Mack began its corporate life in 1893 as a wagon and carriage maker, though back then it was really a one-horse operation (ha ha). Once three of the many Mack brothers were on board, the company began making buses and rail cars. In quick succession over the span from 1911 to 1912, it merged with Saurer and Hewitt, both truck companies, calling itself the International Motor Truck Company. The company innovated in the heavy truck arena, introducing air and oil filters, and by 1920, power brakes. The familiar bulldog became its corporate symbol in 1922, coincident with its new name – Mack Trucks. In 1935, Mack and REO Motor Car entered an agreement whereby REO manufactured a truck for Mack, called the Junior. The Junior ran from half-ton to three tons – quite a departure for a company whose smallest truck at the time had a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 lbs. But the new truck was expensive, and by 1938, sales had plunged. Mack turned to making its own “light” line – the ED. These tough trucks, produced from 1938 through 1944, look like miniature heavy-duty Macks. Only 2686 were made and far fewer survive. Here on eBay is one of these rarities: a 1939 Mack ED with a box body. Bid to $7650 in a no-reserve auction, the truck is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. You’ll need a (beefy) trailer to bring this treasure home.
With only 33,514 original miles, “Miss Cincinnati” has been stored for over fifty years in a dry barn and is being sold to settle an estate. The seller managed to start her with fresh gas and a new battery. The powerplant provided with an ED was either a flathead straight-six, 209 cu. in. Continental rated at 67 hp or a 226 cu. in. with 72 hp. Both used a three-speed or optional four-speed manual transmission. Whichever is in this truck – it shifts through all the gears but apparently the clutch is stuck on the flywheel, so a test drive was not attempted. Once it’s running, you’ll be able to haul a house, but slowly. Top speed hovers around 50 mph.
The interior needs help, but all the parts are present. These trucks were expensive but well equipped – this one has a heater, ashtray, dash fan, courtesy lights, two exterior mirrors, roof-mounted air horn and lights, and a spotlight. Typical of the era, the windshield cranks out. The almost delicate handles and trim match the Art Deco exterior styling. The bed is so clean, it’s difficult to believe this vehicle dates from over eighty years ago.
Here she is showing off a nearly perfect grille, bumper and bumper guard, pristine panels, and original paint. “Miss Cincinnati” helped advertise her family’s fruit and vegetable business way back when, and with a little work, I’m sure she’ll be useful once again. With EDs rarely changing hands, we have no price help on this one, but given what other makes sell for these days, my sense is the current bid is light.
I really like this old Mack, it’s a rare beauty. Looks like it wouldn’t take much to restore it to its former glory, either. You’d certainly have something unique to bring to shows or to promote your business. I did my fair share of staring at the butt end of a bulldog driving a few Macks including a ’78 RD make tri-axle dump. That had a duplex trans and I remember boiling in the summer and freezing in the winter, but it was tougher than a bag of hammers! I drove a few other Macks, mostly cab overs and, for me at least, they rarely let me down. Someone will end up with a really cool old Mack with this one and it will be well worth whatever the final bid is.
Let’s try this again, ( stupid solar flares), I too have had my share of looking at that pooches butt( one axxhole looking at another) and of all the trucks I drove, and I drove them all, Mack was clearly the toughest. In my heyday, trucks had a specific purpose. Severe duty was Mack, road/city duty, was IH/Freightliner, and long distance was Pete/KW. No exceptions. The truck pictured, a ’75 R600, 300hp, 6 speed, camelback spring ride, was the 1st T/T I drove. It, in part, is why I wear a back brace today.
To add a bit to the authors story, the “E” series, one of Macks most popular series, was made from 1938 to 1951, and was the truck that helped win the war. Yeah, THAT war some don’t care about. It’s where Mack got it’s saying, “tough as a Mack truck”. Nothing short of a howitzer shell to the radiator could stop it.
This is a great find, and interest is there, because it’s complete( the clutch, no biggie, and should “break free”). Certainly not for any hauling capacity, but as a retro business image, all the rage today. The worn seat is a testament to its rough ride, and the air horns on the cab are fake, this truck has juice brakes, but the electric horns under the hood had a specific purpose. Due to the limited stopping ability, a loud horn was essential, not unlike a train. Speaking of which, these trucks were city rigs, and delivered locally what the train brought in. They rarely ventured out of towns, and whether it was war or building a nation, Mack trucks were there.
Ironically, a part of Volvo now, the very company that took Mack down as a leader, and today Mack comprises a mere shred of what they used to be, but still, like Jeep, Chevrolet, baseball, Mack was part of this great nation, I have the back to prove it.
Little Mack trivia test. Why do some Macks have gold bulldogs, while some are chrome. You have 10 seconds( cue spritely tune),,,,
Gold bulldogs signify a complete Mack driveline. Silver ones had non Mack engines or transmissions.
