39 Baby Mack

Amen to that!!! Ron

I remember Jungle Pam, I went to school with her! Pam Hardy Jungle Jim was killed not more than a 1/16 of a mile from where I live when he ran his corvette into a Septa Bus on Rte. 3. Ron

Now doesn't that look like something you'd just love to bobtail over the Cross Bronx Expressway! Ron

You tend to remember shit like that Mark! Ron

We had Macks with Brockway quarter fenders on them too, but #199 is a Brockway as I previously posted! I think the chassis # was K459T-12-68296 Ron

Can't argue with that! Ron

You're half right Dave! #199 was a '68 400 series Brockway originally built with a 318 Detroit and a five speed Fuller. By the time this picture was taken it had been changed over to a 237 Maxidyne with a five speed Maxitorque. Was a better truck than when it was new! Ron

Great pictures Dave! Thanks for posting, don't be sorry, there's no such thing as too many pictures! Ron

No Dave, when it left West Chester it was minus the horseshoe for sure! I'll say a few things about #168, it was originally a demonstrator used by Chemical Lehman and had chrome plated windshield wiper pivots on the cab. When we were using it as a demonstrator it's number was #604 the 600#S were for leased operator's trucks. The chassis number is F-715T1084 ( i got scared for a minute or two---when I first thought of the chassis number I was drawing a blank!! ) When it left our place it originally was driven to Bradley's junk yard in Nottingham, PA by my brother Tom. Before we got rid of it we switched steering gears with another one that had a really sloppy gear on it. Sheppard steering gears weren't the best in my book anyway and in an "F" model the steering shaft when through a set of miter gears before it ever got to the gear. This made it even worse! Needless to say when they got some wear in them they could be a little squirrelly, and that's putting it mildly! I remember Tom took it to Bradley's and said when he got to US1 he dropped it in 5th High and was going to take it the junkyard in style! It didn't stay in 5th long, he promptly dropped it back into 4th and that's where it stayed the rest of the way to Nottingham! Talking about the way these things steered, I liked what my oldest brother Ralph used to say about them "Spend all that money for power steering and end up with a bunch of wandering whores" I used to say I'd rather fight a truck with a manual gear on it for a few minutes while maneuvering into tight places than have to fight with one of these for hours at time! The other fun experiences I remember with these things were cattle chutes and going through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel and that was before there was a Ft. McHenry Tunnel (it's a little wider and there are four bores instead of just two!) Used to always make sure I had a cigarette lit before I entered it! If that wash't enough when they had to work on one of the bores they'd shut one down and then the traffic was head to head in the tunnel! Would really make your asshole pucker up let me tell you! The next time we saw #168 it was pulling in our yard with John Hoppes driving it, he was coming to pick up an old horse trailer that we had sold. That was the first time Tommie and I met John, Tommie and I couldn't believe he was driving the truck with the way it steered---He just must have been a better driver! Another thing the gear shift levers in this truck I could never get straightened out to my liking, I'll tell you one thing don't wrap your hand around the main stick when putting it in reverse when the auxiliary was in low---OUCH!!, it only took one time to learn this little idiosyncrasy about this truck! Dave ask John how he thought it steered??? Ron

That's a rare breed for sure Mike! I've got the Fleet Owner Magazine around someplace with the article about them. Some day I'm gonna find someplace and post some of this stuff! One thing I remember them saying in the article which I thought was strange was that they might make the 4x4 available to the general public!!! At the time I couldn't understand why don't you guys make an "MH" with a setback front axle, Freightliner was making them. IH had the 9700 series why don't you guys make one--something that a lot more people would be interested in buying than an "off road" "MH"!!! I think the first two I built I would have given to J.B. Hunt and Schneider to try out, might have even given one to Builders Transport!!! Ron

Thanks, Dave Great pictures! Ron

On Saturday at the show i couldn't help but notice Tom Loetzbeier and Ron Long from the Mack Museum staff! Wow where did they get those cool old jackets? Ron

Jim, I believe I've seen pictures of the truck your talking about but I would have no idea if he still has it? Ron

The very best one of all had to be on one of our "MH's" I took a load of horses to Belmont Park, unloaded, mucked the trailer out, and had to wait to meet another truck so I could bring the second driver of that truck back to West Chester. I was waiting for them over by the kitchen and when they got in they pulled right in beside me. I got out to shoot the shit and was standing between the two trucks. #266, the one I was driving had just been repainted and relettered. I don't know why but just happened to look at #276 and then look back at the right side of #266 and I couldn't believe my eyes! It said "Dependadable Horse Trans. I don't know if the fact that transportation was always abbreviated on the R.H. side (because of the peep window) screwed the girl up who made the letters up or what? And once again only on the one side! That one got fixed right away! And no I don't have a picture of it---wish I did! Ron

We had one trailer, can't remember which one, but it said "Dependable Horse Transpotation" again only on one side! Ron

I caught this one, again long after it was done, used the trailer on a Saturday for a pony club horse show and had to use it again the next day. Had an air bag leaking on it so I decided to just replace both of them! Was about halfway through the job and sat down on a stool behind the trailer for a smoke break. Just happened to look up at the back of the trailer and noticed inside the horseshoe it said "Serving The Horsemen Since 1919" to which I said W.T.F.? Got up and looked down both sides of T-94 left side said 1916--right side said 1916! Started laughing my ass off! Ron

This trailer was hand lettered for I don't know how many years and it took the guy with the pallet co. that we rented space to to point it out to us just as it was getting ready to go to the boneyard! Just goes to show you how you can get so used to seeing things that your mind automatically fills in the blanks! This was like this only on one side! Ron

Thomas Edison must be spinning in his grave! Ron

Love the Relay with the extra IH (CO) headlights! That must be? Low Beam, High Beam, and Super Beam! Looks like something from outer space! Also a great comparison between the IH (CO cab) and IH Emeryville cab, what's the chances of getting a picture of those two side by side? Ron

Mike, What's a Drive-In, is that anything like the"Passion Pit"? Ron

Nice looking' trailer Ken, Sure should help some some with the ride in the"MH", not to mention the"Pucker Factor" on those rainy days! Ron

Mike, Thanks for all the great pictures, hope you find some more! Ron

Carl, Ain't that the truth! Ron

Mike, Those were good times, I smile when I look back on them. And unless you get alzheimers they can can never take them away from you! Ron