BigMackTruck

I know you were expecting to see a cabover, I promise there is one, but I wanted to explain how I got here in the first place. I started an LLC, bought this Mack for $5000 sight unseen, it was a catastrophe, it had 2 million miles on the odometer, I proceeded to put another $5000 into it in parts and do in all home repairs and jury rigging, I live in a small town, and I got permission from the local police to bomb down a specific back road and learn how to chug through the 13 speed. Then I went and got my CDL, then got the authority and insurance and full sent it with $5000 in my checking account, hopes and dreams, and 0 trucking experience with my Garmin and DAT load board. By some miracle, I survived and made money, great money even. Every single time I drove through a weigh station, I felt like I was trying to sneak passed a den of hyenas with steaks strapped to my body, knew it could be my last time as a CDL driver, the truck had a massive oil leak and more things wrong with it than I can remember, every single time I drove through a weigh station, I felt like I was trying to sneak passed a den of hyenas with steaks strapped to my body, knew it could be my last time as a CDL Independent trucker, but the brakes worked and so did all of the lights so I managed to slip through the cracks long enough to save up for a downpayment. I sold the Mack and bought an emissions truck, it was a huge mistake, I wish I had just poured money into Big Blue, but you live and you learn. I started a post earlier this week asking for help identifying an engine, in this cabover, and I got the help I needed. Now I haven't stopped posting in there and I want to post it more in a proper setting, because this is going to go all over the place. I want it to be broader in scope and easier for the next guy to find information if they're looking for it. I called the seller today, to inquire about the suspension on the MH I am looking at purchasing, just couldn't help myself, I wanted to know what I was working with. The Ultraliner, has a camelback suspension, and I was pretty excited to hear that, and I immediately jumped online to stuff my brain with knowledge and information about it. I typed "Camelback" into truckersreport.com. Everything I have read so far is discouraging. Every post called it the "infamous" "Worst ride of any truck i've ever driven" Spine snatcher, man killer, Rough Ride, Brick for a suspension, beat down of a lifetime. Discouraging all who dare to consider it to steer clear of these ambitions in favor of any other truck. From what I have discovered so far, I don't feel like the truck is a good fit for me. The 5.02 rears, the 5 speed transmission, the camelback suspension, these are all factors that are vastly uncharted territory, and in conventional OTR trucking, it looks like a bad setup. I know I wont be going 70+ anymore, and I think that I can get used to that. How fast is this 5.02 with a 5 speed? Where is the sweet spot for mpg? What I do like, is that it is mated with an E7, but I can't find anything supporting the E7/T2050 combo being a good match, I can't find any early E7 information anywhere, (I did find the next closest thing, E Tech 350 engine spec graph) I need to know how did this combination work? Someone please tell me to hang it up or give me some encouraging words of affirmation that this thing is not going to beat me to death with the camelback and be an amalgamation of all Mack pride and joy. There were 16000 of these sold, where the heck have all gone too? I read a mack magazine ad, speaking about the air ride on the cab, have any of you driven this Ultraliner camelback combo? You guys have been very helpful, and I want to thank you for your sharing all of your insight thus far. I want the cabover because I fantasize about the maneuverability of a cabover, combined with the legendary reliability of Mack powertrain, if this is a good combo, I have a very reliable rig, I know the E7 is good on fuel, what it lacks versus emissions MPG it makes up for with simplicity and reliability and no def related expenses. That Mack with 2 million miles is a testament to the durability of Mack, it has really stuck with me.

Thankfully, there are still some end-of-life MH trucks on the web that can be picked up fairly cheap. I am thinking the perfect donor truck is right around the next month for me. It will pop up, I am sure of it, and when it does, its cannibalizing time. I recently found one online with the red interior, I was curious if there's actually any credibility to the red is better mantra, might go and snatch up some pieces off of it.

Yea, i know youre right, I gotta pump the brakes. Dump the thousand into maintenance until I get the show on the road.

Yep, found bumpers online last night, just under a thousand for 18" chrome bumper.

I wanted to ask some more questions about the restoration process, I will start a new thread once I pick it up. I have made some little mistakes before and bent my bumper up, i took a ratchet strap and wrapped it around the bumper then pulled on it a little with a tree and it was almost good as new, I never dealt with this crushed coke can where it split like that, there doesnt appear to be any torn metal, I would say hammer on the edges where its bent and ratchet strap tug again. Any professional recommendations? Also, anyone know how much would a new bumper cost?

Just got done reading this post about the spoke hubs, and after all you told me, i am not about to prioritize the wheel change. If its good enough for Australia in 2024 its good enough for me too. I thought the budds were "the future" Now, i am going to go in other direction and spice up the rims I already have. I only liked the Budds because it's fun to polish the wheels. I feel like shiny wheels keep the DOT away, he sees the shine and says "oh, you spend time doing that? Must spend time doing all the other things too. Carry on." Thank you for your insightful post.

According to the owner, he has done a lot of upkeep over the years but never a transmission. What is the deal with the 5 speed, how does it even work out? I see the grunty low end torque from the EM6 in the dynamometer but how did it work with the E7 350? It wasn't econodyne, how was this a viable option? Can it still pull like the EM6 or was this made to haul with lower weights? I have done the research, ive spent hours in the forums, i owned an etech 460, with 13 speed. This E7 with the 5 is a real anomally, I am just now uncovering this, i thought when he said 5 speed he meant 10 speed with a splitter, it was too bizarre. I love the Ultraliner and I am determined to make this work out. This is how i was planning to make it look. This is a Mack in Mexico, I really like what he has done here.

Question, what the heck is with these rims? was there something specific about them that made it good? Or can I scrap them and slap on some aluminum wheels? I have only known aluminum wheels.

Do you guys know what kind of mpg this truck got, its a big factor for me. I found online that the 2050 with the 5.02 gear ratio maxes out at 67/68 mph, what would be the comfortable cruising speed/rpm for it? This is the machine, I work with paint all the time and I intend to repaint it. I will keep that orange and add some thick stripes like the old school trucks.

There's an old trucker selling his rig, it's a month older than I am. I always loved the look of the mh613, did some serious digging into these trucks, considered several different avenues, and missed out on some real classics. I found this truck, here is what I am certain of,its a 5 speed, the shifter says T2050. He claims it has 5.02 rear, and he that it is a 350 mack. I will not be able to crawl under it and look at the engine plate until next month, so I wanted to ask for you guys help. It looks alot like a mechanical E7 to me, is that what it is? I did some serious Google photo comparisons and I am leaning towards e7 over e6. I haven't driven any macks older than my 2000 with the e460 mated to a 13 speed. Anyone know how to get the vin information? I sent a request to the museum in Allentown. I intend to buy it, unless something better comes along between now and the 10th of April. IMG_20250320_101617.heic IMG_20250320_101618 (4).heic

I'm an old member but I lost access to my account email so I made this one. I used to drive a big 80 inch sleeper mack vision, that was my first truck. Now, I am looking at getting into an MH613 and running it regional for some old school trucking fun. I sail for a living and trucking is what I like to do for fun occasionally.