't chip the LS on the inside of the fenders.

Have you considered Sound control and lizard skin instead of the dynamate? And they are also excellent for the inside of the doors, especially on inside of lower door for rust. Both SC and LS fill all the joints and voids to form a permanent and flexible seal. And you apply to the underside of your hood and fenders to reduce road noise

Excellent idea as I have noted to you re the Lizard skin. Don't forget after all metal is primed, clean to remove any oil or similar on primed metal, then first apply the sound control and then apply the lizard skin. Both products are made by the LS company. And make sure you spray both products into all the corners, tubes, weld joints etc, because the 2 products will result in a 100% sealing of all the joints to prevent moisture getting in and through - the other stick on type products are not designed to do what LS does - and do both sides of the cab floor and the fire wall.

When I have bought parts from USA, I have asked supplier to forward by US mail and it has been very reasonable and quick - 3 days. When the supplier has shipped via UPS - open the cheque book. So maybe consider Aust post to send to USA, I think it would be lot cheaper than UPS An R model hood would be expensive to ship, because it would have to go into a shipping container, although depending where the container has to go, we ship 1000's of empty containers out of Aust to rest of the world, heard a box to China was around $50 Aus

There is a company here in Aus that makes fiberglass r - model, superliner 1 & 2 and Aus Valueliner fender flares - $Aus 300 plus delivery for the pair and includes rubbers and stainless steel fasteners,

as you can see they were stopped on side of road, as they drove off - it was symphony played on an organ with 2 TUBES and 18 keys

Aussie Valueliner - Mack V8 - E9/500 possibly 1988, straight pipes, picture taken Sept 2018, Dalby Queensland, returning home to Brisbane after delivering heavy load in central Queensland

Aluminium Bull bars designed to wrap around the shape of our Aussie Mack Valueliners

An update, I checked the web site www.hars.org.au and found this is the museum located at Albion Park 1 hour south of Sydney, it was and continues to be the owner of the Connie and yes it continues to fly. John Travolta has donated his 707 to HARS. Interesting site for aircraft followers to do some reading

We visited Longreach, Queensland, 2015, there is the amphibious biplane, the Qantas 707 that was converted to a private jet, used by Michael Jackson and other entertainers used, the interior remains as converted for private use, all dark wood and various rooms, very basic - it was sitting at an airfield in England for many years wasting away and a group of former and then current Qantas pilots and engineers worked for more than 6 months to get it air worthy for flight to Australia, it flew from UK to Canada across USA and John Travolta flew his Qantas 707 side by side on the flight to LA, then it flew to Sydney and later to Longreach where it remains today. The Qantas 747 - 200 remains exactly as it was retired as a complete passenger jet, nothing has been altered nor removed, it's flight to Longreach required precise planning for fuel load and weather conditions for the flight because the short runway, every foot of the runway was used for it's final flight. The other plane is a DC3 and it has no seats because it's interior was converted for freight work. There was a Qantas Super Connie that was based I recall at the Richmond air base out of Sydney or the outer Brisbane air base, which was restored by a group of Qantas pilots and engineers some time before 2007, this Connie was at the 2007 Avalon Australia air show, I went into this Connie at the 2007 show and spoke to Qantas pilots and engineers who operated this Connie. There is no information where this Connie is today, maybe the foundation that owned it has sold it and now it is no longer in Australia. It had the flying kangaroo on the rudders and inside it was fitted out with the Qantas livery, all seats and catering equipment, complete as original. 41 Chevy do you know any information of where this Connie may be located today? And there is a salvaged Connie (from Manila) that is being restored at Longreach, there is no information to indicate that this Connie will be a flying aircraft. None of the Longreach aircraft have flown since they were taken/flown to Longreach.

Sound experienced advice about E-9 engines and set up is hard to come by, worth serious consideration, I have been talking to an experienced Mack guy, he has a long history and his advice is same as Kscarbel2 - he also says that E-9's should be run as set up at the factory and cared for properly as well - then you get a long happy use

Ian Lee is excellent and very fair man, I recommend his repo badges etc, I have seen his guys working on the bagdes and the chrome guy is also good, the chrome guy redid our post behind the cab to hang the air lines and trailer lights socket - he copper plates the parts before chroming, the chrome lasts unlike many cheap poor quality chromers