vision386

Thanks for the good words! i lived about 50 miles south of lakehurst,down in south jersey about 26 miles east of the delaware memorial bridge right off U.S.40, little town called elmer up until about 2 years ago when we moved to virginia.......mark

Yeah, i know what ya'mean, can be slim pickens finding ANYTHING to reload out that way,but you should be ok,i see ALOT of flatbed freight posted out there,sometimes ya'just got ta'suck it up and go where the money is! best of luck!.....mark

Hey otherdog,i haul mainly new store display type furniture,also new office furniture,only difference is that i haul directly to the customers location so it's all LTL,i go out with up to 6-7 stops,sometimes i'm out for a few weeks. Don't know for how long though,one of our biggest suppliers (stanley) just closed their plant in martinsville,moved to mexico,put about 500 people out of a job.....anyway,i like this part of the country too,i got a good friend who lives in great falls,MT we used to be leased to the same co. and ran together quite a bit, so i got to spend sometime with him and his family out there. Was'nt for the winter,i'd move out there in a minute,but mama don't like the cold!.......mark

I was just curious,i stopped by there one day when i was bobtail, they showed me around,real nice guys! they put a lot of time and effort into these B-models and they worked the piss outta' them too!.....mark

This is a couple pictures of my truck in downtown butte montana....mark

I did a google image search and found the B-model sign i was talking about........mark

Hey ernie,do you remember A and D service in carlstadt? they had a whole bunch of maroon and yellow B-model tow trucks, i was by their shop on 17 the other day,nothings there anymore did they move,or out of business?........mark

I like montana too,only problem i have is they only have 2 seasons,the 4th of july,and winter!.....mark

Oh ok,theres a big construction company on the bypass just south of minot,they have a HUGE sign with a B-model pulling a lowboy with an old caterpillar dozer on it,i've been trying to get a picture of it,but the weather has been crappy the last few times i've been up there.I cross into canada about 35 miles north of minot.....mark

BULLHUSK,Talking about those 359 brockways, i used to run from south jersey up to binghampton,NY every night with a load of apples to a packing plant there,bring a load of empty boxes or glass bottles back. Just about every night 2 or 3 of these defazio trucks would pass me on the northeast extension or I-81 cummins just screamin'!...mark

You're right you'd think i would've remembered as well growing up on a farm!.....mark

Barry right here at the B-model store has the replacement lights you're looking for,also try www.class8truckparts.com/grote they have all the replacement parts as well.grote lighting is the original manufactorer of these lights. hope this is some help to you,...mark

Did ya see that B-model up on the constuction company sign just before you get into minot? when ya crossed into canada, see that huge excavator crane working in the pit mine? that thing is huge! i have tryed to stop and get a picture of it,but theres really no good place to pull off the road there......mark

Where'd ya go? i run central/western canada quite a bit,pretty nice country up there when its not snowing! i think i hung my chains more this past winter then i have my entire trucking career!....mark

Just gotta'remember to take them off before stating! fired my R-model up years ago,blew the coffee can off,right onto the hood of my freshly painted pickup!...mark

Thought you'd like that! my uncle was apa's dock forman down in philly (aramingo ave.) for many years,the guy that drove this truck was the posterboy for apa! used to wear a tie,old time drivers hat and all! this truck was his baby! I'm right there with you,these were GREAT trucks. Just like you remembered, this was a 250 cummins,10 spd.road ranger. this particular truck did a shuttle from allentown to philly twice a day. i got to hang around there quite a bit when i was a kid....mark

No, don't know the serial# but sure i can find it out,i'm still in contact with the guy that bought the truck, he has a few macks that he "tinkers" with. I'll see what i can find out......mark

There ya'go! now thats what i'm talkin'about! nice looking job!.....mark

BULLHUSK, think you're right must be a jersey thing! i was thinking about what you said,and i thought you'd get a kick outta' this.....i know its a 359,but thought it might bring back some good memories!........mark

"just cain't get this tiller to run.........." aint no gas in it....ummmm hummmmm" LMAO!...mark

I generally dont't go for the modified look in a classic truck, but after re-reading the entire set of posts,i had my doubts about the final outcome of this truck,but i have to say it came out great! I admire good craftsmanship,and i for one would like to compliment your welder! really slick job on the tailight setup! the fit/finish is second to none i've seen. Everyone associated with this project should be proud of how it turned out!.............mark

Gotta agree with bullhusk,electronic ignition is the only way to go,relatively simple transplant as well. JFYI, all the MB's i've ever been around were notorious for clogging fuel filters,just something else to keep in mind. A LOT of the big common carriers used MB's for years,i drove one myself and it was a damn good truck!..mark

Thanks ernie! i'm really suprized just how many jersey guys are on here!...mark

Thanks for the kind words! yeah i hope when/if they do decide to sell they'll give me first crack at it, i'd sure like to bring it home, these single axle b-models are getting harder to find everyday!....mark

This is a picture of the first truck i ever drove,it was a 1963 B-61T,END 673 thermodyne,backed by a triplex. My grandfather ran a small truck farm in south jersey and we used our trucks to haul produce from farm to market (apples,peaches).Pop being a product of the depression,never bought anything new,so when we needed a truck for me,we went to an auction in north jersey,this had been an old hess oil truck.At the time i believe this truck was puchased for right around $800.00! in running and driving condition.We spent about 3 months going over it,both mechanically and cosmetically. I was taking auto shop classes in school at the time,and i did all the bodywork and paint,we thought it came out pretty well for an "amature" job. I got the standard tutorial in the triplex from both pop and my dad,i spent that summer spotting trailers and getting to know "my" truck.Some of the best memories i have were spent in this truck.It was here that my life-long facsination with mack trucks began.My dad and grandfather taught me all i know about trucks and trucking,which was about half of what they knew! both are gone now,and there is'nt a day that goes by that i don't miss them. Between the 2 of them and me,there is almost a hundred years experience behind the wheel.Pop retired in the late 80's and all the farm equipment was sold at auction,i was un-able to buy the truck,but it is still in existance and NOT for sale! maybe someday?...........mark