CaptainCrutch

If it had a sleeper I’d probably be road tripping it all the way back to the east coast. I’m still thinking about it.

I don’t see much innovation in trucking anymore. Almost every new truck looks the same as every other new truck, where as you used to be able to instantly tell the difference between them from miles away. I would love to see thing like the B, the R, the Superliner, the E, the Bulldog, all of which were so far advanced and greatly different than anything else. The best thing Mack has now is the E9 and that’s been around for decades. Another reason I’m excited to see an all electric Mack, it’s something different, I just with they built a new body for it.

Sad considering just a few years ago it seemed like every truck driver out there had driven a Mack R, and Volvo is making it so everyone merely remembers Mack. But what a good memory it is.

Here’s a video one one of my favorite recodings of this sort of thing. This guy is a voice actor and has a few different default characters he likes to use.

Something that really sets them off is if you say something close to ‘Ben chord’ or ‘behnchod’ (which a hard ch) which roughly translates to ‘one that has sexual relations with one’s sister’. It’s pretty great stuff heading them trying to translate their swears into English. It’s even funnier when they try to tell you you’re going to be arrested for wasting their time, to which I always respond with “Ok, I’ll be waiting, do you know my address or do I need to give it to you?” Usually they say a few more obscenities or threaten you some more before you finally get the *click* that marks the end to your fun.

I toured the Hagerstown facility 3 years ago, everyone seemed pretty indecisive about the new robots, it made their jobs easier but also made it so they didn’t need so many people. Other than that everyone seemed satisfied with their jobs and I know people who still work there who are pretty happy. From what I’ve heard the engines even today are still pretty decent competitors, but that the electronics are the real problem. Even more reason to own an old Mack. I’ve also heard good things about the new Anthem, and have even SEEN it rise in popularity because I see them often, and usually not the same one. But I don’t think anything will ever be able to beat the older Macks, thanks to government regulations.

Yes, the L cab was only available on the B7 series, the front of the hood was wider which did something to allow a slightly modified L cab to be installed, most likely made the hood straighter which made something line up. The advantage being the L cabs have much more room.

Another question in this same theme, does anybody know how many Bs were built with the CA-31 cab?

Well I wouldn’t give them any vital information or any actual access to anything important, just waste their time. There’s actually a way to set up a virtual machine on your computer so that they can’t hack your actual computer, but they think they are. Too many people fall for these scams and just a few minutes could prevent it from being someone who will actually fall for it.

Another story was when we got a call about us winning a cruise after our application was approved but we answered the phone with “Hi caller, you’re on the air.” We never applied for a free cruise.

Wasted almost half an hour with this Indian group wasting their time thinking they’d accidentally won a free trip to Disney, and we’re on a radio show, trying to play it off as if they were really on a radio show.

Weird thing was, when we asked for an address they gave us ours. I know how, there are websites that allow you to pay $15 or something like that and if you know a person’s name, address, or phone number, you can get the rest. But it does make the scam more convincing, pretty smart on their part.

Any time you get a pop up on your computer saying you have a virus, it’s fake, unless it’s your actual anti virus software. And if you do have a virus, take it to a computer shop, only call companies like geek squad about it.

When you know how some of these scams work, you tend to be able to have even more fun with them.

I’m guilty of seeing a Superliner and having to get a picture. It’s more of a wow factor because it’s such a beautiful thing and it’s not as common as say a KW W900 or something of the sort. Besides how can someone not love the look of a Superliner, even Pixar chose a Superliner over any other truck to be a certain character.

So please, do post pictures of what I can imagine is a beautiful rig.

What also doesn’t help is when schools have begun replacing classes like wood shop with classes like requiring a 4th year of math by which point everyone is now learning how to graph 3 dimensionally, something that will never be used in and career any of them will ever pick other than being a public school teacher. At a local public school they’ve even replaced gym with dance class (mostly because it’s an art school where they don’t have enough money to have a building with a gym and instead have to use the floor designated for the dancers to fulfill their physical education) and have to rent out space in 4 other buildings within 2 blocks just to have space for normal classes and even so they can have a cafeteria for students to eat. Everyone makes it work but it’s still unfortunate that these talented kids who had to earn their place at this school must walk outside in the snow so they can get to their lunch while at school. But I will say at this school students must try out and prove themselves to get in and all their grades must be C or above, with all honors or AP classes, otherwise they’re removed. Atleast there’s some hope there.

