Kav Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 There is a new book just released about the LEADER trucks which were built in Australia during the 70's and 80's. Most of them had a fibreglass cab very similar to the Mack F and FR model day cab. Very strong rumours are that the first Leader was built in the Mack workshop beside the Mack Factory at Brisbane. The book also covers the early days of Mack Trucks in Australia with a lot of great pictures of the early trucks. Check the website below for a preview. Best regards to everybody - Kav from Oz.www.blueflyer.com.au/leader_trucks.htm Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
B43kid Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 There is a new book just released about the LEADER trucks which were built in Australia during the 70's and 80's. Most of them had a fibreglass cab very similar to the Mack F and FR model day cab. Very strong rumours are that the first Leader was built in the Mack workshop beside the Mack Factory at Brisbane. The book also covers the early days of Mack Trucks in Australia with a lot of great pictures of the early trucks. Check the website below for a preview. Best regards to everybody - Kav from Oz.www.blueflyer.com.au/leader_trucks.htmI agree with you, that story is a MUST READ for Aussies !!!!You are correct, Cyril Anderson was sharp enough to see the diesel age coming in the very early fifties. (As a kid in 1956 I hung out in a yard with four B43's that came from Toowoomba assembly) He put knock-down kit B models together originally at Toowoomba and then down in Brisbane. The Leader truck came out of Cyril's inability to get Mack to agree to produce a "mid range" truck for Aussie conditions and he was losing sales to lighter rigs in the construction and earth-moving arenas. Paradoxically he ended up also building those great big WB (Wde bonnet) models to go up above 130 tonnes.As I understand it, you are correct, the first Leader was mostly put together in the Brissie factory but was finished off at Toowoomba. The cab was originally a phantom of the F model cab with a bit deeper space. Again it was Cyril's original resistance to fibreglass that shows his flexible mindset when he decided to beat the Fraser Island "rust bug" by going plastic. I believe he went to Melbourne for the early cabs and had some kind of proprietorship over them. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-27007 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackboy Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 hey guys i have the book and its a great book to reed and give some history about leader and mack in australie it fits in every collection greetings rene Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-27230 Share on other sites More sharing options...
huppypuppy Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I agree with you, that story is a MUST READ for Aussies !!!!You are correct, Cyril Anderson was sharp enough to see the diesel age coming in the very early fifties. (As a kid in 1956 I hung out in a yard with four B43's that came from Toowoomba assembly) He put knock-down kit B models together originally at Toowoomba and then down in Brisbane. The Leader truck came out of Cyril's inability to get Mack to agree to produce a "mid range" truck for Aussie conditions and he was losing sales to lighter rigs in the construction and earth-moving arenas. Paradoxically he ended up also building those great big WB (Wde bonnet) models to go up above 130 tonnes.As I understand it, you are correct, the first Leader was mostly put together in the Brissie factory but was finished off at Toowoomba. The cab was originally a phantom of the F model cab with a bit deeper space. Again it was Cyril's original resistance to fibreglass that shows his flexible mindset when he decided to beat the Fraser Island "rust bug" by going plastic. I believe he went to Melbourne for the early cabs and had some kind of proprietorship over them.ThermodyneHuey,G'Day from Dubbo - I haven't been on in some time so I am catching up!You are correct regarding the cabs from Melbourne - the company Cyril approached was Reinforced Plastics, the same company who did the cabs for the International-based Atkinsons! There is a photo of a RP cabbed Atki in the book!I wonder if RP is still in business???? Thanks be to Google for the ability to find out!Joe Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-32301 Share on other sites More sharing options...
B43kid Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 ThermodyneHuey,G'Day from Dubbo - I haven't been on in some time so I am catching up!You are correct regarding the cabs from Melbourne - the company Cyril approached was Reinforced Plastics, the same company who did the cabs for the International-based Atkinsons! There is a photo of a RP cabbed Atki in the book!I wonder if RP is still in business???? Thanks be to Google for the ability to find out!Joe Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-65261 Share on other sites More sharing options...
B43kid Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Hi Joe,Have moved out to Watta near Cowra. Pity to be the one to miss the Dubbo truck show. I hope to catch up when I get back from contract in ACT end or 2010.Been looking for an 8x4 and am offered a MIR-MSR600 but don't know much about them, hopefully somebody can shed some light on their spec.regards, Huey Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-65262 Share on other sites More sharing options...
huppypuppy Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Hi Joe,Have moved out to Watta near Cowra. Pity to be the one to miss the Dubbo truck show. I hope to catch up when I get back from contract in ACT end or 2010.Been looking for an 8x4 and am offered a MIR-MSR600 but don't know much about them, hopefully somebody can shed some light on their spec.regards, HueyHuey,The only Mack MIR I've ever seent was a MIR785RST - 285hp Maxidyne diesel engine and a twin stick 6 speed gearbox!Joe Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-65319 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffbyrne Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Huey, The only MXX600 was an MBR600, it had a cab similar to a White Compact. The other M's were 700's, the MIR700, this truck used the Brockway low-forward entry cab and the MIR700 which was the most plentiful model, it was the cab with the large windscreens and optional large sliding door windows. Unless you know the model # e.g. MIR785RS or MCR786RST or whatever. Joe an MIR785 would originally be a 237, an MIR786 would be a 285.Uncertain about an MSR600, dont know of this model, it could a Renault model. Hope this info helps Regards Jeff Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-65348 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffbyrne Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Huey, a typo error, the most plentiful was the MCR700, Regards Jeff Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/2405-book-on-leader-and-history-of-mack-in-australia/#findComment-65468 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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