Mack LT Story

[MackLTH]

Recently, I had a visit with a elderly fellow down in the Nevada desert. He had restored a Mack LT a number of years ago (a duplicate to the LT's he had back in the fifties) and he had a number of surplus parts left after the resto. We agreed to meet early one Saturday and go over his pile of LT stuff...mostly suspension parts. I ended up buying all the (unbroken) parts.

Some of this stuff was still bolted together, so I got busy with my ratchet.

A few hours later, Roy's wife appeared and said she had made us lunch.I was more than happy to drop the wrenches after a few hours in the hot Nevada sun. Over sandwiches and iced tea Roy recalled how he (and his father) had operated a logging concern in the Oroville, California area many years ago. The company had a number of LTL and LTH Macks...three of which were purchased new. When Roy mentioned the new Macks, his wife said "did I tell you I found some papers that belong to those Macks you had in Oroville?" Roy shrugged and said "maybe Pat would like to have a look at them"

After a short search, a couple of envelopes were produced. One was marked 1953, the other 1955. These were the multi page documents specifying every component that would go onto a LT...same thing you would get a copy of from the Mack museum. I looked at the 1953 paper first and noted it was ordered with a 275 Cummins...each page was stamped with "Mack of San Francisco" in big red print with date of delivery below that.

I then opened the papers marked 1955 and scanned down the page, my eyes settled on the serial number, LTH2D1194D . I leafed through the rest of the pages and stopped on the last page when it struck me....I looked at the serial number again...it looked familiar....because it was for my truck at home. I sat there for a second, stunned. I looked up at Roy and said "Roy, the truck I have sitting in my driveway,...you purchased new 51 years ago" Roy laughed and said "I guess those papers belong to you" and "would you like to see pictures of your truck when it was new ?" Ahhh..ya ...I think so....LOL What are the freaking odds?

[twostickmutt]

congrats. partner. there is a one in a million!

[87valueliner]

There went your lottery chance. Great story.

[Andy Wright]

Pat

I've said it before but that is by far the coolest resto story I have ever heard.

Great stuff.

Cheers

Andy

[dirtfarmer163]

Oh I have a question what was differant between the LT,LTL,and LTH?? and great story, your very lucky to have a that!! I have a 57 IH that i was lucky enough to get all the papers for also

Matt

[randyp]

Recently, I had a visit with a elderly fellow down in the Nevada desert. He had restored a Mack LT a number of years ago (a duplicate to the LT's he had back in the fifties) and he had a number of surplus parts left after the resto. We agreed to meet early one Saturday and go over his pile of LT stuff...mostly suspension parts. I ended up buying all the (unbroken) parts.

Some of this stuff was still bolted together, so I got busy with my ratchet.

A few hours later, Roy's wife appeared and said she had made us lunch.I was more than happy to drop the wrenches after a few hours in the hot Nevada sun. Over sandwiches and iced tea Roy recalled how he (and his father) had operated a logging concern in the Oroville, California area many years ago. The company had a number of LTL and LTH Macks...three of which were purchased new. When Roy mentioned the new Macks, his wife said "did I tell you I found some papers that belong to those Macks you had in Oroville?" Roy shrugged and said "maybe Pat would like to have a look at them"

After a short search, a couple of envelopes were produced. One was marked 1953, the other 1955. These were the multi page documents specifying every component that would go onto a LT...same thing you would get a copy of from the Mack museum. I looked at the 1953 paper first and noted it was ordered with a 275 Cummins...each page was stamped with "Mack of San Francisco" in big red print with date of delivery below that.

I then opened the papers marked 1955 and scanned down the page, my eyes settled on the serial number, LTH2D1194D . I leafed through the rest of the pages and stopped on the last page when it struck me....I looked at the serial number again...it looked familiar....because it was for my truck at home. I sat there for a second, stunned. I looked up at Roy and said "Roy, the truck I have sitting in my driveway,...you purchased new 51 years ago" Roy laughed and said "I guess those papers belong to you" and "would you like to see pictures of your truck when it was new ?" Ahhh..ya ...I think so....LOL What are the freaking odds?

