vanscottbuilders

There is absolutely no question that the original hydraulic assist systems are the best systems to install in your restoration - If you are lucky enough to have the parts. And - it sounds like you are! The old, original hydraulic assist systems are pretty scarce. I think that Matt Pfahl has some parts for the original hydraulic steering assist, if you need. There may be a current production hydraulic steering assist system available for a heavy duty truck, but I haven't found one, and would love to hear about it, if someone has found a system manufacturer. I respectfully disagree with you about your air assist generalization. A properly operating air steering assist system, while not as nice as hydraulic boost, is certainly a viable and economical alternative. The Air-o-Matic system is in current production and parts are cheap and easy to get, all of which are big benefits for the average hobbyist's restoration project. And - the system has been in continuous use for many years. So they can't be all bad. For my own truck - I had a talk with B-61Fred last night, and we discussed using the manual steering. With a well set up front axle and good radial rubber it's probably not a bad choice either. And - we need the exercise! Good luck with yourproject. Paul Van Scott

Rob, I don't need any more women to help the Queen of my house with my demise, but - No matter how this saga concludes in your questionably eventful life, That is still a really good looking B-67. Can I have it - if you don't survive? Paul Van Scott

I am currently wrestling with the exact same issue - trying to decide what is the best way to get power steering in my B-73. I have found a few suggestions: There are a number of newer power steering boxes that supposedly retrofit fairly easily using the original steering column with modifications to the end for attachment to the steering unit. Air assist is available. No modifications to the column necessary. (Hydraulic assist may be available, I just haven't found it, but I am going to go looking) Radial steer axle tires and a good front axle rebuild and/or service will take a lot of the effort out of your manual steering, such that it may be acceptable, too. Especially with some weight on the rear axle to lighten the front end a little bit. Good Luck. Paul Van Scott

It's hard to go too far wrong with an $8,500.00 KW W-900. But there are some things to think about - The intermittant use you will give the truck means that almost every time you need it the batteries will be dead, the fuel will get stale and the tires will probably need airing up. Not to mention rusted up brake shoes frozen to the drums and leaking air lines, oil lines and fuel lines. Does it make more sense to rent a truck from Ryder, Penske or whoever, rather than licensing, insuring and maintaining a truck like that, only to fail your first DOT roadside check? If the Cat diesel is a 3406-A, it may be getting a little tired, and parts are becoming hard to get for the older A models. The aluminum frame and crossmembers are probably OK, if there are no cracks or serious corrosion. In general, if the truck has had really good maintenance for all of its' life, it probably is OK. If not - the sky is the limit on the repair bills. I'm not trying to throw a wet blanket on your idea - we own two old W-900A's, both with big, expensive power and both in regular use. They are, however, maintenance hogs and not much more than really expensive toys. Probably not the best business decision a person could make. Great fun nonetheless! You need to decide whether or not you want a toy that you use once in a while, or whether or not you need a tool. There is a difference. Just my two cents! Paul Van Scott

The really dangerous part of all this "poor work ethic" and "I deserve everything" attitude is that more and more of the people are demanding, and getting, compensation from our government. In exchange for votes I suppose. Somewhere along this path it has to fail. We, as a shrinking workforce, cannot keep shouldering the bill for this ever increasing entitlement program. And we sure cannot keep borrowing the money from the rest of the world, just to pay the interest on the debt we already have! Something has to give. And when it does, our economy will probably bottom out unlike anything else we have ever seen. Someone recently called the 2000 - 2010 decade the "Fading of the American Dream". That's very scary to me. We are all in it together - from unemployment benefits or health care or all of the assorted subsidies or stimulus foolishness - somehow, somewhere almost all of us are getting some money to relieve us of our responsibility for taking care of ourselves. Can you say "Socialism"? We may already be the most socialist country on earth. And it might be too late to get the American way of life back. That's a terrible thought, but it might be reality. So many of us are sucking off of the government that we are all afraid to send a simple message to our representatives and just say "No, we've had enough of your political foolishness and out of control spending - you are fired" And then we need to remember not to elect any lawyers. Let's elect farmers, truck drivers, independant business people and plain old common sense thinkers for a change. If you have any political experience, we don't want you. Period. It couldn't hurt - what we have now obviously isn't working! Nice to rant now and then. It would be even better if we actually did something about it! Paul Van Scott

