teleman Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Im looking for a couple of battery boxes for my B model project and wondering where to start . I want something original looking...any suggestions,,,thanks Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 think watts b model store has them,,thier like 90 bucks,,original style.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Watts has the r model style box but will work on a b model and still looks original. good battery boxes for a b model are hard to find as in good fuel tanks and fuel tank brackets, especially up north where they like to put liquid battery acid on the road in the winter time. the r model boxes easily fit a b model, just have to drill new holes in the frame or do what i did and use the side bolt holes on the box with a piece of angle iron and drill holes in the back that align with the original holes in your frame. I doubt that there are any reproduction boxes from Tidewater Mack floating around anymore. Wish i bought a stack years ago when they were cheap along with about 20 pair of vent windows when they were $350 a pair! thanks, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Watts has the r model style box but will work on a b model and still looks original. good battery boxes for a b model are hard to find as in good fuel tanks and fuel tank brackets, especially up north where they like to put liquid battery acid on the road in the winter time. the r model boxes easily fit a b model, just have to drill new holes in the frame or do what i did and use the side bolt holes on the box with a piece of angle iron and drill holes in the back that align with the original holes in your frame. I doubt that there are any reproduction boxes from Tidewater Mack floating around anymore. Wish i bought a stack years ago when they were cheap along with about 20 pair of vent windows when they were $350 a pair! thanks, MattMatt, how long ago was it when vent windows were $350.00 a pair? I bought a new set in 86 there and gave $138.00 a pair when they were on sale.Always got along with the "old school" guys before the management change.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 i think they were around there. i loved dealin with Bob Daub or however you spelled it at Tidewater and parts were really reasonable back then. im pretty sure i paid somewhere between $125 and $175 a piece for them. dont even think they were as much as 350 a pair. wish i had bought more and a pickup full of hood chrome and dash guages! thanks, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 i think they were around there. i loved dealin with Bob Daub or however you spelled it at Tidewater and parts were really reasonable back then. im pretty sure i paid somewhere between $125 and $175 a piece for them. dont even think they were as much as 350 a pair. wish i had bought more and a pickup full of hood chrome and dash guages! thanks, MattI remember Bob, (nice guy) but I typically dealt with Walt, or Wally, (can't remember how he went exactly). Always nice folks. I was in the NAVY then and they always had time to "swap lies" when I'd be down that way. Those two could get you anything for a B model, and didn't mind doing it.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 yup wonderful guys to deal with and didnt act like you were wasting their time and would investigate to find something out or work to get something retooled or remade. and they loved to talk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teleman Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks....I looked up the website and its 185 for the box and 93 for the cover...Im on a pretty tight budget and planning to check a couple of truck places like Aldemans in Canton and maybe find something I can use....Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks....I looked up the website and its 185 for the box and 93 for the cover...Im on a pretty tight budget and planning to check a couple of truck places like Aldemans in Canton and maybe find something I can use....JimNot hard to fabricate your own battery boxes. Only if you want exact matches to original does it get expensive. I've purchased brand new PAI boxes for R models at less than $100.00 per side in steel delivered to the shop.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teleman Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 thanks Rob I will check it out...Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teleman Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hey Rob where did you get the pai boxes from....a dealer or direct...Thanks Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hey Rob where did you get the pai boxes from....a dealer or direct...Thanks JimHey Jim, I always used Midway Truck Parts in Peoria as they were a master distributor for PAI Industries. Fleetpride has since taken them over but they still handle PAI. Call 309-674-1621, ask for Ron, and be sure to mention my name as the referral as they know my affliction with Mack Trucks very well.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 (edited) The battery boxes (and covers) sold by Tidewater were not reproductions. They'd gotten permission from Mack to buy from the original supplier direct and in bulk (as they did on many B-model parts, to offer those affordable prices). For that reason, they came unpainted. But that was okay since we all wanted to prime and paint them ourselves anyway. Edited July 29, 2012 by kscarbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Im looking for a couple of battery boxes for my B model project and wondering where to start . I want something original looking...any suggestions,,,thanks JimHow about Doug Fetterly in upstate NY? I bought a new repro B bumper from him at Macungie two years ago and I know her had batteryboxes too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 so can we get Barry to buy from this Mack supplier still in bulk and get original style b model boxes ? AND have them priced reasonable so we can all enjoy them? like around the same price the r model box is? i know i got an original box from Tidewater and it was $225 or so, top and bottom without the latches. id pay that in a heartbeat today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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