Popular Post T-Mack1 Posted Wednesday at 03:42 PM Popular Post Share Posted Wednesday at 03:42 PM Here's an up date on my Brother and my B85F that was once part of Boston Fire Dept. It lives, moves and stops!!!! Sunday 3/9/2025, Jack and I got it running on a temp gas tank and got it to move around. Videos are my brother Jack driving. Note, I boobie-trapped him by having the auxiliary shift lever in neutral. He figured it out. And, even though he has been driving manual trans cars for over 50 years, he never driven a truck with non-scynornized trans before. Truck-wise, it builds air pressure to normal levels and the compressor kicks on and off where it should. The battery charges. Oil pressure is good. And clutch seems normal for the 2 times we drove it up & down his 700 foot driveway. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100009041979074/videos/538239552636001 https://www.facebook.com/100009041979074/videos/619931730934531 On YouTube.: Part 1 and below Part 2 Part 2: 5 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted Wednesday at 03:48 PM Share Posted Wednesday at 03:48 PM Thanks for that. Freight train told me a while ago if you want to post video clips on here, you have to go through YouTube. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571203 Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mack1 Posted Wednesday at 04:09 PM Author Share Posted Wednesday at 04:09 PM 19 minutes ago, mowerman said: Thanks for that. Freight train told me a while ago if you want to post video clips on here, you have to go through YouTube. Great minds think the same. I just figured out the Youtube thing and edited them in. It wasn't too hard. 1 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571205 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted Wednesday at 06:24 PM Share Posted Wednesday at 06:24 PM that was excellent thanks for that,,,engine sounds great,,bob 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571216 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckcrazy Posted Thursday at 01:03 AM Share Posted Thursday at 01:03 AM Great work. It has Armstrong steering. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571244 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jack Mack Posted Thursday at 01:20 AM Popular Post Share Posted Thursday at 01:20 AM Perhaps filming from the passenger so as not to show our desperate attempt at fixing the gas tank involved a 2 gallon jug on the running board! My brother showed up hours after I had been out working on new fuel pump, redneck fuel tank with the mission to run the motor today. Tom comes walking up showing me the new rectifier, and talking about gauges, and little stuff, ........I was like we are running her today forget that stuff the tank is full let's get going! It went well.....Jack 3 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571245 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Joseph Cummings Posted Thursday at 02:00 AM Popular Post Share Posted Thursday at 02:00 AM Looks and sounds good. I'll bet a buffing would bring a nice shine to that paint 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571246 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted Thursday at 02:47 PM Share Posted Thursday at 02:47 PM 23 hours ago, T-Mack1 said: I got it running on a temp gas tank and got it to move around. I am sure you are aware but I shall say it nevertheless- Try to only run NON-ETHANOL GASOLINE !!! 1 Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571267 Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mack1 Posted Thursday at 03:02 PM Author Share Posted Thursday at 03:02 PM 13 minutes ago, 1958 F.W.D. said: I am sure you are aware but I shall say it nevertheless- Try to only run NON-ETHANOL GASOLINE !!! Yes!! We live in eastern PA and the convenience store chain WaWa carries Non-ethanol gas. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571268 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted Friday at 08:01 PM Share Posted Friday at 08:01 PM On 3/13/2025 at 11:02 AM, T-Mack1 said: Yes!! We live in eastern PA and the convenience store chain WaWa carries Non-ethanol gas. I'm in Hellertown! Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571369 Share on other sites More sharing options...
609albert Posted Friday at 11:53 PM Share Posted Friday at 11:53 PM Nice tractor,so I guess it is not diesel , what about the tiller section ? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571390 Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mack1 Posted Saturday at 11:35 AM Author Share Posted Saturday at 11:35 AM 15 hours ago, 1958 F.W.D. said: I'm in Hellertown! Well hello neighbor. Emmaus & Bally....... Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mack1 Posted Saturday at 11:46 AM Author Share Posted Saturday at 11:46 AM More photo's of the project. Gauges. I cleaned up the bezels on the Air gauge, Speedo and Oil pressure. I inserted the Electrical tach (gas engine) in the hole where the water temp was only as a Photo-opt thing. And, we have a mechanical water temp gauge not shown in picture. The factory electrical water temp gauge was bad. The little fine return spring was rusted away. For the Speedo, I bent the crimped bezel open slowly, cleaned the metal, filled the pits with J-B weld quick, and painted and slowly bent it back. Also had to paint the inner black cover bezel. We are expecting the Fuel garage to be bad since it uses a similar return spring as the water temp gauge. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571399 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post T-Mack1 Posted Saturday at 11:52 AM Author Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 11:52 AM More Photo's. Fender inserts. They were missing so the seller provided them as they were not on truck when we made the offer, and were part of offer. Color is not a perfect match but looks better that the before picture. 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571400 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Cummings Posted Saturday at 12:30 PM Share Posted Saturday at 12:30 PM Looks good. Is your plan to keep the original paint and lettering? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571402 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mack Posted Saturday at 02:31 PM Share Posted Saturday at 02:31 PM We are just getting the truck running to have some fun with it, the lettering is not original and Tom has talked to the chief at the fire company on door. The current chief researched a bit and found the collector that bought the truck from Boston Fire had his home town of East Hampton put on door and changed ladder 11 to Ladder 1, along with putting his name "Barton" on the hood. Uh, we already have our name on hood in chrome letters, so I see the hood lettering coming off and not sure what to do on door , she served Boston FD from 1957 to 1979, so maybe she should have Ladder 11 on the door. Truck appears to have been painted once as we can see the Boston taping under the paint. Paint is pretty good and buffs ups to high gloss shine easily. We have an idea and concept photo to make her a four door to haul the grandkids around in, so a total repaint would be then if that even happens. We do have it figured out though....Jack Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571411 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted Saturday at 07:13 PM Share Posted Saturday at 07:13 PM man those gauges came out excellent i thought they were new till i saw the mileage,,,,i was about to suggest thier is alotta retro gauges available out there 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571440 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jack Mack Posted Sunday at 01:44 PM Popular Post Share Posted Sunday at 01:44 PM What a four door version of our truck might look like!.....Jack 2 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571481 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Cummings Posted Sunday at 04:09 PM Share Posted Sunday at 04:09 PM 2 hours ago, Jack Mack said: What a four door version of our truck might look like!.....Jack Here is something about open cabs I'd read before but forgotten. That is why they went away in the 60's Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/75276-former-boston-fd-b85f-1211-project-mack-brothers/#findComment-571491 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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