TDBach

We are on the countdown! We only have 9 weekends left until grandma gets to see old Gus rolling down the driveway on her own! We only have a few items left to finish before her first test drive: Mount Charge-Air Cooler and Trans oil cooler, Throttle and Linkage Brake Booster reassembly and test (This is a challenge) Wiring Paint fenders, hood, and grill after final test fit Interior is finished! Trimmed in leather and old twine string. What a journey! Ms. Tracy D.

The gauges are mechanical, and I had to go with cheaper ones. The ones I wanted that were even more like the old Mack gauges were about 1000.00. Since we had no patterns for anything it was a lot of measuring etc. but it turned out great. The steering wheel has been wrapped in buffalo leather with braided trim.. its really starting to come together! I just got Insurance on it today through Hagerty Insurance, and Dan was awesome! It was really tough to find someone who would insure this truck. Moving along! Getting closer to our drive date!

Progress! Friday I finished building and installing the interior..after a serious fight with headliner glue.. I got it done. Dome light, gauges, door trim.. all finished! Charge air cooler brackets still have to be made, and drive shaft adapters were machined last night. Still have wiring and some painting to do but she's almost done! Gus #9 has had over 30 onsite visitors who keep stopping by to monitor the progress! Almost ready for our test drive!!! I tried to post pictures but it won't let me post them. Have a good day everyone! Ms. Tracy D.

Great replies! I truly miss my grandpa and those of his era. Men and women fought back then for their country, were wounded, or died fighting for what they believed in.. They came home, went back to work and never complained. Women took care of the families and supported the man of the house... it used to be an honor for a woman to have a husband she took care of.. children and a home. Now women consider this appalling... shame on them. I am a woman and I will say it. I'm 37 years old ... and thankful for being raised on a farm. The reason families are falling apart is because people do not have values anymore. I find it horribly sad that today.. when someone's dad or grandpa.. grandma or mom passes away their cherished belongings such as old tractors, trucks etc are sold off. Family heirlooms are rarely kept anymore. I understand needing money..however the value of preserving family history is disappearing. We fail to acknowledge the hard working class.. farmers.. truck drivers.. construction, mechanics etc. The people who build and haul necessities. What happened to sitting by the radio listening to ball games with dad or grandpa.. or the family sitting at the table together.. small houses, no electronics.. and going to church on Sundays...and kids actually going outside to play and use their imaginations. Holding doors for elderly or people in general...how do you change society? So if you are a veteran.. a housewife.. a truck driver...a mechanic.. a grandpa..a mom..a dad..a construction worker...equipment operator.. a welder.. a grandma.. an electrician.. or you work in a job that requires use of your back, hands, and busting your ass ... THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!! There are still folks out here who respect you!

I'm a farm girl and can cuss cattle with the best, but I was also taught to be a lady. I ticked off a bunch of the women protesters here because one of them sat down at my table at a local event and said "why aren't you up there with us?" My reply... Ma'am you need to get the hell away from my table... I've worked for everything I have and I am treated fair because I work... I don't complain about what I don't have and I don't expect people to give me what I need just because I'm a woman... I earn it.. where I come from women still raise their kids... drive tractors...cook for their husbands.. and help with farm chores". Needless to say she gave me a few choice words.. blah blah.. I wonder what this country is going to be like in five or ten years. Awful. This era is scary. Those women avoid me like the plague...

We need it! It has to change

So I read an article of an immigrant girl spouting off on how she gets a college education for free yet paid only 300.00 in taxes and she's illegal...living in the US I was always taught that you never discuss politics and religion with folks yet always be respectful . However I am angry. I was raised by a traditional grandmother and grandfather on a farm. We were taught to work as hard as you can for as long as you can.. never talk back to your elders, respect is earned and not given, and nothing is free. I paid for my entire education with the help of student loans because my family was poor... I did my time in the military because my grandpa said it was my duty as a citizen to serve this country. I was taught by my grandmother to take care of your man, wash clothes..cook and clean and take pride in your house,home and family. I was taught that I could be anything I wanted to be, but you have to work hard to get there... man or woman. I'm deeply saddened and angry that illegals get education and services for free.. yet my taxes are so high in a state I was born and raised in, that I can't afford to live there! And it is one of the highest social welfare states in the country! (Highest number of people on social welfare). What happened to this country? Morals? Values? Taking care of our men? Why is taking care of my man considered degrading by young women today? What the heck has happened? I'm not a racist, yet I'm labeled one because I'm white..and also told that I cannot wear a cross necklace to work, because it might offend someone. I'm deeply saddened by what is happening in this country. I am a hard working woman, I'll take pride in my man, family and home, I'll wear a cross my grandpa gave me, and I'll fly the flag he fought for! If that makes me a weak woman.. so be it. I'll stick to my old trucks and my farm at least cow crap is exactly what it is... cow crap! I'd rather work for things I have and need.. there's more pride in earning it than getting everything for free. sorry for the rant, but this country needs serious help.

