Red Horse

OK- I get your point- new cab from a "marketing" perspective. And likewise agree- R cab worked very well. And as a matter of fact, hate to see the CH cab go as from my perspective, as a vocational cab it it big enough. What are key dimensions to me in a vocational cab?-Headroom, Legroom and decent shoulder room. Now you get into a "large car" OTR sleeper tractor, and I guess you make the case that you have to be able to stand up, get in the sleeper without a lot of athletic ability etc as KSC pointed out. But IMO, all of that cab width is if anything a detriment in a vocational cab. Remember when International came out with the S series in the 70's/80's? The 90" BBC version had that extremely wide cab? Why? And looking at that Volvo F cab that KSC says will be the basis of the new Mack cab, looks like we are headed for a "Euro" style cab so I guess we better get used to "wide is better". So if you dump truck, mixer, logger etc drivers want to stand up to change into or out of your long johns/Carhartt coveralls you will be able to do that. Again from my perspective, most driver friendly vocational cabs were R model and Louisville.

Agree with highlight. Hate to see another American Icon bite the dust. And TeamsterGrrl_ So real world, the cab is what ? 20 years old? But is it functional? Does it have decent visibiity and driver comfort? How is the Freightliner SD cab that much better for example? As a pure vocational cab seems to me it does the trick. As a "large car" cab, maybe marginal but is that their real market? I don't think so.

For sure-my thoughts exactly! Good luck in any case-sounds like a great adventure.

Small world-that rubber block 2000D came from our Milwaukee terminal-must have been something in the air out there! Now I would bet tht 549 would/will move!

Joe-thx for education-never knew there was a "1900" based on the 2000. Only experience I ever had with that series was we had a "cast off" 2000 that had been surplused in another part of the company. NH-250, RT-910 with that rubber block suspension (Hendrickson?) good thing I was young and did not have brittle bones!

Hmnn-you sure that f-2000 has a V-8? Never thought V-8's were avail in a 2000 series. Worked my way through school working for a contractor and one of the things I drove was a B-180 powered by a 345 V-8. registered for 24,000 and would routinely gross 34,000! "5 and a 2"and that V-8 would fly!

Thx Matt-will do.

As always appreciate the great info. By the way is this new Volvo cab a variant of the current VN type or is it some offshoot of a Euro cab over??

EJ-shame on me I did not- I thought the tour guide said they came in all painted. I WILL pay closer attention this year!

I think you have a typo- that is a 1960. Total cab change in 61. The Super Duty came out in 1958 and were distinguished by an "egg crate" grill. In 59 grill was changed to horizontal bars, and the 60 was the same but had the chrome "Super Duty" script across the front of the hood. In any case if that is a current photo, nice truck for sure!

I'm sure he does-hopefully he will pick this thread up. B61Mack- I thought they came into the plant with complete paint job.

Anyone know where the Mack cabs are built, who does it, and how far that facility is from Macungie? I do believe complete cabs are delivered with final paint correct??

Good run! Glad to hear that the sons will keep it going.

Matt, How old was he? Sons running the business ?

With all due respects to Mr. Ruppert, I guess his last job was Flex marketing manager. I can't think of a poorer connection than the one they picked- what is a Tonka? A toy! This might appeal to the yuppie who is buying a 50 grand F-150 to haul his boat-or his wife's horse, but to a truck guy? I don't get it. Mr Ruppert has given the Hino, International, F'liner and Paccar class 6/7 sales guys the best tag line they need- ..."You are comparing my truck to a Tonka??? Clueless is what Ford marketing people are when it comes to anything beyond pick ups. "It's part of the language....Built like a Mack" Now THAT was a meaningful tagline-but I date myself.

All in all, you did a good job considering what COULD have happened. Just out of curiosity, what did the bill come to? I look at these guys in this neck of the woods with these triaxle hydraulic "rotators" ($500,000 investment?) and the days of a guy showing up with a Holmes 750 on a single axle and a surplus WW II tank retriever are gone. Then again a tribute to what these old boys could do-nothing like "rigging know how!" You New England guys know what I mean- Red-Art, Plunske, Joe's, Harold's etc etc.

The 6.7 Power Stroke is very quite compared to old 6.4 and 6.0. A friend of mine traded his old 6.4 250 in on a new one and he misses the "cackle"! I guess he views the noise as..."here I am, I have an oil burner"! to each his own.

As always KSC thx for the good info. Amazes me how at least in this neck of the woods, in spite of fierce loyalty to the Cat brand, I have never heard anyone have a good thing to say about these "trucks". And I always say, you could paint a pile of dog poop Cat yellow and the comments would be.."that IS the best looking dog poop I've ever seen". As to your Paccar comments on the common cab, when do the Swedes play that card with Volvo/Mack? Which of course next question becomes..."why do we have two wrappers around the same powertrains?

Neither- Hasbro! yuk yuk. I think Navistar builds them- KSC-how about it?

Yep- Just think of it-an ideal marriage between two partners who have probably more outstanding legal actions against them then the rest of the heavy truck industry combined. Gives you a warm feeling right?

Hmnn- I thought multi-plex was best thing since canned beer

Boy-if that is not JD green its very close! In any case looks like you are doing a first rate job

Good "refresher"- forgot the timelines on the demise of GM class 8. I always felt the creation of WhiteGMC was a legal tactic to keep GM from getting sued by the GMC dealer network. In any case, no different than the Diamond T/Reo/White, Brockway/Mack, Ford/Sterling/Freightliner scenrios. Next one will be Mack/Volvo ...IMO

JJN- Agree big time on Ford comment. No doubt they are hopeful that the inhouse powertrain will be very profitable and offer a very competitive package for the price buyer but I say they are missing too much of the market by not continuing to offer the ISB. OR-big "or"-, they have plans to offer the Ford Duratorque 6 at some point assuming they get it EPA compliant. And no doubt you can't go crazy with options but I think they are taking the narrow spec list to the extreme. Maybe my problem is I'm old and I remember the days of V-8 Cummins V-185/210, 555. Then again, they have a lot of 6.7 Power Strokes on the road so perhaps the class 6/7 version will be bullet proof-I hope!