1953 85 LS manuals

[Loadstar]

Hi, looking for manuals for the new truck. I already contacted the museum.....and as someone already stated they are a least 2 months behind. I'm Curious what they will send when their caught up? If anyone knows of a source that would be great......Thanks

[aspeltz]

I just received mine yesterday. It took 9 1/2 weeks. You should get a letter stating your trucks serial number and which FD it was delivered to and when. Besides the manual you should get 3 or 4 black and white photos of the truck right before it left the plant. The manual typically won't be exact for your truck but is a compilation of manuals pieced together as accurate as available for your truck. It should cover all major components of the truck. Also, it will list what fire equipment was speced with the truck which is very useful. I don't know of any other sources for manuals.

[Loadstar]

Thanks.......Aspeltz, how are you making out with your new truck?

[609albert]

some will also get the build spec's, small blue print (copy) ,dealer info, orginal owners , good luck with your mack.

[fxfymn]

Look for a "Motors" truck manual that covers the year your truck was made. Most of it is generic, but there will be a section on Macks that will cover some of the components.

There are also some specific manuals available that cover topics such as brakes, electrical systems, etc. that are intended for use on all heavy trucks.

You should get a pump operation manual from the museum as well.

Did you get it home yet?

[aspeltz]

_Loadstar,

_{Still not quite roadworthy. I'm sure it will be a continual work in progress. I did find out that Brockton PA was not the original owner. It was originally delivered to Emmaus PA, only 5 miles from Allentown via Long Island. Some day I'd like to letter it to the original Emmaus markings.}

[Loadstar]

No its not home yet.....Mack mhe9 is picking it up next tuesday.....it will be a long week of waiting!! Aspeltz....best of luck with your truck. Thanks for the advice on the manuals......I'll have to watch eBay

[Loadstar]

Got the information packet from the Mack Museum today.....Very impressed!!! They sent all kinds of stuff....from manuals for each componet on the truck....Sales brochures....Pictures from the factory of not only my truck but of similar ones as well.....Blue prints....pump information...Amazing that a company would still have that information on file and not blow you off when you ask for it....If anyone reads this from the museum....Thanks....I'll be sending a donation next week.....Also a question for you fire truck guys...i noticed in the factory pictures a few things missing on the truck that i assume would have been factory....like chrome strips on front bumper....the post mounted red light....some gold leaf is missing here and there....rear scene lights.....are these things each department added once they got the truck or were the pictures taken before the truck was completely finished?

[yarnall]

Those pictures should be when the truck was complete. They were custom built. If you look at the build sheet you will get some of your answers. It will say "OMIT" on some things and will special notes at the bottom of some pages and on the last page for unusual options. You may even have some change orders. On the bottom of my 85LS build sheet it says in big letters, "THIS TRUCK WILL BE PAINTED YELLOW". It also has a note to gold leaf like another truck and lists the serial number. It was supposed to come with a chrome bumper then was changed to the steel bumper with the chrome strips. I am not sure if the chrome bumper was unavailable or they were trying to save money.

Great pictures.

Mike

[fxfymn]

I don't see the bumper strips on the delivery picture???

The hose bed lights may have been shipped loose, or not ordered so it would fit into the fire house. Same for the red light.

[609albert]

louie : some off the equipment might have been mounted at the firehouse as to where the officers wanted 'loose' items mounted, also some of the gold leaf was applied right at the firehouse also. I went to the mack truckoctober truck fest at the mack museum in allentown pa. it was really a good time their was about 10 mack pumpers their and at least 100 mack tractors. I understand it will be an annual event, hope to take our LS85 next year.

[Loadstar]

You guys are right on as far as some items being shipped loose, The build sheets actually state that all running board items be shipped not mounted.....as far as the chrome strips on the front bumper....who knows.... i would guess that mack put them on sometime after the picture was taken.....Al, I did see some pictures from the Mack Show......some good Looking trucks......would be cool to check it out next year if they have it. Also watched the video of the "Parade".....Saw Fyfxmn and Fwd's Trucks.....Both looked really nice!!! Though i would have seen some yellow ones......Mike???

