Jack Mack

Thanks my brother and I are considering it instead of copper ,as we are not restoring to original , hell the ladder of our hook and ladder had been scrapped so we just have a 1957, red convertible with a five speed! What’s not to love about that! Tomorrow will be the first time in my life that I will be at Macungie truck show looking for vintage parts for our truck!…..Jack😎

Was right about the retired guy getting the tank in, it was 90 degrees in Pa., I come home beat from work to see legs sticking out under truck. Tom got the tank in, looks great , I felt bad so got him some ice water and poured in 15 gallons of Ethanol free gas , no leaks! Still not making it to Macungie show which is so far away , uh about 20 minutes! ….Jack

I think we will have to play with the one or two distributors once we can get out on highway and see. Geoff your point seems valid to me, our engine is rated to 2700 RPM but Boston requested on build sheet to set it to 2100 RPM, perhaps getting to that max horsepower needs both….Jack

Ours we were told is a redundant system as is the electric fuel pump and mechanical fuel pump that were on build sheet , mechanical Pump was not there but piping from tank was when we got the truck. Our ignition switch gives you the choice we have ran it on each separately and with both on and did not see a big difference but this was not on the highway trying to get to our 2600 rpm. ….Jack

Been awhile since Mack brothers posted, Tom is exploring Ireland with his wife and enjoying retirement, me I still have a bit to go yet and resent him everyday he forgets that others have jobs. Original fuel tank has been repaired and lined , all painted , frame and brackets painted , I assume the retired guy will get it in by end of this week. Me? I have been working on taking off hydraulic system and stabilizers added by Boston FD, everything including tank leaked, truck undersides covered in thick oil, but engine and transmission are very clean and mostly oil free other then PTO pump which will be coming off. Federal siren ,Tom went over works and ready to mount , have correct Mack truck spotlights on windshield frame, sourced correct Mack Unity windshield alternating red lights , engine is getting detailed bit by bit . Still looking to check out a sister truck with original fenders yet to start working on restoring rear end to original and looking for wheels and tires as we want to move away from 11x20 split rims and go radials. All in all Tom and I are having great time and enjoy working on the truck!….Jack

We just did both points and condensers on ours but are planning on doing one electronic and just select that ignition. I assume you have a fire truck, with (L-R-Both) ignition switch. Life will be simpler electronic …Jack

The construction company I work for when light towers get old and have issues the Electrical Team gets them to convert into job site trailer generators, to run them out instead of having a failure on the roadway. I have 69 generators from 6KW to 100KW, 16 are light tower conversions and most are Kubotas and a lot are over 40,000 hours, the other brand engines don't last as long and require more work to get there, looks like you got lucky.....Jack

Not sure brother , everything is in order except Boston’s three trucks , my thought is trucks were built in order shipped in order , perhaps Boston buying three had money or other issues delaying delivery ?

Yes, it’s a gasser with the higher HP engine, the Tiller was scraped recently in last couple years before we bought her 11/24. This truck fits in my garage at home with 9’ wide by 8’ doors, tiller wouldn’t fit, would be neat but some of the pictures of the tiller look like it was getting pretty beat up, it served Boston from 1944 until 1970 when the Mack tractor and tiller were put in reserve until 1979. I just wanted a convertible Mack ever since I saw one in Macungie when I was a kid, it’s perfect that the truck and I are both Vintage 1957!….Jack

What a four door version of our truck might look like!.....Jack

We are just getting the truck running to have some fun with it, the lettering is not original and Tom has talked to the chief at the fire company on door. The current chief researched a bit and found the collector that bought the truck from Boston Fire had his home town of East Hampton put on door and changed ladder 11 to Ladder 1, along with putting his name "Barton" on the hood. Uh, we already have our name on hood in chrome letters, so I see the hood lettering coming off and not sure what to do on door , she served Boston FD from 1957 to 1979, so maybe she should have Ladder 11 on the door. Truck appears to have been painted once as we can see the Boston taping under the paint. Paint is pretty good and buffs ups to high gloss shine easily. We have an idea and concept photo to make her a four door to haul the grandkids around in, so a total repaint would be then if that even happens. We do have it figured out though....Jack

Perhaps filming from the passenger so as not to show our desperate attempt at fixing the gas tank involved a 2 gallon jug on the running board! My brother showed up hours after I had been out working on new fuel pump, redneck fuel tank with the mission to run the motor today. Tom comes walking up showing me the new rectifier, and talking about gauges, and little stuff, ........I was like we are running her today forget that stuff the tank is full let's get going! It went well.....Jack

My brother does do good work, nice air cleaner he made fit, carb was all gone over!…..Jack

So the stamping of ratios on diffs means it was changed from 4.50 to 5.73 gears? Possibly when it was changed to be an off road truck perhaps. You are doing important stuff but cleaning up what looks to be the aluminum radiator and fender piece, will give you something to look at and think we’ll get this someday! Truck looks pretty good for the life it has lived……Jack

Went for $4070, but still nice I always wanted a cab over until I found a B model open fire tractor. The bidder that got it was in it after the $ 1,000 mark, nice truck!…..Jack

Should have searched first, aluminum cab with a one piece fiberglass roof. NO, I can’t buy another truck ….Jack But , but it is neat 🤔

Bids have not changed since 1/5, still at $3300, auction ends 1/23! Is that an aluminum cab???….Jack

I was under the impression that the dual ignition was mainly for a redundant start in case of failure of the distributor or coil in use. Our B85F has the selector switch for A, B or both. It is a fire truck it has to start , and start right away. Our truck is not running yet but soon, guess we will have to play with that….Jack

Nice start Frank! I bet it was one of those moments when the bed went up, another thing tested and good!…..Jack

Thanks Mike, cool there is another one nearby. I’ve seen your truck at my boss’s (John Haines) truck shows . Perhaps you should take your own advice and play with your parents truck as is, it’s only brakes my friend, and it is still a red convertible …..Jack

About time you get on here little brother, I’ve been here a long time! This all started on this forum and it is a great find , 1957 ,red convertible with a five speed , everybody’s dream! Took about hour to talk Tom into it. We are both pretty stoked that the descendants of Jack Mack own a Mack truck!…..Jack

Thanks Ryan, the B-85 is in great condition ,low mileage and we are stoked about having a Mack in our family, she is a 1957 and was Boston Ladder 11.....Jack

Very interested in the B85F, live in Bally ,Pa. about an hour away would like to stop and check it out today if possible, Thanks!.....Jack