SkippyMack

So thankful for my resourceful "crew" - I keep them fed and do what I can at this point - and they do some pretty heavy problem-solving and fabrication work. Last night my buddy Dru came up with some custom tabs to secure the bottom of the nose to the radiator frame which really stiffened up the front panels. I don't know what might have been there originally for brackets or bracing, but it was a "floppy chicken" and we just couldn't justify doing nothing and have it vibrate and rattle down the road. She's not going to be a museum or show piece, but the old girl is going to look good from a few feet and go down the road! I suspect she'll draw some attention. 😉

And...we're back!! The old girl has both fenders, an installed driver's seat, and working headlights as of tonight! Feels good to back at it! Optimistically, two more Wednesday shop nights and she's going down the road (for at least her first test drive). Please note I still have a husband and a crew 😆

Friends, Hey! I'm still here! Summer is winding down and fall will be here soon and I'll be back at my Skippy Mack restoration project. I had to have a "tough love" conversation with myself that the project just had to pause in order to focus on other things. It's been a great summer of go-kart racing, gardening, motocross, wedding floral design, and more! Can't wait to finish up this truck. I promise, as soon as I'm back at it, I'll be keeping you all posted here!

Thank you! Done.

Friends, Bumper and wheels are painted. Hoping to have this old girl rolling in the next week or so! 4969 is "Skippy" on this original chassis order courtesy of the Mack Museum! She has a sibling (chassis #4968) who also went to Rimarg Bros Trucking Co. of Rutland VT on July 27, 1956. I wonder where that truck is? https://sjcreativevt.pixieset.com/skippymack/

I'm painting wheels and the bumper this week!

Team, I just heard from the Mack Museum and got all the details about my truck--so many great documents including the one attached! Yes, she's a 1956. Her birthday was June 4th. 😉 I'm super excited to start a new push to wrap this project up this summer. Current big obligations are behind me and we're picking up again!

Hi Friends! I promise I'm still here. It's baseball and go-kart racing season so my time hasn't really been my own lately. As soon as I have updates, you'll be some of the first to get them! Cheers.😄

THANK YOU!!

Question for the group: I've never seen the fit up of these body panels in-person and close up. Lots of pictures online, but none that are giving me a good view about what I should expect to see between the hood edge and the triangle piece on top of the fender. My assumption was that the hood would close down over the lip of that triangular panel, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Is it normal to have a gap or "loose" fitment there? If you have a B60, can you send me a picture of how your's fits? Thanks!

I'm excited to see it in natural light!

Well team - it's been a long night and a productive one! My husband assured me (warned me?) that this part would be a real challenge. When we brought the truck home her body panels were in a trailer. We've never seen her assembled. Our guess is that this truck may have been pushed around the yard (where we bought her) by her nose - with a bucket cushioned by a tire or something. The front was really racked in a weird way. Fortunately my husband and the gang have years of experience building race cars and fabricating. Hours and hours later we finally had a good fit up on the hood! Calling it a night, but we're a hell of a lot closer than we were this afternoon. Progress! Most recent pictures load first! https://sjcreativevt.pixieset.com/skippymack/

Just looked up Dame Edna! Love it! The Chrysler is my favorite vehicle. Rides like a boat. Always exciting to bring her out in the spring and sad to tuck her away for the winter.

Too many projects, too little time 🙄😄 There are worse problems to have! Good news: Mack paint is DONE! Body assembly is happening THIS WEDNESDAY! I can't wait to finally see this old girl put together. It's a big step forward. Popped one side of the hood up there just for a visual and got really excited. Finally got my '62 Newport out, now that the weather is starting to come around. And the Freightliner transformation is (mostly) done. Hope I'm not doing too much "contamination" by including that before and after shot. 🤣

We have a professional vinyl cutter (US Cutter brand). Basically a CNC for vinyl film, yes. It doesn't print, only cuts, but it has saved us thousands in the years that we've had it. We can do a lot of our own detailing on bikes, cars, trucks, karts, etc... It's what I used to cut the detail on the doors, too.

Hey there friends! Well, we got buried in SNOW this week in northern Vermont. My vacation week and it snowed! We had six inches on Thursday, but if finally cleared and we had a beautiful day yesterday. We spent the day working on our race track. The Freightliner is almost done - thank goodness!! So, progress on the Mack?? I'm prepping the hood panels for paint today. Thankfully they don't require repair like all of the other panels did. I also added a detail I designed and cut in vinyl under the back window. It came out exactly the way I envisioned. This coming week we'll start tackling wiring.

I'm not that kind of girl! HA! No insecurities, here - at least about my age! 😆 Growing older is a privilege denied to many - and every year brings more and more opportunities to learn and grow and I'm all about that! Here's to it!!!

Thank you!

In the event I don't have a chance tomorrow... Wishing a fantastic day to my birthday twins: Mark T and Bob! (Brought painted body panels home today)

Thank you!!! This made my day!! 😍

Yes! We share a birthday! I'm 43 on Sunday. I'm just hoping not to cook that day!! Ribs sound great. 🤩

Thank you! I took a swatch from my seat upholstery and this was the closest match in a single stage acrylic enamel. We love it, too!

Paul, We masked it off three times for paint with some pretty complex designs and I detailed it out with vinyl. I will share pictures when it's done! 🤩

Panels are in topcoat! After a long night of finishing the complex detailing and pin striping on my husband's Frieghtliner, I got reciprocity! (We're a kick-ass team, so please don't think there are any demands or hard feelings on these projects between the two of us - it all comes out in the wash). 😉 He called me this afternoon and said, "I left super early this morning so I could spray your panels before work." Well, they look AMAZING! Here's a little progress collage on the nose. Newest pictures load first: https://sjcreativevt.pixieset.com/skippymack/

I did reach out to Dave Zsido last month! He connected me with someone in Brattleboro.