[yarnall]

I didn't take any yellow trucks. I still haven't gotten the ls running since Macungie and the 405a has brake problems and the rectifier is sparking. We hauled up the ac pumper that was the forth truck in the parade. Leversole drove my cf719f. I drove the b70 that says Blue Arrow on the door. Tom Smith drove the F715 that I bought of him and "39 baby Mack" and my father drove his green Superliner the says Reinert on the door. I asked Don Schumaker if he wanted.us to bring all of our Macks. He said maybe next year. I was a great time.

As for the pictures: I think that is the way your truck was shipped. I am no expert though.

Mike

[Loadstar]

Mike, Wow....went back to the video to check them out....all nice looking trucks....you've certainly got your hands full.......I image you and your family probably had the most trucks there.....by the way, curious what the horseshoe is made out of?

[fxfymn]

Louie,

The chrome bumper strips were optional. If they are on the truck now my bet is a collector added them to boost the appearance; the gold leaf may have been added as well.

Have you visited Kittery yet to see if they have any in-service pictures? They will probably have pictures of the original fire house it went to at the least and they may be able to hook you up with an old timer that remembers the truck. Being on the job has it's perks when it comes to getting info from other departments.

Carl

[Loadstar]

Carl, I actually contacted the current Chief awhile back....he was very excited....said he would dig around a little and see what he could find. He also mentioned that the truck was still in service well into the eighties....and that he remembers driving and pumping with the truck. He knew all about the truck and I'm sure he'll be a great source of information.....I would like to bring it back up there someday......would be pretty cool for it to be "home".....Thanks

[fxfymn]

At least for me half the fun is digging up the history of the trucks. I create a photo album for all of the trucks and I really try to locate as many photos of the rig when it was in service as I can. Even if you don't bring the truck it would be worth the trip to go see what you can find. Besides, southern Maine is a cool place to visit.

[yarnall]

Mike, Wow....went back to the video to check them out....all nice looking trucks....you've certainly got your hands full.......I image you and your family probably had the most trucks there.....by the way, curious what the horseshoe is made out of?

Thanks. We might have had the most trucks there, but there were a bunch of people there with bigger collections than us. We just live close enough to drive them.

The horse shoe is made of aluminum and it is pretty heavy. I was told one was stolen off a truck in a parking lot once.

Sounds like our truck is coming along well. I hope to see it at Macungie next year.

Mike

[paulromano]

A common practice of some Mack dealers was to not spec factory items like beacon rays or the small warning lights on the rear stanchions or spotlights. These would be installed by the dealer who would make more money on them than if they were specified from the factory. It was very common for the dealers to have their own gold leaf specialist that would do all of the gold leaf striping and lettering. The factory pricing generally allowed for "X" number of gold leaf letters or numbers, the dealer would add much of the striping later on. On Macks, it was very common for the rear tail/brake lights to be replaced by larger units after the vehicle had been in service for a while. Many 50's Macks were delivered with a Mars light at the top of the windshield, a lot of which were replaced by Federal Beacons which were just becoming popular in the 50's.

I have some old Mack dealer pricing books for fire apparatus and the factory did not give the dealers much of a break on the cost of certain "add-ons" which prompted a number of dealers to add it themselves.

Some fire companies discouraged this practice by specifying that all options were to be installed by the factory. Over the years the manufacturers have actively discouraged this practice citing safety and design problems if things were not done at the factory plus warranty was always an issue.

[Loadstar]

Thanks Paul, great information..... Maybe I can find an early picture of the truck in service

[fxfymn]

Paul,

I'm curious; was this the case when the factory branch system was used by Mack? Wouldn't a rig of this era have come through a factory branch? Probably Portland, ME, Portsmouth, NH or even Boston.

Also I sent you a PM.

Carl