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Vintage Mack question

barklee

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
903
Location
ohio
I have a crazy idea to take an old school 50s or 60s Mack and put fairly new modern parts in it. I would like to buy a wrecked RM dump truck and rob the rear ends, tranny, engine, etc.
My question is, is this possible without major surgery and an endless checkbook? I want to put a hook lift body on this truck and haul dumpsters and flatbeds so it will have to have 20k fronts and 44k rears, at least 350hp. I would like to buy a wrecked truck that has all these items which i think i can find no problem. The old school cab is the problem.
Has anybody on here ever done this?

Thanks:D
 

oceanobob

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Messages
751
Location
oceano california
Occupation
general contractor
I belong to the Antique Truck Historical Society (ATHS) and receive their beautiful magazines which list all their events as well we have attended same.
We have seen old rigs with later model engines and trans, and as well axles for the benefit of the brakes and the rims & tires to be modern.
Most folks are willing to share their experiences.
The truck will be eye catching notable.
Do you think the frame will be too light duty? The hook lift is a marvelous device buy we have been cautioned it is heavier than a roll off and the loading on the frame must be watched.
If the axle is changed, do you think the improved wheel cut will hit the frame (this would be unfortunate as the older rigs seem to take a larger country mile to turn)?
Will you miss the one piece front end for maintenance or will you modify to accomplish this?
This could be a good project, in California this may be the case for a few of us as soon we must have a 2010 engine or we can't operate the rig (they aren't taking the rigs from us, just the authority to start the engine). Well, to tell the truth, if we don't do this upgrade, we get to drive it not more than 1000 (one thousand) miles per year.
The emission engines are considered to be extremely difficult to repower into older trucks.
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
Are you talking about the RM that has the R cab with the flat-top steel hood and fenders? Those came out in the early '70s. The R cab was used from 1965 to the early 2000s. It would be very easy to get a late 90's RB and just remove the fiberglass hood and do a little fab work to put the long steel front clip on. You could probably find an RB rolloff without much trouble.

Good luck, and if you do it, keep us in the loop.
 

barklee

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
903
Location
ohio
Actually i was thinking about a RD or RM model. There are a ton of them out there.
I was thinking more of buying a front clip or whole cab from an old truck and mounting it on a newer truck (Mid 90's)
I really like this truck i attached.... if this is someone on this sites truck i love this thing!! Thanks for the ideas.

I am going to buy a project truck for this winter regardless if i just repair it or customize it. I guess that depends on how busy we are this winter!!
 

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mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
Ok, I get it now, you want a modern truck that looks like a B model. I thought you wanted a newer truck that looked like a RM.

It should be do-able to put that cab and front clip on a newer truck. I would start measuring hood lengths, you might even need a CH.

The first problem I see is getting a big radiator, charge-air cooler, and maybe a condenser, under that little hood and grill. You could probably raise the whole works up and put some kind of skirt under it. You might also want to stretch the hood, and convert it to a flip front end. If you had to, and have the skills, you could split the B hood, widen it, and narrow up the fenders.

There were some very heavy spec B-models, but they didn't have near the hp of a modern truck, and thus didn't need a big radiator. Even in the early R-models we were pulling 120,000 lbs w/ 237 hp.

Whatever you do, good luck, and keep us posted.
 

250c

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
110
Location
Gatesville Tx
Oh ,I wish I hadn't looked at this thread!---I now have something else on the "list"---lol. I've always had a thing for the B model Mack
 

loudvq

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
9
Location
Perth, Australia
is there any site like whats being said about this sort of conversion?? I think its a great idea the older style macks are stunning (please someone do this with a flintstone)
 

miro

Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
35
Location
Ontario Canada
Many years ago I worked at Mack and have done a few upgrades. The most we did was put a new style 250 (with spinon oilfilters) in a B73, which had a bigger hood for the rad. You had to be a monkey to change the oil filters. Its true that we had big trucks with small engines. Had a B model float tractor that was rated at 70,000 lbs without a trailer and it had 205 Hp and a twenty speed transmission. only work done to it was the rear spring kept breaking leaves. they were about 8" wide.
 

STRPETE

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2011
Messages
23
Location
Cle Elum, WA
My neighbor has a 1955 LTL cab and front clip on a late 80's Freightliner chassis with a 425 mechanical Cat and 13 speed. He pulls his lowboy with it every day.
 

580bruce

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
214
Location
entiat wa
Is that the green and silver LTL on the way out of Cle Elum? I have always been tempted to stpo in and admire his stuff.
 
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