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?
Nice to see you bring in an old draft horse from the early days of hauling freight, Michelle.
Off all truck makers I have to give MACK the award for ignoring the fads and just building a truck that did the job and asked for nothing in return. Macks were crude, hot and noisy. They weren’t the most powerful on the road but you seldom had one quit you.
I worked on lots at the shop but I have to say that the times I was sent out on the road to get one going were few and far between.
Had a few get caught full of #2 diesel fuel at the border when a major cold snap happened a month earlier than expected. And it didn’t matter what you were driving; when that diesel fuel temperature dropped below the “cloud point” the wax started to solidify and the filters would plug solid.
But it didn’t matter what you were driving; your filters gave you away.
I remember a fleet owner who ran about 20 Macks. He told me that he ran them because you could put a complete idiot behind the wheel and they couldn’t hurt them. Well, he was sort of right but I saw some trucks destroyed by idiots.
Mack did shoot itself in the foot a time or two. I remember the B-61s from the late 50s and early 60s; they ran an American Bosch injection pump that was controlled by a Woodward governor. Everything was fine until the mouting bolts for the governor worked loose then it started to shake and throw the calibration of the injection pump off.
We got them in the shop and attempted to fix them with limited success but the best repair was to change the governor to the Ambac GBD (torque control) governor and relegate the Woodward to the vintage display shelf.
Not quite as quick on the throttle but they stayed running for a long time.
Woodward governors worked just fine on generator applications and EMD engines in locomotives but they left a lot to be desired when trying to control an engine in a highway truck.
Another problem was the occasional use of Scania engines. There was nothing wrong with the Scania engine except that it had its own little collection of problems, like the open drive couplers on the injection pumps that got rusty between the stacks of discs. They would fail and pieces of disc would fly out; the bulk of the coupler giving way at the most inopportune time.
A lot of Macks pounded the pavement along the I-15 for as long as I can remember. It was almost a tragedy to see a great builder get absorbed by another outfit. They were never the same after that…
My dad was a Mack specialist mechanic an engine / transmission expert. Tough tough work. He could do chinups with one arm. These years 50s – 60s were his bread and butter. I still havesome hood ornaments. Miss that guy. His name was George. How bout that geo.
Well, I was named after my grandfather. I guess it could’ve been worse. I remember George Carlin running it down, saying that so many people had cool names, and then there was “George.”
“Tell George to wait!”
I knew a guy whose name was “Yvonne.” He got as tough as “The Boy Named Sue.”
It’s a great name geo. St. George slayed the dragon. It’s a hero’s name. My father was a ww2 war hero 3 bronze stars. George Carlin made fun of everything. Wear it proudly buddy.
It’s in great condition. …..I think not a bad price ……
That bench seat is soo bouncy … you’ll feel beat up when
you reach your destination. …It’s not fun !
I did two round trips from Boston, MA to Elkton, MD with a low-bed with that kind of seat in an R Model. That 300+ miles each way on I-95 were brutal on that truck.
Drove and worked on a few over the years. At 6’2″ and 225# I’m not comfortable driving a truck designed for a guy 5’8″ and 160#. Grease the glass and the gauges, open the doors and make it all one color! Inside was always green. Piggy-back brakes were law by ’66, wet line leftover from mixer days, and what about that custom intake! Had a chance to buy a sweet B61 single axle tractor many many years ago, but that’s a story for another day. Right now I’m just gonna set back and watch the comments.
A lot of designers back then thought truck drivers were compact-sized. Through the years I drove a variety of trucks and until the later 60s and 70s it seemed that everything made was designed to rub the steering wheel against my mid-section. Of course that reminds me of a story that came out about 40 years ago.
The highway patrol was pulling all the trucks over and giving the drivers a complete safety (and to a certain extent, fitness) check. This was during a time when some states started a major campaign to enforce seatbelt usage. Well, one rather plus-sized driver quickly coupled up his seatbelt and waited for the trooper.
The officer stood up on the step and glanced in. “Just did up your seat belt?”
“No, I wear it all the time.”
“Always through the steering wheel?”
Busted!!!
Times change, if you remember the song Phantom 309 Red Sovine describes the driver as a big man he weighed about 210.
That was a good ol’ song. What did they call him? “Big Joe?” I remember “Big John.” “Stood 6-foot-six and weighed 245.” That’s tall, but not big.
I’m 5’10” and weigh 225. Yes, I’m overweight but I don’t think I’m grotesque. I have a “tool shed” which my wife is proud to tell the world that she made, and won’t let me get rid of it. She doesn’t like “Stick-Boy.”
Mack’s always known for that low roofline Jimmy, I hear ya.
Great write up Michelle. Great old “B” model Mack too. Belvidere is located in Warren county in NJ more rural, lots of back roads and beautiful farms you can drive past while enjoying this. These are Tough old trucks with a hard working reputation, but their styling is one of my all time favorites. I’m looking forward to the comments too. Unfortunately I’ve never had a chance to drive one of these. Thanks Michelle!!!
Of course! … I can only go so long without featuring a truck.
:)
Howard, WHY are you so quiet?????