Fairly certain they all have Mack engines. Just transmissions and axles could be had from other manufacturers.
If you challenge my memory, I have a couple of books on Mack to check. First E models were 1936 and 1950 was the last. I think the ED and EE models were only a year or 2. Ef and EG, I’m not sure where they fit in other than heavier duty than EE and less than EH and heavier. Over the years there were a lot of E models built. Very few remain now.
I have an 1949 EHT with an EN354 (big flathead MAck 6), 10 speed monoshift. It’s had 5 yard dump box since before I got it. It has hydraulic brakes and a geardriven compressor on the engine and a hand valve on the steering column for the semi-trailer brakes.
More Mack triva later.
Macksidine transmission
Macksidine transmission?
My “step father” drove one of these when I was about 5 and the Mack was used as a diaper truck… picked up the soiled ones in a special canvas bag and delivered nice clean fresh ones. I used to ride with him and most of the moms thought I was cute riding along in a diaper truck… I would have none of that gushy stuff back then.
I like it this would be a fun rig to have I would be concerned about parts for restoration without having to upgrade to more modern systems for brakes and wheel bearings Could try a vice grip garage thing and try and drive it home with minimal tools.
Hey what’s the answer to the trivia question what’s the difference between gold bulldogs & silver bulldogs? I remember as a kid seeing a 1970ish Mack truck black with “Keep on Trucking” it had a silver bulldog so don’t leave me hanging here!
Pretty much got the answer, gold was for all Mack, silver for non-Mack. Pretty sure it just designated the motor, as I drove several with Mack motors, but different transmissions, due to the nature of the use. Kind of funny, in all the time I drove that bucket of bolts, I never knew that.
The Gold Bulldog indicated a 100% Mack Powertrain. Silver Bulldog means it’s not all Mack. My Dad drove an R model with a Fuller 10 Speed Transmission and had the Silver Bulldog ornament.
I have no idea why or what I would do with it, but I want it. Maybe just because it’s cool!
Parades
I’m surprised there wasn’t 100 … I’d LS swap it with a th400. Comments yet.
Gee let’s go to the car show and see everything like the next one.
Now you’re talking! This could come to my place and I would find things for it to do. It’s great to see a Mack of this vintage in original livery, especially the powertrain. Most of these had a Warner T-9 crashbox, similar to what Ford, International, Diamond T, and Studebaker (to mention a few) ran. Definitely no powerhouse, but then, neither was anything else. A few show up from time to time; very few that haven’t been modified in some way or another though.
About the dog. Gold is for in-house; silver is for outside suppliers. Sometimes you have the dog turned around so HE can watch the A-ho behind the wheel. My 2 cents for the day…
I knew ole Geomech would drop some knowledge on us with this big Mack!!
Damn straight, dude is a boss on these old rigs.
Nice truck
” this big Mack!!” Actually, this is the smallest Mack ever built.
Thanks pal, when trucks were trucks, not rolling apartments. I never knew that about the bulldog color, I was too busy hanging on to the wheel for dear life. That truck( above) shook so badly, it would pop out of gear. Back then, you could order a “glider kit”, meaning, a new truck, but no driveline, and you could spec it out the way you wanted. Heck, I drove an R model milk truck with a 318 Detroit and 13 speed once. You talk about “something just not right”. I don’t recall what color the dog was, and didn’t care.
The 300, was over rated and more like the 270-280 range, the real motor was the 237. Make a 238 Detroit look silly, but no match for a 270 Cat ( under rated) Mack, with its 5, or 2 stick 6 speed, was the “lazy mans” trans. Suspension too, air ride was in its infancy, and some Macks had that crummy, pogo stick NeWay, but as rough a ride the camelback had, I don’t ever recall seeing one broke, and I, and many others, took those trucks where no man had gone before. From say, mid-70s to the early 90s, the Mack R, U, and DM were the most popular for dump/mixer trucks, and why very few remain today.
Thanks to all who responded, I know I may be the most “colorful” commentor, partly because of my trucking, but it’s clear, I’m not alone, and have a kindred connection with anyone else that did that job. Not many jobs are like that.
Yes, the IMMORTAL 237. By the time the bulk of them left the dealers’ lots they were more like 300+. I pulled the lids off those governors to find the DFWI screws right to the end of their travel, and the drivers were still looking for more. The official 3+ (or 300) ran a German Bosch fuel system and I got a lot of complaints about them. Of course some “fine-tuning” ironed out most of the problems but there were always those who thought they should crest the Divide with a full load and in top gear at 80. I told one driver that there were some ALCO V-12s for sale in Chicago. Long story short, apparently He didn’t know what an ALCO was and he didn’t take too kindly to being ridiculed…
Hello geomechs,
Dog details: The white E model photo has the wrong dog. My EHT has the wrong dog. Mine has the silver bulldog on a round base. It should have the dog on the trim strip that goes from the front edge of the hood to the grille. Where it says MACK in that piece on the ED here, mine should have EH (I ‘ve seen 2 in 25 years but couldn’t steal them and they were silver). Is the gold dog for a different era or am in need of a gold dog due to the EN354 and *10 speed Monoshift?
