TDBach

This is our family fleet!  Great grandpa is in front of Truck #1,  my grandpa is in front of Truck #3,  and Ben Rowley is in front of Gus#9,  the mack that I have now!  The only remaining mack of my great grandpa's fleet.   I love this old picture!  My great grandpa gus was so proud of his trucks!  

My grandfather passed away in 2009, and since then I've watched his old tractors (John Deer, 720...Ford Red Belly...Massey...) Sold off piece by piece to help my grandmother.  My grandfather did not have a retirement, nor did he have life insurance, so my grandma was forced to sell some of his things.  Somethings went to scrap.   Gus #9, a 1946 Mack EGX truck without her box sat in the woods by itself with an oak tree growing out of the center of the box, wrapped around the driveshaft.  Every old truck, car, and piece of iron was sold or scrapped except for Gus.   Gus belonged to my great grandfather August (my grandma's dad), and was 1 of 15 Mack trucks in his fleet for his road construction company.  My great grandfather made the work crews clean these trucks and line them up every night after road construction work.   Gus was built on February 15th of 1946 and sold a month later to my grandma's brother Robert, who owned a dealership.  Robert special ordered 15 Mack trucks for my great grandpa's work crew.  Gus was sent from Minot ND, to Whapeton ND, and then traveled with the work crew to Florida.  Gus was issued the #9 on the front and rear bumpers, and was driven by Ben Rowley of MN.   Ben and Gus were in a bad road accident in 1953 after 10,000 miles, and a full load, when a woman pulled out in front of them and ultimately caused Gus to flip upside down.  Thankfully Ben was ok, and Gus sustained roof and cab damage, unfortunately the woman did not make it.  It's hard to stop an old Mack Truck at 30mph fully loaded... Gus was sent to the back of the fleet line for repairs, and Ben wanted to make sure that old Gus was cared for, so it was approved by my great Grandfather for Ben to be the primary mechanic to get Gus back on the road. 

In 1944, my grandpa Jerry was sent off to WWII, blood nose ridge Japan at the age of 17.  My great grandpa on my grandpa's side was captured in Manila, and died in a prison camp during the Bataan Death March, which prompted my grandpa to join the Marines.  My grandpa Jerry served 4 years in the Marine Corps, 1st Division, and was blown up in Japan, suffering a major head injury.  He was sent back on a medical ship, which was blown up by a Japanese war plane, and left 13 men in the ocean.  My grandfather was one of the 13 that were eventually rescued and survived.  He returned to a military medical hospital, and eventually made it back home to MN.  My grandfather sought work with Vagts Contractors, in which he was a driver/hauler of the Mack line, and where he met my grandmother.  Yes, he married the Boss's daughter!  At this time, Gus was still in the mechanical line being worked on, as she was having engine/valve issues, and just would not run right after the accident, so my great grandpa decided to put Gus on light duty, doing simple hauls.   Meanwhile, my grandmother, her sister, and her mother (my great grandmother) were cooking, and cleaning for all of the road crew men.  (Traveling road crew that lived in bunk houses).   Gus #9 was the first big truck that my grandmother got to drive!  

My grandpa married my grandmother a short time later in Florida, while my grandpa was still working with the road crew.  My grandpa did not have transportation of his own, and neither did my grandma, so my great grandpa gave them Gus #9 as a gift to help my grandpa and grandma move back to MN, and start their own wood cutting business.  Gus #9 was loaded and made the long haul from Orlando Florida back to northern Minnesota, where she worked hauling wood for another few years before being set in the woods in 1972, ( for 42 years) as a permanent retirement, after her brakes gave way with a full load of wood, and rolled downhill and smashed into a large oak tree.  My grandpa was frustrated with the old truck, pulled the drain plug out, and let her sit from 1972 until she was brought out of the woods in 2014. 

I used to play in that old truck as a kid (a young girl)..and my grandma knew how much I loved that old truck.  So as my grandfather's belongings were disappearing...my grandma stated "not the old Mack...that goes to Tracy."  And Gus was rescued once more!   I thought to myself...how in the world am I going to get it out of the woods, let alone restore it?   I lost my husband in 2011 (Marine corps soldier who committed suicide in our home after 9 combat tours)...and my grandma thought this old truck would be my healing grace.  (And it is!). 

So I talked with a local farmer who was able to come and look at the condition of the old truck, and said "she's buried, we can get her out."  I remember the oak tree being very small (the one growing out of the box), so I wanted the tree preserved, because I would use it to build the floor in the cab with it.  So they took extra care cutting it away from the bed.   They hooked on, and were able to pull her out of the wood line.  When we got Gus into the yard, and I put new tires and wheels on her to help her roll...my grandma walked up to the front fend of old Gus, and was crying...saying "You'll be ok now...look old girl...you have new legs!"   As we loaded Gus onto a flatbed, I knew at that moment...how much that old truck meant to my grandma...because as Gus started her journey down the driveway on the back of a 1972 tow truck.....my grandma was crying...asking me to help Gus, because she wanted to go for a ride in it one more time...grandma is 88 years old.

The ironic part:  Gus sat on a mechanic's property for two years, with nothing done, and survived a tornado in northern Minnesota 2014-July of 2016.  In July of 2016, I met "Robert" from ND.  Robert and I get along great, and I get to finally move on since the death of my husband, with someone who appreciates and collects antique vehicles.  The ironic part is that Robert is a mechanic...he lives exactly 46 miles from where Gus was originally purchased, and knew the individual that sold Gus to my family.  on August 13th, ( my birthday, and Robert's (my great uncles birthday) we attempted to fire up Gus...she turned over, making her first sounds in 42 years.. but did not catch.  Stuck valves.  (This was in MN).  So Robert (my Robert) loaded Gus onto a trailer, and hauled her back to ND, 46 miles exactly from where it was purchased in 1946.  Gus is now on the restoration path and spends her nights in a much deserved heated garage! 

Goal:  Gus is getting a temporary 4cyl diesel until I can save enough money to have the old EN330 engine rebuilt.  I have welded, done some of the body work, while Robert is working on making the old girl fire again.  We hope to have her ready for the Waubun parade this next summer to surprise my grandma. 

We are going to have my grandma go with the family to the town parade, and sit her in front of the bank... we are going to have Gus painted and ready to role by then, and drive it through the parade, stopping in front of her to see if she recognizes Gus #9,  it will temporarily be an automatic shift, so she can drive it if she wants too.   We are also going to ask Ben Rowley's family to attend, as he was Gus's primary caretaker and driver...and his name will be painted on the back of the cab.  Gus will also haul her first load since 1972, which will be a 1928, Twin Cities 10-28 tractor...my first tractor! 

What this old truck has taught me:  This truck is a member of my family, an irreplaceable heirloom that reminds me of my great grandpa, my grandpa, and the work they did to give us the things we needed...it is a reminder of hard work...loyalty...and appreciation...and has been a member of my family since 1946.  This old truck has taught me patience...temper control when you bust a knuckle on old bolts...and perseverance when rust seems to lurk everywhere.  Most of all, this old truck has taught me about my family, their company...and my grandma's love for the old truck.  To see my grandma take a ride in an 70 year old truck that she literally grew up with, will be priceless and emotional...but one of the best experiences of my life. 

As she stated "Not only did she haul gravel, dirt, and wood...she hauled my knickers from Florida to MN"    

This is my introduction of Gus#9 1946 Mack EGX  

We are in a desperate hunt for any Mack parts available!   Rubber isolators for engine mounts...lights...gauges...and Gus is in much need for new doors! 

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Tracy D.  (4th Generation owner of a Mack truck!)