Thanks for sharing that, thats just an outstanding, amazing story! randy

[bullhusk]

WOW thats a great story!! what a GREAT country we live in!!

[fifth wheel]

I met that gentleman Roy at the 2001 ATHS Show in Reno NV , and he told me the story of his LT Macks. I told him I am working on an LT and if he had a few parts I could use, well the next day he brought them to the show that was good. After the show I followed him back to his house an got a few more parts, (stuff that could fit into large pieces of luggage) better. Made a deal on some larger items and he shipped them to me, perfect. The best part of that trip was I got to meet and talk to a man that went to the Mack deealership and drove home a brand new Mack LT.

On the model desingnations,

LT- Just about an all steel truck, early production units had a different front rear spring hangars and frame arrangment in that area compared to

the later units. 1947-53, production 415 units, all 3 axle (sw's)

LTL Same as the later LT's with a lot of aluminum components, (engine mounts,front spring brackets,belly band,frt.cab mounts,radiator support

cross members, steps and battery boxes,steering column,trunnion support,wheel hubs,brake spiders,brake shoes,air tanks,axle stops, auxilary

trans case, and wheels.) 1950-56, production 1216 units 3 axle

130 units 2 axle (designated LTLT)

LTH Same as LTL except some or most of the structural suspension parts were replaced with steel (spring hangars,trunion supports, and brake

brake spiders) 1953-56 production 248 units, all 3 axle (sw's)

Total production 2009 units All models have aluminum hoods and radiator support sides.

I have been with the Mack line for the last 40 years and the LT is my favorite. I hope this information is helpfull and stand to be corrected if

wrong.

Enjoy the rest of the summer,

FW

[Bobby Covert]

I love seeing stories like that. I have a friend here in Ky.(David) who knew my Dad before he was killed in a wreck. He tells me those type of stories an I love each one.

[KO1927]

Wow. My LT was originally sold in Oroville, California, to K&S Equipment Co. I guess LT's were popular in that area.

[imhsar]

finally i heard something new .... nice story....

[Flynpenguin]

Wow. My LT was originally sold in Oroville, California, to K&S Equipment Co. I guess LT's were popular in that area.

My '55 LTH was sold new in Sacramento, Cal, and the '55 LTL I've used as a parts donor was sold by the dealer in San Francisco. I've been told that the dealer in Sac sold quite a few LT's.

[nhs275]

I met that gentleman Roy at the 2001 ATHS Show in Reno NV , and he told me the story of his LT Macks. I told him I am working on an LT and if he had a few parts I could use, well the next day he brought them to the show that was good. After the show I followed him back to his house an got a few more parts, (stuff that could fit into large pieces of luggage) better. Made a deal on some larger items and he shipped them to me, perfect. The best part of that trip was I got to meet and talk to a man that went to the Mack deealership and drove home a brand new Mack LT.

On the model desingnations,

LT- Just about an all steel truck, early production units had a different front rear spring hangars and frame arrangment in that area compared to

the later units. 1947-53, production 415 units, all 3 axle (sw's)

LTL Same as the later LT's with a lot of aluminum components, (engine mounts,front spring brackets,belly band,frt.cab mounts,radiator support

cross members, steps and battery boxes,steering column,trunnion support,wheel hubs,brake spiders,brake shoes,air tanks,axle stops, auxilary

trans case, and wheels.) 1950-56, production 1216 units 3 axle

130 units 2 axle (designated LTLT)

LTH Same as LTL except some or most of the structural suspension parts were replaced with steel (spring hangars,trunion supports, and brake

brake spiders) 1953-56 production 248 units, all 3 axle (sw's)

Total production 2009 units All models have aluminum hoods and radiator support sides.

I have been with the Mack line for the last 40 years and the LT is my favorite. I hope this information is helpfull and stand to be corrected if

wrong.