I know that many school systems have begun using symbols like check marks and plus signs instead of actual letter grades, but so far it’s most been only in Elementary schools. It’s still ridiculous either way. 

I’d just give whatever you feel is right. They run off donations so if you’re going to use their services and can you should. Think about all the time spent looking through 100+ years of information on every truck ever built. They go so in depth that they found sales record from 1984 when my L was up for sale. If they have a record of what you have they will find it, and it’s all volunteer work.

But i will say, if you’re really scrapping money together to get your project done, or the money could be better spent, it is not required, wed just like to see this reasource which benefits so many people stay around for as long as possible, and the only way to do that is for them to receive donations. It really is up to you how much and even if you donate.

The key word with this project seems to be ‘should’. The guides for the heads were supposed to come in at the beginning of last week but they came in Yesterday. At this point we’re praying we can get it back by the end of the week but with an upcoming snowstorm on the way it’s not looking good, and we definitely won’t risk taking it home with slick roads. ‘Should’ be sometime next week at the latest but who knows at this point. It ‘should’ have been done before the end of last month, but good things come to those who wait, so patient we must stay.

If you want the maintenance manuals I’d submit the VIN# to the Mack Museum, they’ll give you all the information they have on the truck. That info has certainly helped us as we finish up our 707 motor, it had to be torn down to the block with many parts being rebuilt or replaced.

19 minutes ago, Jamaican Bulldog said:

It looks similar to the L series. What made it a 'N' series versus being a  'L"?

From what I can see the cab sits up higher which makes the fenders more flat, and it looks like the front axel is different. Other than that it does look just like and L.

Citizens of Salem Massachusetts:

We got ourselves a new Courthouse! High time we had a hanging!

I will say, most of the time when a child is separated from its parents during deportation is when there is suspicion of whether or not they are actually traveling with a parent.

It’s the idea of stopping human trafficking which is surprisingly common based on what I’ve read, not necessarily them catching human traffickers in this fashion but human trafficking in general. They have apparently caught a few human traffickers thanks to this though, and the way I look at it, if just one more human life is saved then I don’t care about the resources being used.

It’s possible that her first few years of service used a 5-speed manual. If it’s not crossed off the list (like power steering on the build sheet for my L) I’d assume that’s how it was delivered. It’s possible that an automatic Allison wasn’t even available at the time because the 4 speed automatic wasn’t made until 1970 and the actual truck automatics weren’t made until 1973 according to what I’ve read.

I’d say it’s safe to assume was installed later on by FDNY.

I wonder if it’s the same as that on an L. That picture looks like the one off an L, but the one for a B looks different, having the top bars curved up so they rest higher. If you do need the L bell I’ll be able to get you pics Monday.

L Model

B Model

I will say the loudest part of a garbage truck in the morning is it dumping the bins, but I do like the idea of a fully electric truck by Mack. I’ve though about what a good idea it’d be to take and old cog driven Mack and put an electric motor on the cog, but I’d love to see what Mack does here.

One method is literally just replacing the engine and transmission with an electric motor or putting and electric motor on every axle/wheel.

The best part about electric motors is that they’re insanely torquey but lack too much speed, which is perfect for the application of a truck, yet everyone seemed to go with a car first.

I’ve been looking into this industry for a few years now and was really excited at the prospect of a Tesla Semi, and even after it was shown off I wanted to see it in commercial use. Glad Mack is jumping on board the electricity train.

It’s kind of funny being able to say you’ve got 5 pedals when you’re talking to someone who doesn’t quite understand fire apparatus. You always say the other 2 are for the siren and you alsways hear “what’s the 3rd one for?”