Thermodyne Engine: 1966 Mack B53

Mack was founded by two brothers in 1900 to make buses; its first truck was delivered a few years later under the “Manhattan” logo. By 1910, the company had adopted the Mack name, but the idea for its mascot came from overseas: during WWI, the British bought 6000 Mack trucks and nicknamed them “bulldogs” – reflecting their rounded snouts and stubbornly resilient performance. Here on facebook Marketplace is a 1966 B53 with Mack’s own Thermodyne engine. The asking price is $18,000, and it’s located in Belvidere, New Jersey. It runs well with no issues – the new owner can mosey home on back roads. Good job finding this one for us, Rocco B.!

Mack’s Thermodyne engines became an essential part of our industrializing economy, generating power from simple, robust construction, renowned for durability. The naturally aspirated, direct-injection END 673 diesel in this engine bay is good for about 170 hp, leaving it straining to reach 55 mph. But the torque rating is a beefy 480 lb-ft at 1200 rpm. A Quadraplex 5×4 integrated transmission with married ‘boxes helps make the most of the low-powered engine. The six-axle B53’s specifications were perfect for rough local roads and the vocational loads it hauled. B53s worked as cement mixers, garbage haulers, and dumpers.

Though the upholstery is damaged, the cabin is snazzy. The red paint glows; I love the cathedral shape of the glove box lid and the panel holding the instruments. That said, the seller warns that the bench seat will be bouncy once you’re under way – she wasn’t built for comfort. The gauges and lights work, but the wipers are very slow.

About 2625 units of the B53 model were made from 1962 through 1966. This particular example did a stint as a “concrete truck” and was later retired to farm use. Keeping her running all this time must have been no small feat. She’s covered 83,000 miles, according to the seller, and while she’s well-known in Belvidere, it’s time to find a new owner. What would you do with this handsome Mack if you owned it?