Newbie wants Mack to haul hay.

[rogersmithiii]

Sorry if this seems stupid, but I don't know much about any of this.

I have a small farm, and need to haul hay from the supplier's barn to my place. I always wanted to own a Mack B series, and thought it might be cool to put a flatbed on one (about the size of a 26 foot box truck) for this kind of service.

Since I don't have the shop to restore one, I thought it might be better to find something newer that has some life, would be reliable, and would do this kind of work. I've never driven a truck before.

1. Any advice on what models I should consider? How old or how many miles would still have a lot of life in her?

2. Do you need a CDL to drive one of these if you're not using it for business?

Does this make sense, or am I barking up the wrong tree? Would it be bad to have one sitting around for most of the time, only being driven once a quarter?

Thanks

Rog

[Superdog]

You'd most likely want a diesel,as the gas engines are hard to find parts for,and more likely to cause problems if not ran much.Most popular would be the B-61.Miles and age don't mean much on the old 673 engines,it's how they were maintained that counts. Depending on your state regs,you probably wouldn't need a CDL,farmers here in Iowa don't need one for their own truck hauling their own crops.

[David]

The B61 is a good choice and most plentiful. You may have a hard time finding a long straight job. Tractors are much easier to find. You could start with a tractor and small trailer. Then lengthen it and install a flat.

[Timothy Maikshilo]

It would be easier to find an old R model with a long frame. Lot of old trash trucks out there and here in VT. Farm truck needs to be insured and inspectable but you don't need to register it or need a CDL.