lsubler

I was always curious of this myself...Our 74' RS700L came with a V-8 Mack. Something about that hood makes it cooler than any 359]/379 ever built. They just have that blocky/in your face look!

Yes BigDog. The rails are probably an 7 out of 10 for the age. A little sandblasting, weld a few holes shut and some POR and they're a 10! And Superdog, I guess i am one of those people who has had his wires crossed most his life, hence why I'm still in trucking! Still on the fence about the whole thing. I think its easier to buy a donor truck/tranny/rears(air ride...) and put it all together. I mistook until I actually looked at the pictures again. It isnt an RS771LST, as you stated, but it is an RS700L. As I said before, either motor is a worthy candidate of the period and both (once detailed) make great looking motors (after the oil is cleaned off from the Dirty Dozen) to really set the truck apart from the rest. I am on the fence yet, I'm leaning to an E9 with a Mack Transmission. I really do want it to be ALL Mack, just not sure I'm going to pass that off on the one footing the bill! So if I'm playing devils advocate I apologize, but I'm trying to do it right (and the way I want it) to agree with the man who wants to do it over again! lol

The only reason I want to go with new frame rails is because I REALLY want to take it back to aluminum rails if possible. I'm not 100% sold on Detroit power, but if it was offered at some point I'm more than willing to take a look at it, especially since it is a rare truck and with the combination makes it even more of a rare truck. We have been detroit lovers for a long time (in the blood I guess) but I still lean to a "purebread" bulldog. As for the restoration, I have have the space and know how to make it happen, so its a done deal once the ball starts rolling. Unfortunately there will be plenty of time donated, but what great restoration isnt paid for with only blood sweat and tears?

12 years old in the yard with my dad standing on the step and hanging to the mirror brackets for dear life. Had power steering but it was out of a john deere tractor so you quickly learned not to over correct as every turn you made one way you had to crank it back as it would not do it on its own. Probably my fondest memories were just riding down the road as a young'n watching the smoke roll as dad drove.

Yes, its all there but the correct motor and possibly tranny. Originally intended to use as a local truck and in a matter of no time it had 400k on it as it was our backup. If anyone is interested in a 350 big cam let me know. Hasnt been started in about 3 years, but I'll guarantee if we put in a set of batteries and it will fire right up.

No, I've needing to do that for the last few weeks. Tomorrow work should be done at Noon so if its not raining I'll have some posted.

well, when my dad purchased the truck in, I believe 90' the truck did have aluminum rails. Unfortunately they were too far gone at that point. So the ole girl is going to have another restoration... This time she'll be restored correctly and taken care of the same. Like i said, it was the truck i learned to drive in when I was 12 so I want her standing tall!

But I've heard Alcoa sells extruded aluminum rails and I've searched the site but nothing on them. Where the heck to do you find these things!?!?!?

Well knowing that Mack did offer the dirty dozen at one point I know that I'm going to have a battle on my hands! Either motor should turn out great, just depends on what we can come up with!

FYI I do love that I'm a "Puppy Poster" Bulldog!

Thank you! Do you have any idea when they built the Dirtys? I know what our truck came with but this might be a comprismise between my dad and I!

Superdog: I'm on the hunt for a V-8 lol Starting to find that i might have to strip another truck to do that! im not quite sure which of the mack motors i'd be looking at. I'm 30 and this truck is my baby!.!.!.! Yet again my dad still wants a dirty dozen. I told him that I had found a few via a lot of searches. How many were a handfull??? They may have mis-posted the same as I. All I know is that its a big hooded mack that came with a V-8 and I want it to breathe the same breaths again! It has all the parts and I want to get the ole girl running the same as it once did. I will post pictures tomorrow...

Agree with the POR 15. It will actually trap the rust. Expensive when you compare it to other paints, but its WELL worth the few dollars extra. A little goes a LONG way. Great stuff but do put something on it as it will fade when expossed.