CaptainCrutch

Thanks everyone, I’m a Mack man all the way so it looks like I’ll be looking into getting a Mack B-75, B-753 or a B-755 when the time comes. I have the 2 fire trucks but I want one of those B-75s to be my first real semi truck. Once you go Mack you never go back...

I really love these models of trucks because they have the B fenders I love with a huge radiator and the option of an L cab that I also adore. I’m just wondering what the difference is between the B-73, B-75 and B-77. I plan on trying to buy one at some point in the future to haul my antique firetrucks with I just can’t at the moment.

I’ve put a few photos here: https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/55277-l-fire-engine-restoration/ I don’t want to tell the story because it’s not quite over yet if you understand what I mean. I can add that it was the company’s second ever motorized apparatus, and was in service from delivery in August 1953 to October 1984.

Great story, and a lucky find! Keep us posted on your progress. Sounds like you’ve got a good plan of attack, granted that’s the same idea I’m using now with my LS95, and the right reason to put your heart into this. If you ever need anything specific I’m sure some guys on here will be able to help you out. Just a word of advice from experience, make sure before you really try starting it you clean out the fuel tanks, the fuel filters, the fuel lines and the carb.

Update: I’ve tried searching around and I can’t find any good pictures on the internet of the decal but I have found that it’s on a lot of old L fire trucks. If worse comes to worse I know of a company in Hagerstown with an L that has those decals so I can try to convince them to let me snap a few pictures and take measurements. Still any help is much appreciated.

Could you provide general dimensions? It looks like the same one used in CFs.

So we’re working on getting everything together to be able to get it painted once it’s back together and we noticed that the decal on the front fenders are missing. If anyone could get me a good picture or diagram of one that would be amazing. They were there when it was still in service and it looks like the truck was repainted in the 80s or 90s without the fender decals. It looks like this but I don’t have any high quality images of it but it looks to be a somewhat standard thing as I’ve found the design on several other engines one of which is the lower picture. The more I keep looking at pictures the more it feels weird not having them there.

But I love the ridiculousness because it allows me to justify the idea of taking an old b and transplanting it onto a pickup truck instead of finding another Mack chassis for it. That’s a project for the future but I still love the idea of it still being able to haul a ton with it.

Was the truck on when you were pumping the brakes? Only thing I can think of at the moment that might have anything to do with them not working.

I would request a service manual from the Mack Museum. It should include information like that and will help you with similar stuff in the future. If you give them the VIN they’ll also be able to send you information regarding your truck specifically and in some cases they’ll send you build photos.

I just want to make sure you didn’t see mine. We were taking it to Frederick in September.

I know it’s a long shot but my 1953 LS95 worked with a 1954 LS85 Sedan Cab and last I heard about it she was sold for scrap back in 2014. If anyone knows for certain if she still exists that would be awesome. I wish I knew it was her when I saw it up for sale the first time. I’ve checked the Vin # and it matches. Here’s the ad if that would help anyone: https://www.govdeals.com/?fa=Main.Item&itemid=1410&acctid=1581 I would love to know if she’s still around or really is gone for good. Here’s the only picture I have of the 2 together.

Same thing just about anywhere really. Went to Autozone for radiator hose and the lady kept pestering me what it was for so she could look it up. There were no Mack fire engines in her database. Surprisingly it’s the local places that end up acting like it’s a normal day when you tell them what you have.

I’ve got a few build photos from and a few shots from when she was still in service. Her sister is the 1954 3 Door LS85 on that brochure. Last time anyone’s seen her was back in 2014 when she was for sale on GovDeals and all our searching for her has led us to being told she was scrapped. It’s a shame such a beautiful engine is gone, but atleast one of the duo still remains and will be roaring through the streets of Maryland again soon.