Just purchased a 1956 B85 looking for some help identifying internal pull/push switches

[Mack guy Ata]

Some background info: Bought the truck in Turkey and I'm in Turkey. These trucks are extremely rare and expensive here since 2016 this one was the 2nd one to be sold. I'm a 26 year old who loves old trucks and was recently able to afford this B85 but i have almost 0 experience with old truck operation and restoration but I'm experienced at classic car operation and restoration.

So i need help identifying internal pull/push switches and their functions. some of them i was able to figure out easy other i need help. almost all of them have no labels on them

I have numbered the switches in the attached images

 

1- Stops the engine

2- ?

3- ?

4- ?

5- ?

6- ?

7- İgnition

8- Handbrake

9- İncreases idle rpm

10- ? ( it says run - park on it)

11- Emergency engine stop 

 

Any other wisdom about operation of these B series would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[67RModel]

10 is the windshield wipers. looks like it was a fire truck so the other switches could be a litany of things. Lights, sirens, etc

[70mackMB]

Mack guy Ata, Welcome to BMT! Good job with the pictures. l also think it was a fire truck having the red steering wheel. As far as switches, As 67RModel said they could be anything. Best to follow the wires from the dash to where ever they go. #2? - #3 headlights - #4? look factory installed. #5? - #6? - #7? installed later - #8 maxi brake? - #9 cigarette lighter? - #11?    .....Hippy

[mowerman]

Wow great find and welcome aboard….bob …

[mowerman]

I would just pull them all and see what they do your not gonna hurt anything… probably some of them are disconnected.. good luck… bob

[Brocky]

Welcome to BMT!!!! Another country heard from??? I do not think we have anybody from Turkey to compliment our Russian, Irish, Dutch, and Aussie participants. B-85 should have been a fire truck originally?? #4 looks like the factory headlight switch, #6 if that is a handle on it, might be a hand throttle or PTO engagement?? If it has a cable follow it.. #11 might also be the hand throttle???

[bulldogboy]

All the "B-85F" fire trucks that I have seen have a battery selection switch and push buttons to start. This one looks like it has a key slot. Also, I wonder about the air cleaner and exhaust locations, not sure if those would be on a fire chassis. Having said that maybe the Macks built overseas (Iran?) were different than their US counterparts.

[Mack guy Ata]

Thank you everybody for the warm welcome and kind words very happy to be a part of BMT. 
Also a huge thank to all the answers i got from you guya very helpful information and i was suspecting that it was a fire turck too.

 

[Vladislav]

Welcome to the group and greetings from Russia!

Which part of Turkey are you in? I used to travel over your country a few times in the past. The Eastern areas recently the most.

The truck looks very nice and definitly rare in your country nowadays. I was told there were many of them in the past but they seem gone. B-85 must be a firetruck from the factory but looking the picture the chassis more seems to me as a normal commercial truck or tractor. Too possibly someone put the cab with front end off a fire truck onto different chassis. The answer could be recieved reading the chassis number. Normally it is stamped into RH frame rail just behind the right front wheel. Starts with B-85... or B-61 or B-53 etc.

Sorry no help about the dash switchews from my side besides what the guys already said.

Cool looking truck, congratulations on the purchase!

Vlad

[mrsmackpaul]

Welcome to the forum

I'm guessing the lads here are right, was a fire truck and was extended and made into bogie drive

 

Paul

[Brocky]

I think Vlad and Paul are mostly tight.. Most fire trucks were build as single axle drives, unless it was to be a tanker or VERY heavy pumper.. You will have to find the serial # on the frame to identify it further. It is very possible that the first restorer put that cab and hood with the B-85 emblem on another twin screw tractor chassis????? If you can find the number, send it to the Mack museum ( with a donation) and they can tell you how it left the factory.

[Mack guy Ata]

Thank you all. Yeah Vlad back in the day before i was even born there were planty of B seris mack in turkey but 80-90% of them were sadlt crushed for 2 reason people had no idea how to maintain them and operate them there for they were all very beatn up and 2nd is eveyone tought they were wothles and just junked them. Most classic cars suffered the same fate as these beautiful trukcs did. Thanks for the tip Brocky. I will get in touch with them with a donation. A very odd think is there are no signs of a 5 th wheel ever been connected on the truck but i might be wrong im young and have much to learn about classic trucks

 

[Vladislav]

1 hour ago, Mack guy Ata said:

Thank you all. Yeah Vlad back in the day before i was even born there were planty of B seris mack in turkey but 80-90% of them were sadlt crushed for 2 reason people had no idea how to maintain them and operate them there for they were all very beatn up and 2nd is eveyone tought they were wothles and just junked them. Most classic cars suffered the same fate as these beautiful trukcs did. Thanks for the tip Brocky. I will get in touch with them with a donation. A very odd think is there are no signs of a 5 th wheel ever been connected on the truck but i might be wrong im young and have much to learn about classic trucks

 

That's an interesting point of no signs of the 5th wheel ever installed. Iranians still have plenty B-models straight trucks with long wheel base and cargo body in operation. But those assembled in Iran have industrial style front grille with shutters in the most cases.

I'm pretty sure you will make many discoveries about yout truck since it is not young and definitely keeps some history. If you make more pictures of it (chassis, engine compartment, front axle) people on here might share some useful info about it I belive.

[Geoff Weeks]

Back in that time period, it was common for a 5th wheel to be mounted with U bolts around the frame. Wood spacer block inside the C channel, and 5/8" U bolts around the frame. Much the same way truck bodies are mounted.  No mounting angle on the side of the frame.  I have one in my yard that is mounted that way. 

Very little to show if it is removed and the frame painted. A tractor protection valve and a trolly valve on the steering column would be indications it might have been a tractor at some point.