Enjoy the rest of the summer,

FW

LW - Thanks for this information, I've never seen a breakdown of LT models and numbers of units produced for each model - This table is fascinating as I always thought that the LTL was relatively rare. It would also be interesting to know how many Thermodyne, Hall-Scott, NHS, NHRS, etc. were produced. Where did you find the model/unit breakdown information? DD

[fifth wheel]

DD

The data came from Mack Trucks, LT series production, model designation/units per year of production.

FW

[BOB DINGSDALE]

Was Roy the fellow that had the LT log truck at Reno in 01.Beauty of a truck.I was there all three days .Loved it.Had mine in Portland in'92 and in Spokane in'95.Drove it to both shows.Over 1000 miles return trips.Would like to see it up our way someday.Seattle again or Vancouver B.C.Bob

[Rob]

Yessir, very, very nice people. I purchased my latest RL797LST, (tanker) from Roy and wife Mary. What splendid and nice people to talk, and deal with. Of course this could not have been possible without the help of Mike, (kidnv on this site) coordinating the effort(s). I am attempting to line up transportation to bring this one home as I really have plans to do little with it other than work the truck.

Rob

[leversole]

"...I am attempting to line up transportation to bring this one home as I really have plans to do little with it other than work the truck."

Rob

Are you going to fill it with Diesel so when one of your other trucks run out you can make your own "deliveries"?

[Rob]

Are you going to fill it with Diesel so when one of your other trucks run out you can make your own "deliveries"?

I figger I better get a presidential grant and fill this sucker completely up under the auspice of "expanding and growing" my business. Need to get this accomplished before January 20 of next year as a lot of those "debt ridden programs for free but yield no results" are sure to dry up under the new incomming administration.

Take me awhile to burn though 4000 gallons of diesel don't you think? I only use a coupld hundred gallons a year presently. That may change when I get something around here roadworthy.

Rob

[mackaholic]

On 10/15/2006 at 9:00 AM, MackLTH said:

Recently, I had a visit with a elderly fellow down in the Nevada desert. He had restored a Mack LT a number of years ago (a duplicate to the LT's he had back in the fifties) and he had a number of surplus parts left after the resto. We agreed to meet early one Saturday and go over his pile of LT stuff...mostly suspension parts. I ended up buying all the (unbroken) parts.

Some of this stuff was still bolted together, so I got busy with my ratchet.

A few hours later, Roy's wife appeared and said she had made us lunch.I was more than happy to drop the wrenches after a few hours in the hot Nevada sun. Over sandwiches and iced tea Roy recalled how he (and his father) had operated a logging concern in the Oroville, California area many years ago. The company had a number of LTL and LTH Macks...three of which were purchased new. When Roy mentioned the new Macks, his wife said "did I tell you I found some papers that belong to those Macks you had in Oroville?" Roy shrugged and said "maybe Pat would like to have a look at them"

After a short search, a couple of envelopes were produced. One was marked 1953, the other 1955. These were the multi page documents specifying every component that would go onto a LT...same thing you would get a copy of from the Mack museum. I looked at the 1953 paper first and noted it was ordered with a 275 Cummins...each page was stamped with "Mack of San Francisco" in big red print with date of delivery below that.

I then opened the papers marked 1955 and scanned down the page, my eyes settled on the serial number, LTH2D1194D . I leafed through the rest of the pages and stopped on the last page when it struck me....I looked at the serial number again...it looked familiar....because it was for my truck at home. I sat there for a second, stunned. I looked up at Roy and said "Roy, the truck I have sitting in my driveway,...you purchased new 51 years ago" Roy laughed and said "I guess those papers belong to you" and "would you like to see pictures of your truck when it was new ?" Ahhh..ya ...I think so....LOL What are the freaking odds?

Just revisited this story. I don't suppose you have the serial # for the 53 LTL? My dad and I bought an LTL out of Oroville a couple years back that was supposed to be one of Roys trucks. I'd love to be able to confirm if it was or not. It originally had a 275 in it. 

Thanks, Brad

[MackLTH]

Hi Brad, I sent you a PM

Cheers,Pat