One of my Diamond T 614s was a logging truck (has an extra-long reinforced chassis that was special ordered and not in any catalogs or brochures) that pulled a trailer. It has hydraulic brakes with a hand valve on the steering column for vacuum for trailer brakes, It has vacuum tanks and plumbing to the back. What did the vacuum do to work the trailer brakes then in the 40s?
* 10 speed Monoshift is big 5 speed with a box on back that’s sort of like a Laycock overdrive. There’s a little flipper on the shift lever and a vacuum switch under the clutch pedal.
Hi Rallye, if I may. Before my time( not by much), I believe vacuum brakes did the same thing as air brakes, pull or push a diaphragm. Kind of funny, and not ha-ha funny, a sad funny, as we age, I’m finding less and less on the innernet. As posts get called up less and less, they disappear for more important crap,, like the vacuum connection on vintage trailers. No info. I believe, it was a glad hand, like air, but just 1 line, no piggyback system, so no vacuum, no brakes. It was adequate until loads got bigger and heavier, a better system was needed. I heard vacuum brakes worked, IF you had vacuum, that is. Many times on steep downhills, vacuum available( the engine only produced so much) had to be used wisely, and many a trucker kept one hand on the door handle just in case,,,
We have a gold Mack mounted on an ashtray, from my FIN, who was a factory engineer at the Hagerstown plant.
The founders of Mack are from a little town, Mount Cobb, Pa.
This Mack sports the same bumperette configuration as my ‘41 Studebaker pickup.
Lose that big open box and install an era appropriate pickup bed. Yum!
I spent 11 years running the highways in Macks. Started out in a R model with a 300 and 5 speed. Worked my way up to a couple of 350’s with 9 speeds, then we finally got road trucks, CH models with 42” sleepers. Rode many a mile on those short wheelbase trucks with the camelback springs, was happy when we finally got air rides!
I knew a couple of loggers that had extended hood R models with Cummins and Cat engines. At the time you could order whatever engine, transmission and rear ends you wanted. All the ones I drove had Mack engines, but after the first one all we had were Fuller 9 speeds.
You’re a brave person running a R model down the road, my friend. The R model was actually one of my favorite trucks, if you could get one to ride decent, that is. The spring ride was designed for extreme duty, and made a poor riding highway truck. I guess at the time, you couldn’t have both. Also, Mack had that funky over/under air 10 speed that was a lot for nothing. The Maxidyne motors could go as low as 1300 rpms, 1250 if you are almost to the top of the hill,,pyro getting hot,( the what grandpa?),,ahhhh, made it, and some would rev to almost 2300, so there was no need for multiple gears, like say a Detroit, that had a small power band, requiring the operator to keep the “needle agin the pin” by splitting gears. The 6 speed( in truck above) had 2 sticks, but was warned early on by the boss, it’s NOT a splitter, but I’m sure many did anyway. The “main” stick was a non-synchro 5 speed, and the other stick was R-N-L-H. L was only used in a dire situation. That setup allowed 5 PTO speeds while in N. The clutch was another thing. Before “easy” clutches, I’d get cramps in my left leg, and after a long day, had to use both feet at a stop. Steering too. For the most part, I started when P/S was becoming standard, but the company above, had a “spare” truck, that had a 237 and “armstrong” steering. By the end of the day, I’d get charley horses in my arms. I drove a R model once with air steering. A clumsy setup, that used a lot of air backing in. Now, I think trucks have electric assist, but manual steering was the norm. I can’t think of a single more important invention to open up the driver base, than power steering, with automatic transmissions a close 2nd.
It’s no longer available. Anybody know what the bidding went up to?
How did the seller get this: “The current NADA Book Value is: Low-$13,300; Average-$22,000; High-$36,900. Do not let these values stop you from making a bid. This truck is being sold with absolutely NO RESERVE. ” ??
I’m pondering selling the EHT.
Again, the comments here give an old trucker a smile. And no post featuring a 1939 delivery truck would be complete, without mention of the classic “They drive by night”, that came out in 1940. While this truck would have been WAY too new for the Fabrini brothers, as their shoestring budget only would allow a then, beater truck. Does anyone remember what truck they drove,,,at night? There is a scene of them at a truck stop securing a load. When Raft punched the broker, it was every truckers dream. In the truck stop, several newer trucks can be seen, and this Mack would have been right there. Apparently, the truck Raft is riding on is a GMC cabover, but not sure of the one at the pumps. It was my favorite movie, and made me appreciate the “modern” touches all the more. Thanks again, all.
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_370322-GMC-F-Series-1937.html