MissouriDreaming Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 I come seeking advice. A little background..I am a dreamer. Ever since I was a kid I wanted a fire truck. Seriously, even as an adult the obsession grew. Now, I am not a truck guy. Not a mechanic. Never been trained in heavy equipment or stuff like that. But last year I came across a truck I could not pass up. It was a 1989 GMC Mini Attack pumper and it was awesome! I bought it and had it USHIPed from the Fire Dept in California to Missouri. Truck got here and it was perfect. Could have not gotten a better deal and a more solid truck. Like I said I am not even a truck guy and even I could tell this thing was well taken care of. By watching you tube I taught myself how to operate the pumping equipment and stuff. Had lots of fun with it but I sold that truck a few months later to a rural department that needed to upgrade and now I am regreting it!!! So the dream is itching and here I am searching for another truck and it seems I have found one.Its a 1988 Mack and again its far away. Sadly that is all I can really say I know about it. I got really lucky last time, but for the small amount I paid for it- it really didnt matter. This truck is a bit of an upgrade and costs a little more. Its well within my project budget, even more so since I made a nice profit on the last one but I dont want to roll the dice again. As I lean more about this truck is there anything I need to stay away from with regards to Mack Motors and Transmissions. I have been told it has a "Mack Motor" and a Automautic Transmission. I am going to assume the tranny is an Allison as almost every single fire truck I have looked at that are auto's are. When I have this truck inspected what should I be looking for specific to a Mack.My other issue is Transport. Its 600 miles away and if I did go to inspect it I would like to be able to drive it away. Dont laugh....I already said I am dumb when it comes to things like this but is there any specific reason a fire truck could not do a 600 mile highway trip assuming the truck is in good working order? This one could probably be ushipped....i know from experience it wont be cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 is it a CF? If so, they are very common and you will most likely find one closer to home if you wait awhile. If it is an R model it is probably worth going to look at.A top condition CF should bring anywhere from $3K to more than $5K. I don't think any of them will fetch $10K. If it is rusty I would stay away from it, but if you must have it don't pay more than scrap value.As with all fire trucks the condition of the truck and having it complete are the most important pricing considerations. For example a bell will cost you anywhere from $500.00 to $1000.00 to replace if it is missing. I have never heard of any particular mechanical issues with any Mack apparatus. They are known for their reliability and that is why so many remain in service today.I would not be afraid to drive it the 600 miles. It will be an uncomfortable ride, but it is perfectly feasible to do it. Plan on taking it to a truck shop to have the fluids changed, brakes inspected, etc. and then hit the road. Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 If it is a Mack and in good condition, you could easily do 600 miles, however I would want to ship it, but that's me. One thing "mid-engine" firetrucks can and will do on a long distance trip is to heat up. They were not designed for long distance cross country trips, and the mid-engine design limits the airflow, therefore it is critical that the cooling system be gone over carefully, all coolant is topped off and watch your temp gauges as you travel.Another thing I have seen in firetrucks with Allison HT740 Automatics- the old-school ATF would grow algae if it was a department that was relatively inactive....The tranny can and will heat up if this occurs. Pay attention to the tranny temp gauge as well. Check the ATF fluid levels once in a while when you stop for fuel. Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer52 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Depending on the gear ratio, it may take some time to drive 600 miles. If it is only geared for 45mph, you are not to be driving on the interstate highways. Quote Ken PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack458 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 One thing you could do is place a request on the transportation board to see if someone on here can help you out. I drove my 65 B model 500 miles back home, and it was a long ride. As others have already stated check the fluid levels before the trip, and often. I suggest also checking the rear fluid level along with emptying the air brake tanks. Check tire pressure and condition, and pick up some extra oil and radiator fluid, along with wiper blades. Depending on who you insure with, you can get the roadside assistance, which will have it towed a certain distance if needed. Allow plenty of time and keep a list of Mack or other qualified service providers along your route in case you need help. In the end if you do drive it back it will be part of the story of the truck, and you will get plenty of waves and smiles. I would change all fluids when you get it back home. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriDreaming Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) Thank you for the replies. I have a lot better understanding of what I could be in for on a long haul even if the truck ran great..Now I even can tell the difference between different models....Turns out I am going to take the advice and look for a truck closer to home that I could go and inspect a little easier and perhaps save on the transport costs little. My last truck that came outta Cali cost me around $3700.00 total to transport it to Missouri and I dont wanna pay anything like that again. Although, it seems all the rust free trucks are far away from me in the West, SW or SE. so I might not have a choice if I want a rust free truck. I absolutely love the look of the cab on these late 80's MR/MC Macks and the inside design as well but considering anything that has the look Im after.... Most important thing to me now is to find a truck that is 100% rust free and in operable condition. I figure part of the fun will be customizing it and fixing the major and minor details that make it shine. Any idea on the price differece bwtween the CFs and the MC/MRs??Thanks Again!Gregg Edited May 4, 2015 by MissouriDreaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 The MC's and MR's are usually pretty reasonable. Keep an eye on the various government auction sites such as govdeals.com and public surplus online as these trucks still come up pretty often.In the fire truck collecting world the best trucks are generally those that are coming directly out of the fire house. Most of these are well cared for with minimal rust and/or mechanical issues. If you find a good clean truck don't be deterred by the distance. As I said earlier I wouldn't be afraid to drive it home as long as I had it checked over before I started the trip. Most apparatus was driven from the factory to the customer when it was new, so it is perfectly doable. Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack458 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 There are a couple of Macks on GovDeals now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriDreaming Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Yeah....I was bidding on the MC out of North Carolina today but unfortunately I was not victorious. Friggin loved the truck though. Perfect example of what I want. At least now I have seen one sell and will be better prepared if another comes along.Thanks for the heads up though...I can use all the help I can get If anyone knows of any nice MC/MRs for sale please dont hesitate to send them my way!!Thanks again for everyone's input. Hoperfully one day I will have something to share.Gregg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loadstar Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 This ones been for sale for awhile on Vermont's Craigslist....... http://burlington.craigslist.org/cto/5001386862.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MissouriDreaming Posted May 31, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) Well, I bought a truck. Its not the 88 I was looking at....its an 84 with a body refurb in 89. Now I am just arranging transport to its new home and beginning to plan its new future. Seems to be in pretty good condition with the exception of a little rust behind the front wheels. Its coming right out of the firehouse, still running calls as a reserve this weekend. I like that fact its only 25 feet long, with a booster reel, deck gun and I absolutley love the trash line off the front bumper! Its comming with a ton of equipment that will save us on re-equipping. I will probably be removing the stobes and replacing with a period correct full size areodynic and some old school rotrary lights on the rear as well as some old "Dial 911" decals that were used in the 80's if I can find them.I will post some decent pics when it gets here and I can really dig into it. Looking forward to getting it home and getting to work on fixing the use and wear so everyone can see it continue to shine! Edited June 3, 2015 by MissouriDreaming 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41chevy Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Looks good. A vinyl sign shop can make up you 911 signs with a clear image and dimensions. Probably won't be reflective but thats minor I would think. Good Luck with it. Paul Quote "OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK" Thomas Edison “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” P.T.CHESHIRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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