Terry T

I'm wondering if it was spec'd for low clearance issues. The stack appears to be no higher than the cab. Possibly worked in a steel mill? I've heard of municipalities spec'ing fire apparatus by weight or height for a particular part of their response area because that apparatus is 1st due and has bridge, tunnel, etc issues on the quickest route.

Mike, My translator app seems to think that the words are hip-hop for "Fire" and "Nice". The F has a good, strong power train but the cab is rather typical for a 1970 F.

Saturday morning a friend & I headed out to IA for a celebration of life for another friend who passed a few weeks back. Well this gathering was in Bettendorf which is about 70 miles from Mike Harbinson's place so we absolutely had to make a side trip down there. It was great to visit with son Mikey and Mike. It had been ATHS South Bend when I last spent time with Mike & and ATHS Auburn when I last seen Mikey and boy has he grown up! Kenny & I wandered around the yard a little & I taught him a little about the various trucks and such, He's a former cop and now works for Indiana DOC so trucks really aren't his thing. I had to get a pic with the infamous UPS MH and the other three are trucks that previously spent time at my place before heading to Mike's. The B61 wrecker served with a company that I worked with for 13 years. I bought the truck for Mike & he bought if from me. The F Model was mine that I sold to Mike and the C Model is one that Mike bought near me and I picked up and stored for him for a period of time. It's so difficult to believe that it had been so long since I'd seen these guys. Time is certainly moving at a rapid pace.

Welcome Les. Pic's of Mack's are always a favorite here so if you have them, share them!

Mike is a member here as well as several Mack related FB groups. Mike Harbinson Sr is who your looking for but his son, Mike Harbinson is also on FB and one most of the FB sites as well. I just text Mike and told him to check out this thread. I'm hoping to stop over and see him in a couple weeks as I'll be at a memorial service for a friend only about 70 miles from his place.

I took these pics at the ATHS convention at South Bend in 2011. I'm still looking for a pic of the complete truck. I'm pretty sure this was a custom built doghouse. I know Mike Harbinson, Rob and Larry were all there. Did any of you guys get info on it?

Where's the fuel tank? Good looking little truck. How long ago was it taken out of fire service?

Dad was doing alright at that time, salesman for CW Transport at Ft Wayne, IN and about to get his own terminal in the Findlay, OH area. The late 60's until the late 80's a person could make very good money in the trucking industry. There was especially good money in the LTL world during that time then came deregulation....

This would have been about 67-69. I was born in 1965 and this was when we were putting a concrete driveway in at our home. I was old enough to remember my dad operating the old Ford tractor so I'd say it was more likely 68 or 69.

I've always been partial to this look. These were new deliveries to our customer in 1978. We delivered 5 of the 7 on a rainy Saturday morning.

I talked with my cousin on Sunday who is a GM/UAW employee. He's ready to go back to work to start getting a paycheck again. "900.00 a week" is a pay cut. Also, in Indiana, the state income tax is not taken from unemployment insurance so you have to remember to bank extra to make up for that come April of 2021. The one thing that he is really enjoying right now is NOT working 6 days a week which was mandated at the 1st of the year for his plant. My company, locally, has furloughed 12 people so far and the only one who is doing better on unemployment than working is a part-time office clerk. She is making 917.00 a week which is a few hundred more than she makes working. The rest are hurting and those of us working do NOT want to be furloughed. I know I don't want to take that kind of hit.

I enjoyed Silverado. He was a villain in the movie but I kind of liked Cobb although I'm glad Cobb met the fate he met.

Here in N.E. Indiana we're under a winter weather advisory for Friday. Beginning in the early hours we could see between 3-5" of snow but Saturday is mostly sunny with a high of 49*. Considering the temps I'd say we'll be closer to 3" if that much but I was planning to ride my bike home from the shop Saturday. Now sounds like it will be trailered home. I don't need that kind of mess on fresh paint.

No. The Freedom Edition MH that we had was an E6. I believe it was a 350hp but had had pump work done to it prior to our company buying it which lead some to say it was an E6 400hp.

I'm relatively certain these are Hallibruton Mack's. There was one, many years ago, in Garrett, IN that I tried to make an offer on. If they are Hallibruton then they should be Cummins powered.

A favorite for concrete pumpers too.

The CL did not have the E9 in it. I cannot remember which engine was spec'd for it but I believe it was a 454. The 1st two axles are lifts. They serve two purposes. To support the truck and to help stop it. A mechanic at Vomac took it for a test drive at some point someone had lifted the axles while it was at the dealership. Not thinking about this he had it up to 55 on the highway prepared to slow and make his turn, again the axles were up, he over shot his turn by a LONG shot. It was after this and an exchange between the service writer and Freddy Campbell, that I got a call, from Campbell's, asking me to please go to the dealership (At the time I operated the dealerships recovery truck) and test drive their truck to confirm the issues were corrected. Bill Bottoms passed away a few years back and I really don't know if B&B is still building recovery trucks or not. I've been away from that world for over 7 years now. Below is the truck I operated at that time.

This is a B&B (BIll Bottoms) rotator as well. It is rated at 85+ tons. Built for Campbell Garage in Ligonier, IN. Freddy & Dan Campbell called it quits recently so I don't know what became of the truck. I got to drive it one time and it truly is a monster. Weight with equipment onboard is between 82 & 83,000# per Dan Campbell but he could be a bit of a blowhard! In the 2nd pic the Ford has a B&B 35 ton stick on it just to give you an idea of the size difference.

The hood ornament is still centered on the truck. As long as the Bulldog is left of the white line so is your truck.

There was a long running thread from a member who built a truck to pull his race car hauler using a B85 (fire truck) and an International school bus. I very nice build. Phantom 409 maybe? I think he and Larry might have crossed paths at a race track or two at some point. I cannot find the thread of the build.

He shut down the Picture website a few years back. The forum board has remained.

Hank posted today that his truck forum will be shutting down in May of this year. For the past several years I have very rarely posted there but I checked it daily along with BMT and Just Old Trucks. Very sorry to see it go but Hank has been spending a lot of money out of his own pocket to keep it going and to continue it would cost him much more.

I just wanted to take a moment to welcome back a "ROOKIE" Mike Harbison. Mike has been on this board through two decades now like a number of us. I know he was having trouble logging in from time to time as Superdog so it would appear that he is now logging in as his given name.

It was one of the best I've seen. Flew under our radar for 3 years until Larry noticed it. I found 6 posts from it since 2017. Removed them and flagged it/him.

This is the only pic I have that shows any part of the underside. Maybe Mike Harbison (Superdog) will pop in. He has this truck now as well as several other F's.