Rob, We inherited one of those end lift jacks several years ago. It has been collecting dust since! I don't think we have ever used it! It might be useful for getting the front end off the ground with a non-tilting hood, or maybe getting the rear end off the ground if it straddles the frame rails in a stable fashion. With the old trucks, you might find an occasional use, but if you don't need it - it really isn't worth going out to get. Many, many other ways to spend money! Paul VS

Man - that sure is nice Garth!! Paul an Scott

We have been figuring about $2.50/mile for each mile required, both ways. Plus the cost of any permits, tolls etc. If our truck is loaded each way, that obviously reduces the cost to each shipper, like Rob has said earlier. Be particularly careful to give the trucker correct height, width and weight information. $600.00 for a 247 mile move does not sound bad, at least in the US. Hauling at the trucker's convenience is a bit of a risky proposition, however, as people do tend to forget these things! Good luck! Paul Van Scott

Morgan, PM me for details on a late 70's/early 80's Autocar Jimmy & I have in the yard, if your brother can use it. Running and driving truck - very heavy (65,000# rears) on huge springs, with pretty new 11. or 12.00 x 24.5 radial rubber all around. 335 Cummins with a 13 spd., I think (I need to go look at the transmission). Was spec'd as a heavy duty municipal lowboy tractor, so very, very low original miles. Currently has a huge Badger manure tank on it. The tank is probably not functional - no pumps or equipment for the tank. It would make a nice yard planter! The cab will need some work, but it's all there, as are the front fenders and sheet metal. They are the square "Construcktor" type fenders. The radiator shell is polished, and excellent. We can remove the manure tank, if necessary. It's probably just scrap, although it is not rusted through anywhere. If you are wanting a heavy A-car - this is a good buy. The rubber alone is probably worth what the truck is! Good paperwork included. We can bring it out to you - no trouble. Let me know. Paul VS

Morgan, I have two steel rear spring hangers with brand new pins, from my B-67 project, if you can use them. The B-67 was converted to an ACE air ride crossmember. Let me know. Paul Van Scott

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! And - Tom & Rob, remember to lay low tomorrow. They'll be shooting turkeys all over the country. Paul Van Scott

There is probably a fan shroud out there somewhere that could be bought. The shroud and the radiator are different in the B-73 & B-75 trucks than in most other B models, although the shrouds might possibly interchange. Be a little careful. There are also companies that custom make shrouds. And, if yours is at least good enough for a pattern - you might try a local sheet metal fabricator, or hot builder with some sheet metal fabrication skill. For my own purposes, I am going to try electric fans in my B-73, and the fan company has offered to make up the shroud, for a charge of course. I think trying the sheet metal shop route first makes the most sense, if your shroud is at least recognizable. Good Luck - Paul Van Scott

The Bendix website can be a little confusing. But it is still the best reference for a complete air system schematic. There are printed versions of the schematic in the Bendix air valve catalog, which you can get from a vendor like NAPA or FleetPride. The schematic will show a color coded plastic air line system for a modern truck in both single and dual air supply systems. The least expensive way to get the parts is to find color coded air lines and all the valves at your local truck junk yard. The valves rarely fail, and the plastic lines are all re-usable with new ferrules. You will probably want to upgrade a few pieces for use on today's highways. The big items are maxi brakes for one of your rear axles and check valves to prevent accidental air loss in the event of a system failure. My own experience is that genuine Bendix equipment is worth the little bit of extra money it commands. Imitators are usually highly suspect Chinese goods, and not something you want to be staking your life on! Be especially careful for counterfeit parts too! Upgrading to a dual system is a lot of work, and I'm not certain it's worth the effort if a truck is being used as a toy only. We have installed a complete dual system in the B-67 restoration currently in our shop, and I have severely under-estimated the time and money involved. It looks cool - but it's probably not really necessary. Anyway - good luck with your project, and see if you can find a copy of the Bendix air brake schematic for the particular type of truck you are doing (tractor, straight truck etc.). It's a wealth of information with the valve part numbers and names, air line color coding and routing, and air line sizes all spelled out for you. Paul Van Scott

