joemac

If it seems too good to be true... The guy wouldn't return my calls. In the meantime. I managed to locate the original model 17 beacon for the truck. I gathered info and found a storage spot. I finally got him on the phone yesterday morning. He denies ever making a deal with me. He says I must have misunderstood. The reality is that he changed his mind and doesn't have the balls to tell me. He offered me one of the rusty L models, instead. I dissociate myself from people I cannot trust. It's over. The big carrot routine: tease me with something and give me something to look forward to and to daydream about. Then take it away. Life sucks. Now I'm faced with the challenge of not feeling anger whenever I see a photo of a Mack C.

Looking for a hood prop for a '37 International D-40. I'm also trying to find the correct bumper grommets. Someone ordered them from Outback in Spokane and received the wrong ones. I think they're for a D-3 pickup. I've asked on the Old IHC forum, but I thought I'd ask here and contact a different group... increase my chances.

I had a great time, until my back said, "enough!". I can't stand or walk for any length of time before it starts to bother me. Some days are worse than others. I always go to these events without expectations. I didn't find the '37 International hood prop I need, but I wasn't expecting to. I did score a pair of old-style bulldog side profile emblems that will clean up nicely, as well as an early 30s vintage MACK badge, all three for $50. I was happy with that. Also managed to find a clean, but non-functioning speedo for $5.00. Worst case scenario is that I can't get it working and it becomes a nice looking ornament. Snagged a twenty-pound C02 extinguisher for my son's pickup, with suitable bracket- $25 for the pair. He was washing his car when I arrived and took a short break to make the exchange for the cash. Came home at a leisurely pace and did some yardwork, took a nap and started cleaning up my newly acquired parts. All in all, a very good day.

I don't know, Yardo. I vaguely remember traveling with a few guys up to your area one Saturday in our '58C. I only recall that there were a few trucks in a field drafting from a stream or a pond. They might have been testing pumps or just goofing off, shooting streams into the air. I had only joined a few months earlier, so it was still kind of new to me. I think one of the other trucks was from Hatfield, another, newer C. It was a long ride back to Oreland in the cab of the C, with Howard driving. Or maybe it was Len. As I said, I vaguely remember it. It was, after all, 46 years ago. I do remember seeing Bryn Athen rigs in the shop on Lorraine Avenue, though. I used to wonder where some of those towns were... Exotic sounding places; LaMott, Fairless Hills, Ogontz...

An interesting item that nets precious little info on the interwebz is the A&W Pressure Computer. It's a nifty little add-on that quickly computes the settings on the pump to arrive at a given quantity according to the chosen parameters. I've only found an ad for the computer on eBay. The Oreland pumper I'm hoping to acquire has one mounted on the pump panel and if I remember correctly (hey, it happens!), it's back-lit. The first photo shows it mounted to the upper right-hand corner of the pump panel.

Thanks Randy, but there are two points to address; 1) DOT 5 Brake juice is the silicone-based stuff. It's not corrosive and I've seen it do wonders with plastic that was badly faded. The treatment lasts about a year. 2) I want to keep the truck and everything that's on/in it, original, if at all possible. That's THE hose that I personally pulled countless times at kitchen cabinet fires and car-be-ques, trash fires and grass fires. Back in the old days, when we arrived at the scene of a 'smoke showing', I grabbed the booster and the side-mounted pick-head and got ready. I cleaned that hose every time it got pulled on its spool-up and prepped it when it was parade time. The Supplee Brothers ran a tight ship and that hose had better be clean and neatly spooled.That's not just any booster hose. As a side note, we've managed to track down the original Federal Beacon model 17 that Barto switched out. I'm waiting to find out why. It's currently disassembled into three pieces and I'm just itching to get going with the polish on it. I'm hoping to find the original front running lights, speedo and rear intercom.

Does anyone know a sure-fire method of restoring the red to aged, pink booster hose? DOT 5 brake fluid? I think removing the thin outer layer of oxidized rubber would be the first step, but how?

Are B and C model dash gauges the same? I need an original speedo and water temp gauge for a C. Thanks in advance. This is what's currently installed and this will never do. The water temp gauge is stuck at 125 degrees.

Is the flea market only on Sunday, or is it also Saturday?

The Barto L is a '49.

Wow! That L is what the C replaced at Barto.

Thanks for the support and suggestions. I've known the Supplees my whole life. I went to school with Dan and Bill. I was a member of Oreland Fire Co., years ago. I see everyone at the firehouse every fourth of July. I talk with Bill every now and then and visit with Howard occasionally. I've been helping with the restoration of old 704, the '37 International. I have the two script badges from the hood right now that I'm polishing, as well as the build plate. Bill emailed me this morning that he may have tracked down the original beacon that was replaced, apparently by the folks at Barto, who bought in from Oreland when the CFs arrived. I did take a few photos when I was out at the truck on Monday...just can't figure out how to post them here. My son is going to come by and help me out with it. My only real dilemma is where I would park the truck if I get it. I don't want it sitting out in the weather and I can't afford storage fees to keep it in a garage. I might be able to put it in the driveway and cover it, or put up a large carport over it. First things first- I need a manual with mechanical specs so I can go over everything for inspection and maintenance. I was an auto tech for about 35 years, so I know mechanicals and body work. Photos to follow...

