cruiseliners

[james j neiweem]

The Cruiseliner was the replacement for the F-Model. F-Models were all over the place. It seemed that the cruiseliners had good initial sales but then dropped off like a rock. Initial orders for west coast fleets PIE IML ONC etc. seemed to be pretty good but they never gained traction like KW, Pete and Freightliner.

The Last version before the MH seemed to be a good looking vehicle. What were the problems with the cruiseliners. There still is a fleet of nice black ones out in Wisconsin.

[jakebrake86]

I've never owned one, but drove a couple. The most recurring problem I've seen and heard about was the self-destructing dashboard. Every one I've looked at or driven, the dash was just before falling off in your lap.

[Superdog]

Actually,the Cruiseliner only replaced the Western FL/FS,they kept making eastern built F models right up till '81 when they moved production of the Cruiseliner to Macungie.

We had 4 Cruiseliners 3 '78's and a '80, 300 with 5 speeds,one had a 6 speed.I put alot of miles in them in my "driving school" days.The were good trucks,drove good,rode decent for a cabover,kinda drafty in the winter(needed more insulation in the front and better heaters,but what cabover of the ime didn't).I remember the biggest thing was the shifter set up ,the set screws in the "gear box" on the shift tower would work loose and they'd get sloopy shifting if you didn't stay on top of it,grille screws would rattle out,occassional rivet would pop out,plastic dog house cover would crack in the older ones,dash would fall apart in the last ones.Headliner would crack.Alot of these things could be cured by adding a air ride cab,which few did.

[Superdog]

This is our first Cruiseliner and the first Mack I ever drove.Dad got it new in Dec.1977.

These are the Cruiseliners I have today.

'83 WS747LST,Big Cam 3 Formula 300 Cummins,9 speed

'79 WS786LST,300,5 speed

'75 WS786LST,300,5 speed

[Timothy Maikshilo]

Fullfuel01 has one with a KTA Cummins. I haven't heard it run but I bet in it's day that was one hell of a truck.

Mike, do you still have the first truck you drove?

[57 bcr]

That '76 looks like an Adams Transit truck,Did you get it right from Del,Mike?

[2stacksuperdog]

Looks like the newer ones had the same style grill as the superliner somewhat

[Superdog]

That '76 looks like an Adams Transit truck,Did you get it right from Del,Mike?

Yes it was one of Del's,no I didn't get it from him.Larry Gwinn from Brooklyn,IA had it for around 17 years,he traded it at F&W Mack in Cedar Rapids,then a farmer bought it,he traded it at H&L Mack for an old Nelson MH613,I bought it from H&L for $500,pull started it and drove it home.

[Superdog]

Fullfuel01 has one with a KTA Cummins. I haven't heard it run but I bet in it's day that was one hell of a truck.

Mike, do you still have the first truck you drove?

No,Grandpa sold it on a Taylor&Martin auction in Peoria,IL in the late '80's and I lost track of it. VIN was WL786LST38709 if anybody runs across it.

[57 bcr]

Yes it was one of Del's,no I didn't get it from him.Larry Gwinn from Brooklyn,IA had it for around 17 years,he traded it at F&W Mack in Cedar Rapids,then a farmer bought it,he traded it at H&L Mack for an old Nelson MH613,I bought it from H&L for $500,pull started it and drove it home.

[mackdaddy]

Here is a KT that I sold a few years ago. Pulling the Siskyou Mtns with a full load it sounded like a freight train. Check out the huge mufflers on it. I was told that many a times when tilting the cab for service the front windshields would fall out!!! Ken Self former CEO of Freightliner told me that Zenon Hanson bought a new Freightliner and had his shop tear it down and instructed them to build a better lightweight COE than the Freightliner and the Cruiseliner is what they came up with.

[Lmackattack]

Are they all aluminum cab? And who built them..

[Superdog]

the roof ,around the windshield and headlight buckets were fiberglass,everything else was aluminum.

[Green Dash]

These all appear to have the filler panels around the headlights. Did Mack eventually redesign the sheet metal to eliminate the need for the fillers?