Lawson, Congratulations on the B-61 purchase, and welcome to our hobby. Most B-61's had manual "Armstrong" steering. The power assist systems that were offered both by the factory and as aftermarket parts were either hydraulic systems or air powered assists. The hydraulic systems were preferred for their smooth and seamless feeling. Some older Mack diesels do not have any provision for driving a hydraulic pump except by a coupler to the generator. Not the best of set-ups. But hydraulic power steering systems were pretty trouble free. Air systems were a little more prone to problems, primarily related to leakage and blow-by in the systems. The biggest complaints with air steering assist were capacity and "uneven feeling" complaints. Capacity and recovery is definitely an issue. Constant steering input could result in a shortage of supply air that temporarily reduces or eliminates the steering assist while the system "catches its' breath". It is normally not an issue on the highway, rather air supply can be a problem when maneuvering a truck in close quarters. It is a temporary problem that self-corrects as the system is replenished with supply air. Leaks and blow-by might increase a capacity problem. As for "uneven feel", some drivers didn't care for the feeling of the system as it waited a split second for action from the air cylinder. I believe that most of these type of issues could be corrected by adjustment, and proper system set-up. Otherwise, air steering assist, I personally believe, was an enhancement to a truck of the 50's and 60's era. It certainly would be "period correct" to fit air steering on your truck, and it would probably be an improvement. As time went by - Hydraulic systems became more convenient and, ultimately, more dependable. Most, if not all, new trucks now use hydraulic power steering. Good Luck with your project. Paul Van Scott

Rob, That's a pretty serious trip! My brother has made the trip to Israel, also, and has been very impressed with the use of land and resources. I'm looking forward to photos. Paul Van Scott

I'm surprised this question hasn't filled the page with replies! So - I'll be careful since there will surely be criticism: The Thermodyne diesel engines were the Mack engines through the 50's and into the 60's, following the early French Lenova diesels. Thermodyne engines provided simple, dependable power for a new generation of post-war trucks in a rapidly growing country. The Mack truck reputation for toughness grew and grew with these steady, simple powerplants. Horsepower was not their long suit. (the range was from 170 to 250 horsepower depending on the series and the set-up) A relatively narrow power band necessitated transmissions with a lot of gear selections. (Quadraplex, Triplex and Duplex married box dual transmissions were the most common offered from Mack) Big rear end ratios (7:--/1, 5.--:1 etc.) were the norm. Remember that really good roads were just being built, interstates were brand new, and hgh cruising speeds were not necessary. Moving loads day after day was the mission, and a Mack could make you money with its' simplicity and dependability. Anyway - without getting too wordy: The Maxidyne engines were a new engineering study by Mack that would yield a "high-torque" rise engine with a much broader power band, much higher torque ratings and the same old dependability and toughness. The Maxidyne became available in 1966, with the introduction of the venerable R model Mack. The Maxidyne was not offered in the B models from the factory that I am aware of. Thermodynes continued in production, although in smaller and smaller numbers each year until somewhere around 1969. A Maxidyne 237 horsepower engine required a simple five speed transmission for most applications. A huge difference from the old Thermodynes. The additional torque allowed higher rear end ratios for better road speeds on those roads that the old B models built! Maxidynes have been built up to 400 horsepower from the factory, I believe, each with the broad torque band and easy operation that has made them so popular. It is very popular to convert B model Macks to Maxidyne power. There is some justified concern with using the older transmissions with the more powerful engines, and the clutch set-ups can be very different. But - the best advice is from Doug Fetterly, who told me a few years ago: "Drive it like you own it, and you'll be fine". So if you're thinking about a conversion, I would offer you the same advice. Hope this helps! Paul Van Scott

