Rob

The maintenance costs of the embroidery are MUCH cheaper in the long run......... Rob

Here's what you do: Go to one of those high quality internet porn sites and capture a favorite image, saving to your computer. Take your favorite image to an embroidery establishment and let them have the image digitized for their equipment to use. You can then have your seat covers made any size you like as the ratio/proportion remains the same no matter how the image is manipulated. Be sure to keep us posted on how you do. Rob

Any chance you could license the truck in a neighboring state? Most states are having difficulty maintaining their "tax and spend" ratio so this does not surprise me about the insurance, and licensing. It's all about revenue of which they have no surplus. Remember that at election time. Rob

Got the "Back Buddy" yesterday afternoon. It is as advertised and seems to work well. After getting onto OTC's website, (otctools.com) and fishing around in there I've found and downloaded a parts breakdown and user instructions. I now know how the adapters fit and where they go. Only bad thing is the shipper wired it to a pallet really well standing up with the front swivel caster sticking through the slats. The freight company probably hit them with a set of forks when the moved it as one caster is gone, (torn off) and the other is bent severely. With the exception of the broken one being on the floor the forklift driver probably did not know. Accidents happen and it's not big deal or worth a damage claim. A couple $5.00 casters and all will be good. I can see where the adjustability of this thing will save the back and wheel end seals. Rob

Similar, but opposite. The axle number is on the front side, a tramp stamp on the back side, (at least from what I've seen).

Now that I have my seats back I feel like getting a little done on the truck, (Project R-12). Got a little paint off the past couple of nights and a little left yet to do, then starting on the doors which are not rotted at all. I've found a few stress cracks in the cab that will need welded up but since I'm going to "back half" this one, I'll pull it. Here's a little progress for six manhours. I usually leave this type work to a media blaster but the truck is not licensed, nor do I have a trailer to haul it. Been awhile since I've went the manual route. Rob

That should work just fine. I do know that finding an emblem for an A model is a real challenge. Glad you have found a fitting solution. Rob

They also forgot to mention the truck will need a roof skin which is a whole nother can of worms. This means the interior reinforment panels will be rotted along with the trough and flange the rear window recesses into........... Probably be a really nice truck recabbed if the frame, and suspension are solid. Rob

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?showtopic=14096&pid=55995&st=0entry55995

Embossed with a hand stamp. Rob

I like the the mention of a small crack in the windshield. Rob

I don't know that engine but you could have defective "O" rings on the unit injectors. A lot of times they sit in a water jacket for cooling. Rob

Yeah that's right. You wouldn't want to kick a pretty girl in the ass when she bent over in front of you. Rob

Here are both seats together. I didn't change the settings on the camera from when I was working with it earlier and didn't realize they were incorrect until downloading them. I think the dash overlain with a nice pebble grain leather would look nice but would be expensive....... Rob

All three of my 700 have enough clearance to run 5" exhaust on top of the frame and under the cab due to the mountings. Both of the RL's are run this way. The R-12 has a winch headrack that would be in the way of the exhaust so it runs downward on the outside of the rt. frame rail. It then curves horizontal behind the fuel tank, the turns vertical behind the tank. Rob

Seen this truck on ebay a little while ago. The guy really brags it up such as just needs a little "TLC". The interior is average for the age but sure would pass for rough. Also says it has 56K rear axles, sure look like 34's to me. Also makes it sound like parts for the V8 are readily available anywhere. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-MACK-SEMI-TRUCK-ROAD-TRACTOR-TR-V-8-ENGINE-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3cad983796QQitemZ260610471830QQptZCommercialQ5fTrucks Rob

I'm probably going to put headliners in my B models also. I have a factory one to use as a pattern that is basically cardboard. I think some type of fabric will look nicer and less utilitarian. I have a lot of ideas that I'm stewing on but have yet to implement. I've got to find a cost effective sound attenuation foam to glue sheet lead between as that is a really effective combination. Tonight I've nearly finished stripping the paint from R-12. Should get this part of the job finished over the weekend at the latest. I'm going to need to pull the cab which was unexpected due to stress cracks through the floor and into the firewall and cowl that I've found recently. Having the cab off will make fitting the new engine and splicing the frame rails in much easier anyways. The button maker that I borrowed is slick and only takes less than a minute to make the buttons. I could stitch up some prototypes and see what they look like but good materials aren't inexpensive. I think I've got about a buck and a quarter in each of my panels materials without the embroidery. That would normally run about $30.00 per dog through customer supplied materials. It wouldn't be difficult to cover the dash in a B model with an industrial vinyl either. I may try that in the future. If a guy used a fabric backed material for the dash, and an unbacked material for the speedometer quadrant which is much thinner, I think a nice looking job could be had. I've had a couple of speedo panels and glove box doors chromed for my trucks so this won't apply to mine. Plenty of ideas, so little time. Rob

New hire orientation huh??? I hope that is good news as it sure sounds it. I thought about hiring the neighbor kid to do the grass to but he wanted far too much money for my taste so I did the next best thing; Told Momma her ass was spread a little more than usual, then ran!!! I did!! Then I stayed at the shop for a full two days between work so she didn't kill me. She did a good job on the grass however. Rob

John Chalmers is in Cashtown, PA His business name is Chalmers Sales. If he has it, it will be expensive but it's a supply and demand world. Rob

Nope, Momma gave me a son first in 1978 when I was 18, then a daughter in 1985 at 25. Couldn't be more perfect. It was that 5th, or 6th Mack truck that I dragged home that ensured I'd never have kids again with "the boys" resting comfortably under the front porch in a Mason jar. Rob

Want me to put you an Momma together? Rob

Is that cause you're lazy??????? Ha............... Rob

Been a lot of updates and improvements since then. Most targets now days are magnetic with jigs to fit a manufacturer supplied hole or shape in the body or subframe. These are quite accurate but not cheap. The lesser expensive ones of less than $12,000 are fragile, or cumbersome to work with. The ones where you use an arm and pointer get old really quick. A set of centerline gauges and a calibrated eyball with the ability to read a tape measure is a lot less expensive. I had Chief demonstrate a new laser system twice, (Velocity) once on a then new 2004 Taurus car with the front knocked off, and on a 2005 Buick Lucerne that was "T" boned in the drivers side. With these systems you pull to dimensions supplied in the database after hanging the targets and laser bar according to instruction. Then the out of tolerance conditions are displayed. You then make the appropriate pulls back to dimension until the areas out of tolerance turn green, and stop. After allowing for relaxing of the stretched metal, you check it again and sometimes need a secondary pull. Both of these cars changed dimension overnight and the measuring system needed rehung and additional pulling taken place. At $55,000 I thought the results were not cost effective for a small shop. They also wanted $12,500 difference for a new S-21 series rack with three towers. I stayed with my Chassis Liner and still have it. Rob

If you have the power available to apply the needed force, leave everything in place cause it is usually bent too. I'm talking collision damage only. Shit, brand new fenders out of the box don't fit without bending them a little................... Rob

Those are part numbers. Not axle type numbers. The 3QH number is probably for the beam itself. Look around the spring perch to dicipher which steer axle you have. It is probably an FA-505, 507, or something like that. Rob