[PeterMack]

Here is one that was at the Big Iron Classic in Kasson MN 2011. It is used as a pulling truck and pretty sure

it had a V8 in it. Didn't get to spend a lot of time by it but it ran good. Looked like a coal locomotive runnin down the track.

[PeterMack]

This one was part of the Stork fleet momentarily (correct me if I'm wrong Brad) and I think was sold as a unit to

a guy in Wisconsin if memory serves me right. I liked the simple instructions on the back.

[PeterMack]

The Cruiseliner was the replacement for the F-Model. F-Models were all over the place. It seemed that the cruiseliners had good initial sales but then dropped off like a rock. Initial orders for west coast fleets PIE IML ONC etc. seemed to be pretty good but they never gained traction like KW, Pete and Freightliner. The Last version before the MH seemed to be a good looking vehicle. What were the problems with the cruiseliners. There still is a fleet of nice black ones out in Wisconsin.

I believe these are the trucks you speak of. Brian Schwind Trucking from Sheboygan WI. I used to deliver up to Sheboygan and Kohler WI

and I would always see a nice looking black Cruiseliner running around and I thought it was neat that somebody was still running one, but

little did I know that there are about 15 still rolling and was very cool to see them all roll into the Waupun Truck n Show.

[storkmack]

This one was part of the Stork fleet momentarily (correct me if I'm wrong Brad) and I think was sold as a unit to

a guy in Wisconsin if memory serves me right. I liked the simple instructions on the back.

Yes, I bought it from a farmer about 30 miles south of Fort Wayne IN. 350 Cummins, Fuller 10 sp, and some kind of generic rears riding on rayco spring. A real mutt. Drove it the 5 hours home with no problems. I had not been in a Cruiseliner since the one my Dad had when I was about 7-8 years old. All I remember about that one was the old man cussing it. -Brad

[Superdog]

Yes, I bought it from a farmer about 30 miles south of Fort Wayne IN. 350 Cummins, Fuller 10 sp, and some kind of generic rears riding on rayco spring. A real mutt. Drove it the 5 hours home with no problems. I had not been in a Cruiseliner since the one my Dad had when I was about 7-8 years old. All I remember about that one was the old man cussing it. -Brad

Looks like it was a nice truck,somebody put the grille in upside down,though.Saw a new one get delivered that way once.

[Superdog]

I believe these are the trucks you speak of. Brian Schwind Trucking from Sheboygan WI. I used to deliver up to Sheboygan and Kohler WI

and I would always see a nice looking black Cruiseliner running around and I thought it was neat that somebody was still running one, but

little did I know that there are about 15 still rolling and was very cool to see them all roll into the Waupun Truck n Show.

I heard these guys had a brand new Cruiseliner glider kit still unbuilt,this was a few years ago,they might have built it by now.A neighbor's Cruiseliner was supposed to have ended up in their fleet but never could confirm it,it was a '78 WS712LST stretched out to about 210" w.b.

[other dog]

I was just about to post some Cruiseliner pictures I saw on facebook when I saw this thread. I never drove a Cruiseliner myself, but I never really liked their looks as much as I did the F models, MH's, and even H models. But I have to admit, these are sharp!

[farmer52]

I was just about to post some Cruiseliner pictures I saw on facebook when I saw this thread. I never drove a Cruiseliner myself, but I never really liked their looks as much as I did the F models, MH's, and even H models. But I have to admit, these are sharp!

Cl734358.jpgcL13095.jpg

Sl13109.jpg

Dang...out of likes but I do like these.

[j hancock]

The middle picture showing the one owned by George Tackaberry has insane miles on it.

Last time I knew it was still under 1,000 original miles.

Just crazy!

[felicello122]

Here is a KT that I sold a few years ago. Pulling the Siskyou Mtns with a full load it sounded like a freight train. Check out the huge mufflers on it. I was told that many a times when tilting the cab for service the front windshields would fall out!!! Ken Self former CEO of Freightliner told me that Zenon Hanson bought a new Freightliner and had his shop tear it down and instructed them to build a better lightweight COE than the Freightliner and the Cruiseliner is what they came up with.

what size KT and what kind of loads where you pulling?

/

[Lmackattack]

I like the ones with the older grill and red center emblem...