If Mack kept up on the HP and creature comforts........

The old joke (back when most drivers were smokers) was that you could light and finish a cigarette during the RPM fall-off before you were able to grab the next gear. But Macks back then were great. I cut my teeth on a 1978 R model in truck driving school, and to this day, I still wish I was driving that old dog.

 

And you cannot break a mack.

Having said that, I have totaled at least one mack tractor from that era under seriously overweight trailers that should have had two or three trucks sent to get that load.

You still cannot break a mack. Its a little over 200 horse and less than 1000 torque. But gets you to where you need to be at the end of day.

Long live mack.

What I hate is the dilution or rather watering down of what mack meant to me in those days.

 

Correct Me if I’m wrong, Wasnt the R model dubbed “king of the Road”. ?

 

ERM.. thats debatable.

I never heard such. What I remember is that the R model was pretty good. That white R on the sale earlier in this thread was equal to a pretty girl to look at. Someone took care of that thing. It would be a royal ##### though to those unused to it.

Thats why the industry needs to keep me in a wall mounted glass chamber, break when needed to drive old trucks. =)

However Mack learned to be Mack and never really evolved past their B61 model. If you ever see one of those in life, pay a visit. You might have to buy him a meal and so forth for his time.

 

We need some pictures, I recall one old Mack, in Wisconsin, that ran regularly, the style resembled a 1940s design. It may have been a b61, I don’t know, but it looked very tough, Now that I think about it, The B model is the one referenced by an old timer as the king.

 

Mack (all Mack, PA made) made a very dependable truck. I went from a screaming jimmy to a U model with a 300, coupled to 5 speed. That took a little getting used too. The joke was, take it out of gear, take a drink of coffee, and it'll be time to shift to next gear. Man, it could pull like no other, never left me sitting anywhere.

For regional & local work, nothing could touch it, far better truck then Ford (9000) & GMC (9500) put out; however, they were not the most comfortable or affordable trucks. They were also a little on the heavy side, particularly the Superliner.

 

Oh god yes the Superliner 500 being on the heavy side. They say never marry someone too big to lift. Well lifting the hood on those early in the morning to examine the V8 format engine was a real pain and a reward all it's own. Its NOT much of a truck in terms of being in California in 4 days but eh. It was really good for what we did with it.

 

I might have to go east and bury someone at Arlington someday. When I do, Ima go to that barn at the farm where it's probably at and find out whats what in terms of cranking her up. Its been many years, if the batteries are alive which I think they will be there is no reason she wont crank. Ima put this little bucket list item for that time then.