Kiwi Mack RB688RST Rebuild

[Mackman686]

Hi Everyone,

I'm rebuilding a NZ built Mack RB688RST, so ill share some photos of what Ive done so far on the journey.  I done the camel back bushes and elephants feet which were all original, so they done pretty good for 33 years and 1.5mil kms.

Then i split the chassis rails and attacked the chassis heave, it wasn't bad but at least now i don't need to worry about it now.

Cheers

[mrsmackpaul]

Well done, the chassis rails are a big job apparently, I have never done them

I gather it's a gal cab, given the age, hopefully rust is pretty limited

Great work

 

Paul

 

[Mackman686]

Hey Paul, 

I was cringing when I was deciding whether to do it or not, but I found it fairly easy the rust only started from the cross member from behind the cab so that was a bonus. Yeah the cabs a galv one being a MK2 Superliner cab so no rust at all that I can see.

cheers keegan

[The Rubber Duck 006]

That's a Slick lookin Truck.....Kinda like a Superliner and a CH613 Had a Kid.....Sweet

[Mackman686]

Thanks rubber duck, 

They are unique to New Zealand, they only built 52 inbetween the end of the R series and the start of the right hand drive CH. 

They are R Series chassis and running gear, with a MC set back front axle, MK2 Superliner cab, NZ designed and built bonnet, an Ultraliner centre part of the grill and an Australian Valueliner front bumper.

 

[mowerman]

Wow, that’s some serious operation. I was just kind of curious what a dashboard looks like on a right hand drive that truck is very unusual. Looking looks to be in pretty good shape. Thanks for sharing.

[Brocky]

On 4/29/2024 at 7:38 AM, Mackman686 said:

Thanks rubber duck, 

They are unique to New Zealand, they only built 52 inbetween the end of the R series and the start of the right hand drive CH. 

They are R Series chassis and running gear, with a MC set back front axle, MK2 Superliner cab, NZ designed and built bonnet, an Ultraliner centre part of the grill and an Australian Valueliner front bumper.

 

I am glad ALL those parts are MACK!!!  It looks like they cleaned up the parts room and built a neat truck.. Thanks for sharing..

[Mackman686]

7 hours ago, mowerman said:

Wow, that’s some serious operation. I was just kind of curious what a dashboard looks like on a right hand drive that truck is very unusual. Looking looks to be in pretty good shape. Thanks for sharing.

Hi There,

Yeah they do look very unusual, they were only built for 2 years as well.  So sort of rare as such here in NZ but not everyone's cup of tea. Here is a couple of photos of the Interior before i pulled it all apart. 

[mattb73lt]

Very nice work!! It looks great. Interesting differences from that to the U.S. models.

[Mackman686]

3 hours ago, mattb73lt said:

Very nice work!! It looks great. Interesting differences from that to the U.S. models.

Thanks mate, yeah there is a lot of differences. I think these were the first macks in NZ to have the air cleaner under the bonnet, everything else was external.

[BOBWhite]

What a cool truck! It's cool to recognize all the parts but arranged in different places. 

Does this truck have the E6, E7 or maybe even the E9? I've heard in some countries they continued E6 production well after they stopped making them here. Did they offer the E9 in New Zealand? Sorry to bombard you with questions but I have never even heard of these before! 

[mrsmackpaul]

Bob I can tell you they most definitely did have the E9 over there 

It just happened to coincide with a family holiday to NZ that the 50 years of Mack in NZ was on, pure coincidence, I swear it was

I was stunned that even though Kiwi Macks look almost the same as Australian ones they are definitely custom built for NewZealand 

Well worth jumping on the kero kite for a look one day if you get a chance

 

Paul

[Mackman686]

2 hours ago, BOBWhite said:

What a cool truck! It's cool to recognize all the parts but arranged in different places. 

Does this truck have the E6, E7 or maybe even the E9? I've heard in some countries they continued E6 production well after they stopped making them here. Did they offer the E9 in New Zealand? Sorry to bombard you with questions but I have never even heard of these before! 

Hi Bob,

This one here is an E6 350, it was originally a 12spd Mack box but changed out for an 18spd Mack box somewhere along the way. They come out with an E7 300 or 400 in them in the later ones but not V8.

As for the E9s being in NZ yeah they are here getting fue and far between now but they are still about. This was the last V8 built in NZ, in 1999 and was a 610hp.

[JoeH]

With that bonnet I keep thinking it looks like a Ford L8000.

[mowerman]

Yes, I thought the same thing kind of midliner as well. Thanks for the interiors photos. It looks like everything is just backwards. … bob

[Mackman686]

Hi All,

Sorry about not updating you all sooner, so it's been nearly 18months from the last photos I posted and the RB is back together and I'm waiting on the sand blasters to have a spot ready to get the chassis blasted then I can paint it.

So in the mean time Ive been tiding up wiring and air lines and now it to the cab and doing the same in there.

I fabricated the guards and rear light bars myself and made up a set of Aussie road-train style rubber rear mud guards something different over here but i like them from when I drove road trains myself in Western Australia.

any other photos that that I take ill make sure i post them!!

And there is a video for the died hard Air starter fans like myself.

 

Cheers Keegan

Edited October 6 by Mackman686

[Mackman686]

[mowerman]

excellent,,,,, man you been busy bob

[Vladislav]

Good luck on the progress!

We all sure would like to see the final result.

[Vladislav]

And... I re-read the whole thread - was that MH with V8 really assembled as late as 1999?

[h67st]

Those taillight boxes look great! I like the air start, all my neighbors know when I start my truck.

[Mackman686]

On 10/8/2025 at 8:27 AM, Vladislav said:

And... I re-read the whole thread - was that MH with V8 really assembled as late as 1999?

Hi Vladislav,

Yes it was the last E9 V8 Ultraliner built in New Zealand, the last Ultraliner in the world was also built here aswell in 1999 and road registered January of 2000. It now sits in the Bill Richardson Transport museum in Invercargill.

[Mackman686]

On 10/9/2025 at 2:35 AM, h67st said:

Those taillight boxes look great! I like the air start, all my neighbors know when I start my truck.

Hi H67st,

Yeah they've come up really good and Ive gone for the old school look and gone back to bulb tail lights.

[Vladislav]

On 10/14/2025 at 3:20 AM, Mackman686 said:

Hi Vladislav,

Yes it was the last E9 V8 Ultraliner built in New Zealand, the last Ultraliner in the world was also built here aswell in 1999 and road registered January of 2000. It now sits in the Bill Richardson Transport museum in Invercargill.

Keegan,

Many thanks for the answer and for the pics! It really surprized, I'd say amazed me that some MH's took place on a production line up to the end of millenium! Who would have thunk!

That white V8 with black stripe has very impressive look. And the museum truck is also remarkable having NZ configuration with double steer axles. Sure besides its #1 from the end.

Unfortunately it was very difficult for me to get NZ and Aussie visa to catch a plane and come look at the trucks in your neck of the woods. And in the current reality it's about impossible. Hope the world will change to better times.

[tjc transport]

32 minutes ago, Vladislav said:

Keegan,

 

Unfortunately it was very difficult for me to get NZ and Aussie visa to catch a plane and come look at the trucks in your neck of the woods. And in the current reality it's about impossible. Hope the world will change to better times.

you are not the only one my friend!!!!

all any of us can do is hope the crazy people get removed from office and replaced with sane people. 

but i think we would have a better chance of finding unicorn teets.