After a somewhat frustrating search involving perhaps a dozen people, I found my favorite rig: the former Oreland pumper. In case you missed it, she's a 1958 Mack C85 with an ENF 707C engine coupled to a Spicer automatic with a two-speed rear. The current owner also has two L models that he bought with the C as a package deal. One is a 1950, the other, a 1951, both in semi-rough condition. We're negotiating a deal whereby I help him with the two L models in exchange for ownership of the C. Barter is still alive. This is my dream truck. To think that I may actually own her is mind blowing. It currently has a stalling problem that I'm going to help to diagnose. Since it's spent most of the time sitting since 1994, it's probably a given that it needs fuel system work. I hope to be going out again next week to begin diagnosis. I may be jumping the gun, but I've located a source for an electronic ignition conversion (PerTronix) to delete the points in the primary distributor. Has anyone done this conversion to this type of engine? The speedometer has been replaced, so I'll be looking for an original Mack speedo, unless the original somehow surfaces. Are manuals available for this truck? I'd like to learn as much as possible about the drivetrain, even if I don't end up owning her.

It's Pennsylvania. Always pack a jacket.

Is there a kit available to replace the ignition points in a 707C engine? I'm familiar with a setup from PerTronix that replaces the points and condenser in VW/Porsche four-cylinder air-cooled engines, but that's about it. I didn't see anything on their website that indicates anything for a six-cylinder Mack.

1937 International D-30 fire engine. I'm lending a hand back at the old firehouse where I grew up and first joined the fire service in 1968, reassembling their '37 International. Yesterday I was given the task of installing the gasket on the cowl and radiator shell where the hood closes. They've opted to 'update' to the rubber gasket that IH began using in '38. Rather than riveting the gasket on, they decided to use glue. I expressed my opinion to use 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive, which they quickly supplied. I taped off the areas to be glued to prevent any adhesive from showing and then gently closed the hood. The left side aligns perfectly, with an even gap front and rear. The right side- not so much. The gap in the rear is quite larger than the almost non-existent gap at the front, which indicates to me that the right side hood needs to be moved rearward. While holding it open, I can slide the hood rearward by about 3/16 of an inch, but it doesn't stay there, it slides forward again, taking up the gap at the front. They started removing the screws that hold the radiator shell in an effort to move the shell forward, which is not the correct method of fixing the unequal gaps. They finally gave up and I returned and tightened the screws and studied the hinge setup again. My question is: how does one correctly adjust the f-to-r position of the right side hood? I see no provision for adjustment. It looks like a spacer placed on the hinge shaft would rectify the problem, but they seem reluctant to remove the hood assembly, and I can't blame them. Is this mounting universal, as in, any make of truck with a piano hinge hood assembly would be similar?

What we need is a comprehensive registry, at least for C models. I re-joined FaceBook recently, just so I could join a few groups to try to track down the 58 C that was originally Oreland's. It was sold to Barto in the late eighties and they subsequently sold it to a collector. I've got photos as recent as July of '13, where it was at a body shop in Langhorne. A phone call to the shop netted nothing. It's frustrating. Good luck with your search. You might want to try FB, if you haven't already. I know someone from Fleetwood wants it back.

Re: paint- Rustoleum takes forever and a day to cure. I painted my motorcycle with rattle can Rustoleum Regal red and put the parts out in the sun to speed drying. It still took over two months to be able to wet sand them so i could apply gold leaf and a clear coat (also Rustoleum). I'm in the process of redoing nearly everything, due to some paint damage and my dis-satisfaction with the gold leaf in a few spots. Everything has been stripped back to the (Rustoleum) primer and I'm forgoing the rattle cans this time. My neighbor has a heated garage where he does body work. I'm using Regal Red again, but this time I'm using a paint gun and adding a catalyst to speed curing time. As to priming any parts that aren't going to be color painted for a while, it's best to prime them immediately after cleaning to bare metal (media blasting, chemical paint removers, etc.) with a good quality self-etching primer. This will assure that the parts won't 'flash rust', which is what happens from just the moisture in the air.

That Type 92 is gorgeous! Man, would I love to have one of those! Does anyone know if the 700 ALF cabs are bolted to the frame, or are they welded?

Thanks, that's what I was looking for; different perspective. I like the idea of possibly switching cabs, especially if they're bolted to the frame. I got an offer from a guy at the other end of the state last night. He has a parts truck that still has a usable enclosed cab that he would allow me to remove what I needed. I'm more inclined to restore something back to original, rather than modifying. As to the restoration itself; I spent nearly thirty years in business restoring cars for a living. Fabricating and modifying sheet metal is old hat to me. I enjoy a challenge and I would much rather get something that no one else would consider restoring, and bring it back to a showpiece. You wouldn't believe some of the rusted hulks that I've dealt with. I started writing a book on restoration, then the Interwebz came about and changed everything.

The last department I was with has three front line rigs with Roto-Rays mounted in the center of each nose. If you don't see them coming at you, it's time to remove the blindfold. Yes, they were very popular back in the fifties and sixties, then they seemed, "dated" and fell out of favor for a while.

Based on some recent daydreaming, I found myself searching out old derelict fire apparatus. What I've found was an overwhelming majority of open cabs. Since I strongly prefer closed cabs, the idea of enclosing one began to swirl around in my head. Would such an accomplishment be considered in bad form? Heresy? Sacrilege? Mildly frowned upon? If I were to do such a thing, it would be my intent to make it look as though it had been an enclosed cab from the beginning. Just wondering what the consensus is. Has anyone done this?

Is this a fire engine? If so, it should be red. Fire engine red. Green is for shamrocks and Christmas trees.

"Title lost in house fire." The irony.