Beautiful L model

[james j neiweem]

While traversing through Mack trucks on you tube I came across my new favorite old time Mack It was a green and black L model of some sort. It was an integral sleeper (looked like an H model cab with an L model set back axle. The truck had the external radiator similar to a needle nose Pete. After seeing this truck it seems to me that Mack should have continued using the L cab rather than introducing the B model small cab. I would guess Mr. Hancock has a picture of one of these.This could have been made with the B model front end or kept as an axle back L model. What a gorgous set up this was.

[mowerman]

Sounds like your talking about a B73 or B75 and yes I’m sure J has lotsa photos of them... bob

[Vladislav]

My guess is you're talking about this one.

The photo was taken at Trucktoberfest as I remember but by someone else.

[Lmackattack]

Great looking older Mack... dont see to many of these...

[james j neiweem]

Vlad that's a spittin image. What a beautiful L. What is the model?

Edited January 22, 2020 by james j neiweem

[Vladislav]

I would guess LJ. Could also be LF. Difficult to judge weight raiting by the look. LF's usually had smaller wheels of 20" but that was not a rure and the particular wheels were not installed at the factory also. Both sleeper cab and "hard nose" were factory options. It has longer hood and being accompanied by Diesel badges I would expect to find Cummins under the hood.

Nice looking and rarely set up unit no doubt.

[h67st]

That is a gorgeous truck. It's the same cab as an H model, I would rather have one of those than my H but if you ever found one for sale the dollar signs would be multiple.

[1977vega]

Wasn’t that truck for sale for 25k a few years ago? Or was it a similar truck?

[j hancock]

Great looking LJ tractor!

[CaptainCrutch]

Any clue how an H cab managed to get out on an L model? I really love that look for it, just never figured it could be done, stick a cabover cab on a normal truck...

[j hancock]

Many of the bones of the L and H model cabs are the same or similar.  So it isn't a real stretch to do.  Back in the day, there weren't just one or two L model sleepers made.  Mack made several hundred of them.  Very few have survived.

[terry]

44 minutes ago, j hancock said:

Many of the bones of the L and H model cabs are the same or similar.  So it isn't a real stretch to do.  Back in the day, there weren't just one or two L model sleepers made.  Mack made several hundred of them.  Very few have survived.

Was that a factory set up? Or did somebody put it together?  Really like the looks of it!     terry

[mowerman]

heh,,,,i see what he means by an H cab.....this is the cats ass..colors are my favorite on any mack,,,,,wow,excellent...bob

[j hancock]

3 hours ago, terry said:

Was that a factory set up? Or did somebody put it together?  Really like the looks of it!     terry

I can't say whether the particular one pictured was put together by someone or not.

It is a viable setup though.  If you wanted an L tractor with an integral sleeper, Mack would sell you one.  They sold many of them.  

Usually see them with a soft nose versus the hard nose radiator show above.

Soft nose LJT sleeper.  Picture is not the best.  Taken in 2006.

 

[Phase 1]

 

20 hours ago, Vladislav said:

I would guess LJ. Could also be LF. Difficult to judge weight raiting by the look. LF's usually had smaller wheels of 20" but that was not a rure and the particular wheels were not installed at the factory also. Both sleeper cab and "hard nose" were factory options. It has longer hood and being accompanied by Diesel badges I would expect to find Cummins under the hood.

Nice looking and rarely set up unit no doubt.

Or an LH. The hard nose is seen on the LJ-X models. I don't know if that was standard on them. I also do not know if there were LHX or LFX  models

[james j neiweem]

The hard nose and the H cab make that L an awesome combo I believe the green one stands a little taller than the red one. If you look up Mack trucks on you tube you will come across a Black and green one with a short video. I don't think it is the same black and green one as above. For some reason I think that Lj looks better than the LT's. That set back axle gives it an Autocarish look.

[Vladislav]

20 hours ago, h67st said:

That is a gorgeous truck. It's the same cab as an H model, I would rather have one of those than my H but if you ever found one for sale the dollar signs would be multiple.

I'm for an H. Sure any conventional basically has more attractive shape than a cabover but H-models stay apart from the most of commonly looking trucks.

I think you could figure on building additional front end off an L-model you could attach to your H to make it differents at times you want

[BOB DINGSDALE]

The rad is definatly off a LJX with that alum. side . The bottom side of rad is where it sits down on frame.I think the whole truck has been made up. A real clone Maybe the person who built it is on here and could explain things

[blackdog2]

6 hours ago, j hancock said:

I can't say whether the particular one pictured was put together by someone or not.

It is a viable setup though.  If you wanted an L tractor with an integral sleeper, Mack would sell you one.  They sold many of them.  

Usually see them with a soft nose versus the hard nose radiator show above.

Soft nose LJT sleeper.  Picture is not the best.  Taken in 2006.

 

 

[blackdog2]

Looks like a local truck with history  Part were all over but put back to original ?

[steve s.]

The green and black truck in the picture belongs fo a friend of mine. It is an LJ. He has had it for many years. The hard nose radiator may not be original, but it was on there when he got it. The truck has an early Cummins with a quadruplex. It was built as a single axle with a big 29,000 lb rear. Later the frame was stretched and a dead axle was added.  Currently the truck has a newer set of Mack rears on a camleback suspension. The LJ doesn't get driven too much, another friend usually tows it to shows.

The H model  was made using the L sleeper cab.  They are basically the same, but the windshield height is different.

[h67st]

10 hours ago, steve s. said:

The H model  was made using the L sleeper cab.  They are basically the same, but the windshield height is different.

I didn't know that! I see the bottom of the windshield on the conventional lines up with the bottom of the vent wing, but on the H model the windshield drops lower than the wing. So these trucks are genuine L models, not H cabs fitted onto an L chassis.

[Vladislav]

21 hours ago, h67st said:

I didn't know that! I see the bottom of the windshield on the conventional lines up with the bottom of the vent wing, but on the H model the windshield drops lower than the wing. So these trucks are genuine L models, not H cabs fitted onto an L chassis.

I would expect big differences in the floor shape either. Don't know about the sleeper cab L's but day cabs have flat floor with front panel removable.

[mowerman]

I remember seeing a few in wrecking yards as a young guy in the early 70s LJ sleepers I don’t  remember them looking like a H cab just extended L model  ... but almost 50 years ago memories,,,,, who can say... lol bob

[Vladislav]

10 hours ago, mowerman said:

I remember seeing a few in wrecking yards as a young guy in the early 70s LJ sleepers I don’t  remember them looking like a H cab just extended L model  ... but almost 50 years ago memories,,,,, who can say... lol bob

I think they used the same roof, back and side panels to make both cabs. Floor, windshield frame and probably cowl were different. At least they look on pics that way. In theory it could be not that if the entire length of the cabs is different and different roof panels were used. You need to take some basic measurements off both the cabs to figure. Seems the need is the question either