jdstl Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) I was going to post up some pictures and progress as I restore my '59. Should I post in this forum or is there somewhere else I should post it?Thanks,Jason Edited January 13, 2012 by jdstl Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I was going to post up some pictures and progress as I restore my '59. Should I post in this forum or is there somewhere else I should post it?Thanks,JasonEither this forum, or the antique and classic forum will be fine. Post aplenty cause we are exceptionally greedy when it comes to photos.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fauthpk Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Post em. We always appreciate the efforts of others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Aright, I'll use this thread, I changed the title.I'll start with a little background, I've always loved old semi trucks and have never seen one in my area at a car show, driving down the road, or in person anywhere pretty much. Very few of them left in the midwest it seams. I ended up finding this truck on my local craigslist only 20 miles from my house! Ended up buying it and it drove onto the trailer under its own power! Brakes didn't work though...I've had the truck for a couple weeks now, so far I've gotten the brakes working, removed a bunch of old wiring and old battery cables, along with extra air lines that went no where down the chassis, and started re-wiring the truck. I just finnished restoring the gauges and gauge panel and am starting to fab up a new wire loom now. The starter has been rebuilt to 12V so I can do away with the 12-24v solenoids and associated wiring.I also got 50 years worth of crud power washed off the chassis and managed to get it painted while we were having some crazy warm weather last week.I'm not going for a #1 restoration here, more like a weekend fun time driver, with a few custom touches (my own paint scheme and color choices). I'm not a real stickler for originality but I'm not planning on chopping the truck up either, just making it my own.Sorry the pics aren't the best, my phone was having issues. I'll have more pictures shortly, I should have the rear light plate made up soon, which will be polished diamond plate with flush mount LED lights. Should look sweet!Pics:When I got it home, after power washing:Chassis after paint:Gauge panel before:Gauge panel after:I couldn't get the small gauges apart the bezels were really difficult to get off so I gave up rather than ruining them. I did manage to clean them up a little by using cleaner, a tiny screw driver and small pieces of paper towel... Came out pretty well I think!Jason Edited February 14, 2012 by jdstl Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umodelnut Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 That is one cool b model!! If you need any info on the truck send the serial number to the Mack museum and they will give you the build sheets and all that good stuff. That's how I got all the build sheets and info on my u model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatcity Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 All that in a couple weeks?Some here haven't reached that point after several years.Looks good. Why not pull and paint battery box when you were there?dash panel looks nice too Quote Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Already contacted the museum I'm wating for my package to come any day.The battery box is rusted out and falling apart, I'm going to cut it off and make a new one, probably out of diamont plate alum. Also planning on stripping and polishing the tanks.Jason Edited January 13, 2012 by jdstl Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umodelnut Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I will probably have to get some new battery boxes for my u model because they are pretty rough.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olivetroad Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Looks good! Don't you wish there were as many Macks here in the show-me state as there are out east? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Looks good. Real good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
609albert Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 nice looking work that you done so far, you mentioned LED lights ,be careful some of the LEDS don't work if you have a positive ground system (mostly 3 wire) good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Thanks for the compliments... Ya it does seem like most of the trucks I've seen for sale, and shows I've seen are all out east. I'm rewiring the truck so its going to be straight 12v so no worries about the LEDs. I'll have a pic of the completed gauge panel in a couple days once all the wiring and switches are installed. The original wiring on the truck had been hacked into and repaired so many times it was just a birds nest behind the dash, and after looking at the wiring diagram, it seemed pretty over complicated anyway. All it has to do is run headlights, tails and turn signals... Hell there isn't a wire going to the engine anywhere other than whats coming off the generator! Besides the new loom I'll be installing an updated fuse panel with ATO type fuses. Jason Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog man Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 to to BMT ! Nice B Model ya got there . Your in the right place for Info on . If ya got any questions im sure there is sombody here that can help ya out.The Gauge Cluster Pannel looks goods .Please dont forget to send the museum a little donation . & Good Luck on the restoration of your truck . aka Bulldog Man on BMT . Quote You Cant Fix Stupid. But You Can Numb It With A Sledgehammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Once I get my "care package" from the musuem and have the return address I'll be sending them a check for sure. Sounds like they go out of their way to get you all the info they can find. I don't have anything at all with the truck, no owners manual, shop manual, nothing. Only