I’m waiting for Howard’s remarks. :) I have previously mentioned driving a 1960 Mack and being teased by other truckers for driving such an antique truck when it was only a few years old. I think they kept that cab design for over 20 years. I think you are a bit unfair at the 55 mph comment. Sure they were slow getting there but had no trouble keeping up on the Interstates. Great old truck.
Somebody be a man and buy this, shorten the frame, and make a pickup out of it.
NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!!!!! This truck has been restored, DO NOT trash it!!! There are many Mack cabs available to place on a modern running gear and make your pick up with without disturbing a truck which has had many hours and dollars spent to bring it back to near original.
I wholeheartedly agree. Not a lot of B model Macks left, let alone nicely restored ones like this one. It needs to be kept as is. And enjoyed.
OH HELL NO!!!!!! This rig DESERVES to stay EXACTLY as is!!!!!
Well, JD, you can do that, and there are folks who will help you get there. Look up FB / MarketPlace in a radius of 100 mi of Boston, MA. There are tons of them sitting in NH truck yards either waiting for resto or the scrapper. Best O’ luck in the hunt.
My first truck was an H-67 Mack sometimes called a cherry picker. Or a two stick Mack. With the fuel turned up it would get 8 MPG That’s 5 empty and 3 loaded. It had a grass burner and at night time it would put out about a 10 inch blasé I kept a small spot mirror on it . Daytime rolling coal nighttime burning grass. Keep on Trucking.
Turned loose the wheel to shift the sticks lol
Well you could but most just put their arm through the steering wheel. Drivers would tell you if you get the main box and the auxiliary out at the same time you got to stop and start over. Not true I used to win bets doing this. Get the truck up to say 35 MPH take main and auxiliary out. Then let engine fall back to an idle move the auxiliary into high or low. Bring engine rpm up and float the main box in. Then reach over and get my 20.00 bill.
You meet the nicest people in a Mack.
Thank you Michelle for another great write up. Your comment of “straining to reach 55 MPH” would depend on the rear’s gear ratio.. If this truck was originally a concrete mixer it was probably geared to pull heavy loads off road?? This truck looks like it has had a decent restoration, although I agree with Jim, the inside should be Alpine Green. Any upholstery shop can fix the seats with no problem, or better yet swap them out for air ride seats. The truck hobby is not that critical of modifications. I can not see if it has had spring lock parking brakes added?? But it at least it has tubeless tires all around. A very good example of a turnkey entry into the antique/historical truck hobby. The price is in the ball park, BUT a thorough inspection would be necessary before haggling!! If a prospective buyer goes to the Big Mack Trucks website he can find many competent men to inspect the truck for him.
These old trucks are so nice. Would love to have drove one just to try it but at my age like I have said before better stay with my F150.
John
John, It would depend on your size.. ALL of the pre mid60’s were small.. Even at 6’4″ I only weighted 180 so I fit in most of them. The Autocar “drivers cab” which came out about 1952 was the exception.
I once knew an ‘old guy’ who loved the B models, just thought they were a little lacking in comfort. He modified the old geometry lesson saying “The longest distance between two points is in a Mack”
Back in them days. On the east coast. Those A-Cars ruled the road. Tar Heel Banana Co. had a fleet of them. If you could just keep one in sight you were doing good. They would pass you like you were sitting up on jacks.
moving from a 6/71 dd with a 5×4 transmison to mack with a air ride drag axle it was like going to heaven
I learned to drive on a duplex (with one hand-no grinding) on a late 60’s U-Model. It’s actually pretty simple when you put your head to it. Years later, I was the new guy at a freight terminal. The terminal mgr. gave me my bills and the keys to a fairly new Mack U-model. I heard him chuckle when I left the window, he said ” this oughtta’ be good” . It had a duplex. I hooked up and delivered all my freight plus pickups. He asked “how’s the truck”. I told him I learned on one. Instant street creds. Once you learn how to drive a two-stick- you can drive them all.
I had a 1960 B-61. With a 40 foot bunker blower trailer. Used to haul produce out of Florida to points north. On a B -61 if you got the shift levers bent just right you could work them with one hand. The real challenge was keeping the load within the temperature range using only ice and the blower powered by a 5 HP Briggs and Stratton . That’s what made the difference between a truck driver and a produce hauler. Kind of the same thing today with truckers that haul livestock. If you can’t handle those big bulls you’re not going to make it.
First Mixer I drove in 1986 was a 1960 B-61 Mack with a Quad-Box. Drove that creature for the first 2 years. I can identify with Jim Randall, I have a similar build. Hot!!! so hot at a light I’d open the door. Worked your butt off shifting that beast had to hit every gear to get anywhere. Off road you could drive through anything. Retired 32 years later driving a front discharge Mixer. Nice Mack but I’m not that sentimental .
Not nearly as much fun without comments from Howard. . . .
Where is Howard?
John
College graduate:
Take me for a ride in your Mack Truck
Take me for a ride in your truck, Mack
There is a similar B53, complete but in rough shape, near me. Not running. Now I know far more about them – thanks!