Mack58B42

Nice!

15 hours ago, 66dc75 said:

It came as a full set,google Dolphin Gauges in Florida. I would think their mechanical speedo set would work on the firetruck. I got the electronic one with a GM pulse generator so I can adjust it easier (I hope). I think the mechanical set is about $230. I got the universal wiring harness from them too $185 and that looks pretty well made. Won't know how the gauges work for a little while, there were only a few reviews online but people seemed happy with them.

Thanks!  I may try the speedo and see how that goes......

I like those gauges too.  Did you get them as a set, or individually?  If it was a set, I'd be interested to know which set and which wiring harness....  The gauges in by B85F are not original, and what they put in were just boring Stewart Warners.  These would be a nice improvement if I can match them all up, and they aren't too difficult for a non-electrical person to figure out how to wire up.

Thanks Paul.  The mechanic Dennis uses and sent out is top notch, and is very familiar with the 707.  He went through the carb, and everything in there is good, except for that slight groove on the needle.  We sanded it, and it seems to be OK, but he's sending me a new one, just in case.  But the fact that it runs great over about 1200-1400rpms is indicating that the thing is just flat out getting too much fuel blow-by at any rpms below that, so we're pretty sure the regulator will solve it.

Of course, no one locally has a regulator at that low a rating, so I have to order it and likely wait 2-3 days..... 

Thanks - already made that call and have one on order.  It's actually not all that easy to find either a pump OR a regulator that goes down to 3psi, but Holley has one, and I have it on order.

So, we'll know in a few days if that solves the problem, but I'm pretty optimistic.  I'll also get a new needle in case we didn't quite get rid of the groove and gas might still be sneaking by that as well.

Ahhh.....  That's better......

Dennis at OldMacks.com stepped up to the plate and sent his mechanic out to see what was going on.  it was obvious that it was burning very rich, so after changing the plugs, cleaning up the carb, sanding a groove off the needle, and installing in in-line fuel filter it ran better, but still was flooding at low rpms.  We discovered that the fuel pump was rated for 5-9psi, but the Zenith carb is rated for 3psi.  So I'll get a new pump, and a new needle, and hopefully all will be well.  But as you can hear in the video, as long as the idle/rpms stay above 1100-ish, it runs great. 

Very encouraging......

2016-05-12 16.10.03.mov

I think it looks great!

Nice!  It's got a great stance.....

Here's a picture of it that they have on their web site.....

Andy - nice that you were able to not only find it, but to buy it!  Good luck getting it home.....

Up in this neck of the woods, Palmer Spring in Providence has access to lots of springs, and they have a blacksmith shop on site to make anything custom....

I've always heard good things about them.

http://www.palmer-spring.com/services.htm

Ooohh - that's a beauty!

That's looking great!

23 hours ago, Tbear said:

I am a building contractor in utah and it's been good to whatcu your progress .it looks like things are done similar to how we do them out west. I was surprised to see a front dump cement truck in the east. I know not all places out ther use them. Out here it is about all we have. I've been reading your discussion about radiant heat, in Utah at least the roof mounted tube heat is more economical to put in an is all most as efficient .usally about 4 to 5 times cheaper to install . Here our temps in the day can vary 20 to 40 degrees from cold to hot on a good day. Winter in mountain home the high can be 15 to 20 for weeks on end. The tube heat does very good and is cheap to run. Good luck on your building I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us would.

My great uncle built and owned the local cement plant in my area (Wescon) for a long time, and he (and others in the surrounding areas) seemed to favor Autocar rear dumpers when I was growing up.  When the building boom hit southern New England in the 80s and they were all flush with cash, it seemed that everyone in a 30 mile radius of here updated their fleets and they all went to the front dumpers.  The only rear dumpers I see now are occasionally up in the Providence area, and they seem to be mostly run by the big construction outfits doing road work, like Cardi Construction, and I think that Pawtucket Ready Mix still ran a few into the 2000s, although I haven't seen any of their rigs in quite a while, and I'm not even sure they're still around.

My great uncle also had a couple of old Mack dumps that he ran back in the 40s and 50s.  He retired them in the 70s when the union demanded power steering, and I lived close enough to the plant that I used to ride my bike there, and go out to the back field and play in the old dumps.  I think that there were a couple old LJs and an old Autocar out back there.....

Looks great - you've brought it a long way!

Thanks!  Now I just have to figure out what happened to it during the trip here.  I'm told it ran beautifully when it left, but since I got it, it's been running like crap.   Been checking all the ignition/battery wires, and that all looks good.  Now i'll have to check the fuel filter to see if it's being starved.  I think it ran out of gas by the time I got it unloaded and down to my neighbors barn, so I'm hoping that the problem is just some crud in the fuel filter....  We'll see.....

But otherwise, it's a great truck, and I'm happy with the overall physical condition of it.

Thanks Bulldogboy - I found the C-town pics and downloaded them.  A couple of them actually helped confirm whether or not a couple things were original to the truck or added later....

34 minutes ago, yarnall said:

Nice truck.  I don't know how many B85f"s were delivered with Diesel but the first three went to Bermuda.  A guy was on here about two years ago trying to restore one.  Mike

Hmmm.... I think I vaguely recall seeing a pic of those Bermuda Bs somewhere along the line.  Don't remember a mention of them being diesel though.  Maybe in one of the B model books I have.  I'll have to poke around and see if I can find that again.

4 hours ago, bulldogboy said:

Nice looking truck; the "B" model is my favorite fire truck model. I had the good fortune to operate a couple of "B-85F" and "B-95F" pumpers back in the day, the cabs were a bit

cramped inside but they were great trucks. Your truck is from Chestertown NY, its website has a couple of historic photos of the "B" model being delivered and also a couple

of photos of a Mack "C" model pumper.

        bulldogboy

I checked their website, but didn't see anything related to this.  I'll have to look again and search harder this time.  Will be interesting to see....  The Bs have also always been my favorite.  I'm most partial to the B81s, but they're huge, and I can't fit one of those in my garage!  And since I've always loved fire trucks (used to drive in my local dept.), it only made sense that the end game for me would be a B model fire truck.....

It's the 707 gas.  But it does have air brakes, and even a Maxi-brake.  I don't like old hydraulic brakes, so I'm happy about that.  I'm not sure I've ever seen a B85 with a Diesel.  Anyone know if any came from the factory with the Diesel?

I believe that this is from Chestertown NY.  But RI is going to be its new home....

3 hours ago, General Ike said:

What's the chassis number.... Mine is 1957 B85F1242

Ed,

Mine's 1216, so they weren't quite neighbors on the assy line.....

I like that pug-nose look

9 hours ago, cf685f said:

Wow, look at that frame!

Yeah, that was my first thought too.  Would it have originally been built as a dump, or is there a reason that someone would want to have a tractor with a frame that long?  Either way, it IS a nice looking R....