TDBach

B-42. Your response is awesome!  I think you are right.. Grandma always knows best!!  

2 hours ago, 70mackMB said:

Congratulations to the two of you! Are we all invited for the big event? lol                                                                                     l don't think the ol' MB will make it that far.  .....Hippy

Ha!  Take it slow .. come on up!!  Thank you! 

9 hours ago, Hobert62 said:

Congrats on a new page to your book.  

On 7/7/2017 at 6:51 AM, 57 bcr said:

Like the "PIONEER" designation  on the ND license  plate,Tracy. 1st time  I noticed  it. How fitting  for Gus! Al  

7 hours ago, 41chevy said:

Congratulations! May your life together be as happy and long as Gails and mine 51 years so far from ages 14 to ages 65.  Paul

1 hour ago, mowerman said:

Ahhhhhh god love ya and congratulations on the fine job you guys did on it  and the fresh vows. Many years if  pleasure to you both.... bob

Thanks Bob!!!  We are on the hunt to restore another Mack!  Should be fun! 

July 14th bring a Mack truck Paul!  We are having an old fashioned barn dance! 

Thank you, we are pretty excited.. Robert says he finally found a “mule for his wagon” ha!!  

We have been off of the site for a few months cleaning shops to start another project... I have to stop and thank the good Lord today... Old Gus #9 carried my grandparents when they first got married and will get to now carry Robert and I as we start our new journey as a married couple... folks.. I found my best friend.  Robert and I met on July 14th of 2016... and we will be married on July 14th of 2018... and it just so happens to fall on the same Saturday that we met... Robert and I work on a lot of old trucks but old Gus has our hearts.. I am working on a book called Old Iron... because I can’t explain what these old trucks do to you, but they do capture your heart and your WALLET... the restoration journey is a hard one but so very worth it in the end.. As I stand in the shop staring at that big old green Mack... I think “ oh how I wish my great grandpa and my grandpa could be here to see this.”  Thanks!   Robert told me the Mack cannot be inside the church that day... damn.. ha!!! 

We cut the flaps because I had the same fear.. I cut them about three inches up and added chrome tips.  It's all we could find as our infamous troopers said I had to have both.. funny I see a lot of bobtails and no rear fenders... is this common? 

I agree, they will stay black.. pretty easy to install and only had to drill two holes instead of four!   Mud flaps are on as well! Car show on Saturday and then  we are off to Drake Threshing show on Sunday.  Fun time of year!  

Thanks!

Thank you!! 

BillyT:  it will have the 48 case black trim.. should be ready for assembly this weekend!! My Vietnam veteran is going to be quite happy! 

Yep, steering pin is over the front tire.. it's a pretty neat little tractor! Will be done in a week or so!  

Gus only had one mirror.. I'm replacing the big mirror with a period correct round mirror shortly.  I agree that it would make it look more symmetrical with two!  

Yes this is the original bumper.. lots of straightening.. heavy duty

Old Gus has 81 miles on it so far!  Runs like a champ!  Getting it ready for the Waubun days parade this weekend!  

I'm finishing the bumper tonight and it will get rear fenders next week.  Almost complete! 

Tracy D 

I need one of these for my 46 EGX!  How much?

Teach em young!  Great pic!

21 minutes ago, 70mackMB said:

Ms Tracy!   Please accept a great big hug for all that you have done for your grandmother.  Fred and Nessa

Here is one of the videos she did for BigMackTrucks.com... it is brief, but she was emotional!  She's so funny!  

Thank you Fred and Nessa!  It is so awesome to be able to give something back to such a wonderful grandmother.  To watch her get to drive her dads old Mack truck was amazing...and it had the whole family in tears.  How an old piece of iron has such meaning.  

No matter what the restoration costs, or how many busted knuckles, sweat, and tears...it was all worth it.  One entire box of tissues!  

Thank you!  Hug accepted! 

I am trying to load the videos now!   I will post the links soon!  

Tracy 

We hauled it because it takes 6 hours to get there.  We drove it the last ten miles to grandma's house, and oh did she love it!   She has a message for everyone on BigMackTrucks.com, and I will be posting her video soon!  

What a day....an awesome day to see my grandmother just "stunned" and emotional... she cried when she got to see the old truck roll into the yard....

Awesome day  Pictures coming soon!  

This is very nice! 

It will have the original bumper put back on it, which it was painted green with the number 9 on each corner.. I'm hand painting those!  It needed some major welding and reshaping, not quite finished with it. I have aluminum wheels now for it.. a touch of modernization!   And the bed is being put on in the next couple of weeks.. she will be ready by the waubun parade on July 7th! 

Do you have any more pictures of this? 

Tracy 

Thank you!! We are pretty proud of it! 

The engine came out of a sand conveyor in the oil fields, a little 4B Cummins,  the transmission is an Allison MT545 and came out of a blue bird school bus and the aftercooler is for a tuner car brand new.  

She runs like a champ!  The tires are 11R 22-5 off of the bus and fit good with limited clearance but they don't rub... it still has the original drive shaft with 2 inch spacers on each end of the drive shaft, and factory rear end which rolls smooth.   

Robert made the radiator supports, engine mounts and spacers... along with the custom made charge air cooler pipes, brackets, and wiring harness... we have received a ton of compliments on the old truck...pretty proud of it!  

Tracy