In real life practice - the VOR is the most confounding bit of education a new pilot has to learn. I have never been more thoroughly confused than when asked to fly a reverse sensing approach or when some genius tried to explain to me that you can be on a "To" radial and actually be flying away from a station and vice-versa. It's tremendously humbling during your IFR education when the instructor asks you to point to a chart and tell him where you are, while you are trying to keep the airplane from spinning upside down out of the bottom of a cloud, talking to a controller, changing the radio frequencies and acting like you know what you are doing all the while trying not to puke!! It's genuine entertainment at its' finest. However, I do believe that the VOR is a huge step up from "flying the beam" that existed in the 40's and 50's. It has proven to be really dependable and has largely been responsible for the growth of our airline industry and their fantastic safety record. Today, GPS with vertical nav capability will take us to the next level of dependable, safe flight. And it will probably confound new students with its' own set of vaguaries. Just my two cents - I couldn't resist. Paul VS

Mike, I would absolutely not dip the shutters in a radiator tank. That stuff is pretty volatile! The shutters are made of numerous fragile pieces, and the connections between the shutter blade and the operating ends are particularly fragile. There may be different metals as well which the radiator acid could raise havoc with. Just be careful and clean and sand the shutters using only elbow grease. Or you might try a bead or media blaster while keeping a real close eye on any warping of the blades. Might even consider a baking soda blaster, although I have never tried one myself. If you do use a stripper - make sure you get a good looking one! Do not hire Other Dog - he might claim to be a stripper - but the mental image is unbearable. Seriously, if you use a stripper, try it first on the backside of the shutter housing, then maybe a little on the blades, and be really careful about getting all of the stripper material rinsed off. Shutters might be the most fragile part on the whole truck! Good replacement sets are hard to find and really expensive. Let that be your motivation. Good luck, Paul Van Scott

NOW, MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, WE HAVE TO STAY INVOLVED AND COMMUNICATE WITH OUR POLITICAL LEADERS! THE "OUT OF TOUCH" GOVERNMENT IS A REALLY DANGEROUS THING, AND IT'S GROWING EVERY DAY. WITH EVERY NEW LAW, NEW REGULATION, NEW MANDATE OR NEW RULE, SOMEONE LOSES SOME MORE LIBERTY. IF WE DON'T DIRECT OUR LEADERS, WHO STILL WORK FOR US BY THE WAY, WE WILL NOT HAVE MUCH LIBERTY LEFT IN A VERY SHORT TIME. Paul Van Scott "The trouble with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money!" (Margaret Thatcher)

I agree - a swap should be a pretty minor affair. Also a good opportunity to put new hoses on the engine, and to check out all the various plumbing and weak links that might have been overlooked for many years. Good Luck! Paul Van Scott

If I'm not mistaken - the even numbered B-64, B-68, B-42 etc. trucks were all gas engined trucks originally. Traditionally the gas engined trucks have not been worth as much on the open market as the diesels. Originality, which has not been a huge concern in our hobby, is now becoming more important, so a diesel conversion may not be worth as much as a truck in completely original condition. The bottom line is - if you were buying purely as an investment, only - I would probably steer clear of the gas engines and converted diesel trucks if an original diesel truck were available. On the other hand - if you were buying to have some fun, use the truck a little and maybe recoup your restoration costs, then it probably doesn't matter which B model it is. The quality of the truck and the restoration work become the driving forces in the value of the truck on the market. The production numbers probably play some part in the value - if the unit is truly rare. It's kind of like owning a boat or an airplane - if you really are concerned with the value, then it's no fun to own it!

Tony, It's going to be difficult to come up with two good fenders, I think. But - in Bakersfield, the hot rod capital of the world, it should be possible to find a sheet metal guru who could shrink and straighten the original fenders. In the northeast, we are always envious of what you guys have on the west coast. But - I can see that's not always the case! Seriously, I think a real sheet metal master is your bet to save the fenders. Paul Van Scott

Hi Howard, Welcome to our site. Lots of information here, and plenty of friendly opinions. Keep us posted on your progress. Thanks, Paul Van Scott

Corey, If you haven't already - you should contact the Mack Museum. They will, undoubtedly, be able to provide you with a lot of information. I'm sure someone here will chime in with a phone number and address for the museum, or if you look around this site, you will find the museum contact information. Keep us posted - and perhaps some photos of this rare find! Good Luck with your project. Paul Van Scott