The Irony in this old truck: (My family is stunned..that's all I can say). Ready for this: #1: Gus was originally parked in the woods in September of 1971 for good (or so we thought). Exact date unknown, but September is the 9th month, and Gus's fleet number was #9. I was born 8 years later...7(1+8) = 7(9) (Grandma's math ha!) (Gus is 71 years old this year). #2. Gus was removed from the woods on August 14th, 2014 and my grandpa came back from WWII on August 14th in 1946 (arrived in CA). #3. My great uncle's name was "Robert" and his birthday was August 13th #4. My birthday was also August 13th #5. We heard Gus try to start on August 13th 2016 and Gus left for North Dakota for restoration on August 14th 2016 #6. I met my "Robert" on July 15th 2016....The Waubun parade is July 15th 2017...the day we are presenting Gus to grandma. #7. The Mack sits exactly 46 miles from the place where she was originally purchased for my great grandpa's fleet. #8. The tow truck that hauled Gus out of the woods: The last four digits of the towing company's phone number was "1946" Gus is a 1946 #9. I moved to ND in September for a new job: Start date was September 13th 2016...... 9/13/16 (Gus was parked in September...and the number 13 keeps coming up!). #10. I changed my phone number after I moved to ND, and the first digits of my phone number are 337-67....If you look at the picture of the cab after we started restoration the numbers on the back of the cab say: EGX 3376....ironic? The cab was broken down in December...my number was changed in September! #11. My great grandpa August (Gus) was born on January 9th....1/9 In the Mack Fleet Picture...my grandpa drove truck #1 and Gus's number is 9.... #12. My grandma's birthday is also Jan 9th 1/9 #13. After we brought the Mack out to ND, I stopped to get gas at a Cenex in Devil's Lake, and found a penny....the year was 1980....the year my Robert was born. I kept it! #14. We could not find the key to the Mack's original ignition...so we went to the hardware store in Garrison, and found a key that would somewhat fit...there were only 9 of those keys left...so Robert didn't want to jinx anything and bought the entire set. Robert was able to key the first one on the first try =1/9. #15. My grandpa died November 1st 2009 11/1/2009 #16. My great grandpa Arnold (his dad) was born on November 1st (All public record!). So as my grandma sits and comes up with the ironic nature of old Gus...it often makes a person wonder if it was meant to be....thoughts? Tracy

Hi 1958 FWD! My mechanic is a master diesel tech for Cummins N Power...who I am thankful for, and I will definitely ask him about the rear end. The little 4b diesel has only 305ft pounds of torque which is just a little more than the old EN330. Transmission is the same with a new plate. Old Gus won't be pulling anything for a while or until I get the EN330 rebuilt and we are setting the speed at 45 mph max..That was definitely a concern of ours but I'm definitely going to double check so I appreciate the advice! We have a full story board of this truck from the day it was purchased, so I would LOVE to have the factory file and will send you the information today! Thank you, this is great!!! I would also love to bring the truck out to Trucktoberfest! I would like to drive the truck cross country but it might take me a year to get there! We have a big gooseneck that could haul it! I will definitely put this on my calendar! My grandmother would love to go as well! You will hear from me soon and thank you for the advice! Ms Tracy D

We finally got the Mack video done! This will be the video that grandma will get to see before we surprise her with the truck... here's the link

Yep! Gus has been painted! It turned out great! We have 25 small items left, her engine has been painted, and will be reinstalled this weekend, all door class is now installed, interior gauges etc. on the way! I am so happy that things are moving forward, and we will be meeting our June 1st deadline! Ms. Tracy D.