Joe Cummings Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I was thinking today that I haven't seen an L or a B working around here for Quite a long time. I ran a 48 LF and a 53 IHC R210 in wrecker service untill the late 80's but even I gave it up. Parts were hard to get for the LF and The R210 with it's 450 Red Diamond was really slow.Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendrill Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 My 1965 B61 carries my cable drill (Bucyrus Erie 22W) around to water well jobs. I've put over 2000 mi on it in 6 yrs-it's up to 19500 mi now. It's a little long and heavy perhaps but it's very reliable and doesn't get stuck. It's really fun to drive-I'm not really a truck driver but i get it around pretty well i think. I tell folks the left shift lever has 3 positions: township road, county road, and state highway. If i remounted the rig and restored the truck i wouldn't get to drive it as much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry T Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Funny that this topic would come up today. Just this morning a Mack B61 sign truck caught my eye. It was installing a new sign in a more affluent part of Ft Wayne. First I thought, that is really cool to see an old B working, then I thought, that is really, really cool to see it working here! with all the beamers, and benz' and Caddy's going by it with the drivers on cell's looking over and thinking God only knows what! Neither of mine will work again, they will be registered with Historic Plates. The F might get a chance once in a while, but only if one of the D.O.T. officers that I know request me to use it to clear a semi trailer from an accident scene. I will never offer it, but if it is ordered by an officer that is a different story.Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paccarnut Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Work was the whole reason I convinced my uncle to buy this 1970 Pete 341. We were looking for a truck to help maintain my aunt & uncle's various properties. He was thinking Ford 2 ton. But, I knew better! Got a whole lot more truck, for a little less money. No regrets there! I'ved hauled countless loads to the county landfill and the scrap yard. Then there's all the trips of busted concrete to the fill. I'm pretty careful how I load, and where I'm driving the truck. But I've never been afraid to get her dirty! That's what a pressure washer is for! We're definately the envy of all the contractors at Lowes when we go to pick up some lumber.And we aren't the only ones in town running an old truck. There are a few 70's era dump trucks running around here. After all it is a truck, they were designed to work! Quote ChrisFindlay, Ohio USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I use my '58 B61 boomtruck,'61 B61 wrecker,and '58 B83 wrecker every chance I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 i'll try and attach a picture of mine with the excavator behind it. saw a B-81 on the road today in no. branford conn. rt.80 widening job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cummings Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Nice Pete Paccar, what's in it for power? I'ts funny but I guess I'm getting old when 70 is an old truck. But it's older than my LF when I started running it. MiKe I got to say I love that B83 I have always loved macks. I used them for years in the salvage and scrap metal business. Nothing stands up to that kind of work like a Mack. I would rather drive a Maxidyne powered 5 or 6 speed 20 year old truck than a new one. As long as I can turn the fuel up a bit I run right along side the newest stuff. But it is getting tough around here with all the smoke checks and stuff. You have to cheat and make up some controls for the puff limiter but you can never get drivers that understand how to use them when they get stopped.Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Maikshilo Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 i'll try and attach a picture of mine with the excavator behind it. saw a B-81 on the road today in no. branford conn. rt.80 widening job.I ran my "58" B64 for a couple years till I got the superliner. It ran great and would pull any load I could put in it. I was always very careful not to scratch it too. Scott, was that one of O&G's trucks on that road job? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 . As long as I can turn the fuel up a bit I run right along side the newest stuff. But it is getting tough around here with all the smoke checks and stuff. You have to cheat and make up some controls for the puff limiter but you can never get drivers that understand how to use them when they get stopped.JoeI put my puff on an air operated switch. when we go to shows or truck pulls I can blow the black clouds. normal driving I just let it do its thing...unless someone likes to tailgate me!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paccarnut Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Nice Pete Paccar, what's in it for power? I'ts funny but I guess I'm getting old when 70 is an old truck. But it's older than my LF when I started running it. Thanks for the compliment! It's got a 6v71 Detroit in it. 5 spd main 4 spd aux. The truck was originally a mixer in San Jose, Ca. Then a hay hauler, an electrical contractors backhoe drag puller. And finally us. It's never been off the road. Been working 36 years, and still going. I'd like to see a new Freightliner or Volvo do that! Quote ChrisFindlay, Ohio USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I drag my 40ft race car trailer weekly with my B. It's been from Indy to Syracuse to BG, KY. Everyone in town knows my truck...as I drive it constantly even to car shows/cruise-ins, work, to the local rootbeer joint or Lowe's. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cummings Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 I put my puff on an air operated switch. when we go to shows or truck pulls I can blow the black clouds. normal driving I just let it do its thing...unless someone likes to tailgate me!!!!! I go the other way with the puff limiter. I set them up so I can throw a switch and they hold the rack almost all the way back. Makes them pass with flying colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B42Art Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 i'll try and attach a picture of mine with the excavator behind it. saw a B-81 on the road today in no. branford conn. rt.80 widening job.Scott I know exactly where you are talking about, I was by there the other day. Its a red B81 in a yard on rt.80 not far from Dunkin Donuts. In Connecticut there is a lot of B models still on the road working. There is also a lot that aren't working any more which makes for plenty of parts trucks to pick off of. Take it easy, Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 tim ,o&g still has some B's working, but this one belonged to aborio const. out of cromwell conn. someone is pulling a trailer dump on I-95 in the milford bridgeport area with a red B-61 with black fenders. matt phal uses his for his restoration business all the time. bob dennis from litchfield makes his living dragging a 50 ton detachable with his blue and white B-81, moving heavy equiptment. his buddy tom messenger teams up with him part time with his maroon B-61. first time i saw matt's B-61 i was hooked with the restoration bug it'an obsession. these guys have suffered through my dumb questions and have no idea how much i appreciated the information i got from them. scott try to post my dump with 20 ton trailer and 120 mitzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Maikshilo Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 tim ,o&g still has some B's working, but this one belonged to aborio const. out of cromwell conn. someone is pulling a trailer dump on I-95 in the milford bridgeport area with a red B-61 with black fenders. matt phal uses his for his restoration business all the time. bob dennis from litchfield makes his living dragging a 50 ton detachable with his blue and white B-81, moving heavy equiptment. his buddy tom messenger teams up with him part time with his maroon B-61. first time i saw matt's B-61 i was hooked with the restoration bug it'an obsession. these guys have suffered through my dumb questions and have no idea how much i appreciated the information i got from them. scott try to post my dump with 20 ton trailer and 120 mitzyScott, I've seen Bob Dennis with his truck back in the early"90"s, Pretty neat. I know some of the boys at Aborio and I thought they parked there B's a few years ago, it's great that they're still on the road. That B in Bridgeport my be a part of Anthony Julian's old trucks. Once in a while Mike's truck and trailer in New Haven get some older stuff in the yard for sale,Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmartyn Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Hi Guys, I'm late to the party but that's the name of my photo album. As long as I can get parts (which I rarely need) my single axle B dump truck (former tractor) is staying on the road. It's so reliable, good on fuel and does it's job so well, why not. I'm not an over the road guy, it's used to move equipment on a 20 ton tag and material in the dump body. It'll still slog through a muddy site with soft ground loaded as good as it did 23 years ago when I bought it and then 'll roll down the highway at 60MPH as good or better than anything new. And no payments. It's a real head turner too. I've gotten a lot of calls from customers telling me they had seen that old truck and wrote down my number wanting work to be done. When you work with a classic like a "B", it speaks of the pride that you take in your work too. You'll see in the photo album that "Baby Skiddle" isn't a retired museum piece yet and probably won't be until I am too. Quote Ain't a Mack? Take it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKrois Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 someone is pulling a trailer dump on I-95 in the milford bridgeport area with a red B-61 with black fenders. That truck has a 237 in it cranked up to about a 285 or so with a quadbox, aftermarket a/c, air ride suspension. There's photos of the truck in my photo album. The owner is Doug Gilmore from shelton. Hes in the process of putting together a B model tri-axle dump. He hauls out of a place on Rt 25 a lot, and also hauls for a guy in stratford down off Lordship Blvd. Quote BryanMy Photo Albums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87valueliner Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 About a month ago I bought a 68 cornfield caddy tandem with a 220 Cummins, 10 speed and 750 Holmes deluxe body. Went to New Orleans today (about a 150 mile round trip) and picked up a flooded 6 yard dump with it. Old girl runs good and doesn't use oil, but is low on power. I'll be glad to get the Mack running and get the body over on it. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechmagcn Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 "Superdawg" will never see actual work again unless it's hauling a few parts on the flatbed. I'd rather keep it for what I built it for. Quote 1971 Mack R600 Toterhome "Superdawg" living the life of leisure pulling 1999 NuWa Snowbird 34+2 SE102 "Dawghouse" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bad1989gt1 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I also have seen Bob Dennis hauling a 300 yutani excavator thru Seymour/ Oxford on rt67 a lil while back it , its sweet to see that monster comming at you the heck with the new stuff, I've been told its got later powerplant in it . Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StorminNorman Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I also have seen Bob Dennis hauling a 300 yutani excavator thru Seymour/ Oxford on rt67 a lil while back it , its sweet to see that monster comming at you the heck with the new stuff, I've been told its got later powerplant in it . Brian I've talked to a few people that he moves stuff for and I hear it has a 350 w/a 12spd.And it also has A/C! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmartyn Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I was thinking today that I haven't seen an L or a B working around here for Quite a long time. I ran a 48 LF and a 53 IHC R210 in wrecker service untill the late 80's but even I gave it up. Parts were hard to get for the LF and The R210 with it's 450 Red Diamond was really slow.JoeHi Joe, Some pictures from today, screwed up this reply so look at the next one. Quote Ain't a Mack? Take it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmartyn Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I was thinking today that I haven't seen an L or a B working around here for Quite a long time. I ran a 48 LF and a 53 IHC R210 in wrecker service untill the late 80's but even I gave it up. Parts were hard to get for the LF and The R210 with it's 450 Red Diamond was really slow.JoeHi Joe, Went to pick up the machine with "Baby Skiddle" after I tore down a house by the bay. Brought in fill dirt with the DM tandem but needed more so the B was happy to do it. Quote Ain't a Mack? Take it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUE GRIT Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 It aint a B but to me its still a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 you both have nice rigs there!!Trent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.