piece of paper I got was a title!Jason Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Once I get my "care package" from the musuem and have the return address I'll be sending them a check for sure. Sounds like they go out of their way to get you all the info they can find. I don't have anything at all with the truck, no owners manual, shop manual, nothing. Only piece of paper I got was a title!JasonJason,1st thing i'd like to do is congradulate you in saving a piece of history. Looks like you are making good progress with your Mack and I hope you continue to have good results in making it your project. Yes the Mack Museum folks are very good about helping us get rolling. Thanks for sharing with us your photos of your truck.Best Regardsmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billythekid Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Wow nice truck you have keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdunkdfunk Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Moving fast! What you've done so far looks great! Keep posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thanks for all the support!Over the past couple nights I finnished wiring the dash panel, I think the end result is much cleaner than the original birds nest of wiring!Here is the gauge panel before:Here it is after:Also one last pic of the front with all the switches and temp guage installed:I should have pictures of my finnished rear light plate with the LEDs installed tomorrow. The new fender mounted turn signals for up front also came in, If the good weather happens on Monday they are predicting, I'm thinking I'll be able to get the gauge panel installed. I still have all the old wiring to cut out of the truck before it goes in though.Jason Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thanks for all the support!Over the past couple nights I finnished wiring the dash panel, I think the end result is much cleaner than the original birds nest of wiring!Here is the gauge panel before:Here it is after:Also one last pic of the front with all the switches and temp guage installed:I should have pictures of my finnished rear light plate with the LEDs installed tomorrow. The new fender mounted turn signals for up front also came in, If the good weather happens on Monday they are predicting, I'm thinking I'll be able to get the gauge panel installed. I still have all the old wiring to cut out of the truck before it goes in though.JasonMuch better choice to use "Sta-Kon" type crimp pliers rather than the kind that just crush the teminal end onto the wiring. This type termination does not slip.Wiring looks good and should hold up the life of the truck. What type of a/m wiring harness are you using?Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olivetroad Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I can't stand a messy rewire job - yours looks great! I have an employee that intentionally leaves zipties with long tails on them all over everything just so he can laugh at me as I run around with side cutters snipping them off. I heard we are going to have a warm one again here in Missouri on Monday - I hope you get more done so we can view the progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 The crimping pliers I'm using are professional ones, I don't know what the term is but they don't just smush the connector, it has the little point that protrudes into the terminal and it grabs well. I've been using them for wiring work on all my restorations and never had one come off so far. I'm building my own harness, everything in the picture I did from scratch. You can sort of see the diagram I drew next to the panel in the first pic..Jason Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The crimping pliers I'm using are professional ones, I don't know what the term is but they don't just smush the connector, it has the little point that protrudes into the terminal and it grabs well. I've been using them for wiring work on all my restorations and never had one come off so far. I'm building my own harness, everything in the picture I did from scratch. You can sort of see the diagram I drew next to the panel in the first pic..Jason"Stay-Kon" is a Thomas & Betts trade name. "Klein Tools", "Vaco Tools" and several others also produce these. The kind of termination pliers that just flatten the electical crimp connections should be banned in my opinion. They are very good and what I use at work. I thought you had mentioned an a/m harness using newer ATO series fuses and thought possibly "Painless Wiring". which are alright in quality, but one can do better themselves, (again, my opinion). I see you are using heavy wiring for the electical circuitry which is a good thing. I typically rip it all out and start over with a bulk harness made after counting the number of circuits needing in the looms, mark each end for continuity, and wire to fit. At work everything is white so don't really follow a color convention but some cannot do without it.Looks like you got a good start going. Be nice to see all the lights come on when called for and not worry about something burning up, or not operating.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstl Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Ha I just looked up the "sta-kon" crimpers on google.. Thats what I'm using, never knew that type of crimp had a special name!Jason Quote -Jason-1959 Mack B61T single axle short wheel base, concave cab. 673 diesel, duplex trans. Running but under contruction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I've been using them for over 25 years and still have my original pair. I couldn't begin to count the number of crimps those things have made.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fauthpk Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Nice job man. You will be shocked by what the museum will send you. We donated my great grandfathers Mack tools. Little did we know how rare they were. One of the wrenches was to adjust the chain on the ac Mack. Don was very happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.