Popular Post sodly Posted October 6, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted October 6, 2015 A few years ago, back in 2008, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase an all-original 1979 Superliner with 15,000 original miles from a local rural VFD. The fire dept bought the truck new locally and I had seen it around for years and years. Like most front-line fire equipment, it lived in a heated building all its life and was serviced regularly. I grew up riding in a first-generation Superliner as a kid in the early 80s so, needless to say, this truck pulled at my heart strings HARD! Long story short... after much personal deliberation I ended up passing on the truck. I just didn't have a place to store such a big a toy (not that I didn't want it badly). I have never seen a cleaner, more original, unmolested, time-warp first generation Superliner... well, not since about 1983 anyway. It's too bad that I didn't have a realistic reason to buy it or a place to store it. I just didn't pan out at that time. Anyway, I think it was a pretty rare truck so I thought I'd share some pics I took at that time here with others who might appreciate it like i did (and still do). I believe the truck had a 300 Maxidyne with a 5x2 twin stick-- correct me if I'm wrong on that. It's the only time I've seen a factory two-stick setup in a Superliner, which I thought was kinda cool. Note the factory paint everywhere, including on the engine!Sadly, my worst fears came true when I heard that a local farmer ended up buying the truck and promptly began butchering it up to his liking. He took the camelback rears off and put on an air ride suspension and made a corn/grain hauler out of it. As far as I'm concerned what he did was criminal. I later heard that he wasn't happy with the power so he soon sold it again. Not sure where it ended up after that. In my opinion it probably should've gone to the Mack museum in the first place. There can't be too many original Superliners like this in existence unless they, too, were pampered fire trucks. Has anyone seen one this nice and original in recent years? I haven't. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I remember that truck being for sale on Truck Paper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 285 Mike? with a 2 stick 6 speed?? never seen a 285 that color tho.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 285 Mike? with a 2 stick 6 speed?? never seen a 285 that color tho....That was the color they 1st used after they had to quit painting the Maxidyne engines gold 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outbehindthebarn Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Now I know my seats are original..... Quote Fun is what they fine you for!My name is Bob Buckman sir,. . . and I hate truckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakebrake86 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 That's amazing... Just for curiosity's sake, how much were they asking for it back then? Quote Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodly Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share Posted October 6, 2015 That's amazing... Just for curiosity's sake, how much were they asking for it back then? As I recall it sold for about $20,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I looked at this truck when the farmer had it for sale. He didn't butcher it up. He took a cutoff from a newer vision and installed the rears and air ride. Did a very nice job too. It was kept in a heated shop and he had all original parts. A buddy and I drove 400 miles to look at this truck and I ended up not buying it because it was to nice. It had 24,000 miles on it at that point. I couldn't justify using it and driving it in Minnesota. I noticed the engine color too and thought it was different. I was told it ended up in a personal collection. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 my cool power truck motor is the same colour as that it is the only one I have seen that colour I'll take a picture tomorrow under the orange is yellow dunno what all that means But that is one clean looking Superliner Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 It's certainly a beautiful truck. Sad to hear what happened to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosejockey Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Looks like it had Reyco suspension, not camelback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodly Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share Posted October 6, 2015 Looks like it had Reyco suspension, not camelback. Derp! Yeah. Been so long I forgot. Definitely Reyco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2stacksuperdog Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Theres a Fire Dept in CT with a superliner. V8 with a 9 speed i belive. Has 15000 miles on it if i remember right 2 Quote Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodly Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 Is it a first gen? I would love to see that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2stacksuperdog Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 89 I think 1 Quote Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Good luck finding anyone on a fire department in 2015 who would know how to shift that. As such, everything these days has a slushbox. Sure is/was a beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief doug Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 hey, there's a few of us out there, and our kids 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41chevy Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Bunch of small departments on Long Island still running about fifty pieces of apparatus from the 50's to early 70's MACKS. East Norwich F.D. is one of who still uses as a back up pumper a 1952 with two sticks. 1 Quote "OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK" Thomas Edison “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” P.T.CHESHIRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dds92780 Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Does this truck have carpet? How many of these came with brown accent trim? Quote Slow and Steady Wins the Race! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodly Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 Yes it has black carpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 ok got a picture of my orange coolpower dunno what all this colour stuff means all numbers and what have you dunno what they all mean al I know is it is 320 coolpower I believe it's a Thermodyne but pulls right down to 1100 or 1200 not a problem I have been told in Australia some of the 320's were tuned if that is the correct word to have the torque curve of a maxidyne dunno how true this is maybe someone else knowsIts the only orange one I have seen I have seen Gold motors grey motors black ones and green ones so I dunno and I dunno what the yellow is under the orange the transmission is orange as well but has no yellow All the numbers are original to the truck so who knows Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 real 300+ motors were that orange red color in the states from the factory and were ETAZ673's. after that who knows what was done and what was tuned. I have a 300+ that has orange heads and pan and everything on top and says ETaZ673 on the tag but the block is gray and is stamped ENDTB675..... so who knows whats what anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 I wonder what the B means as in ETAZB673Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 I think B means engine brake. Got my info from this page, so if I'm wrong I'm not really wrong!http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1286326467 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 thanks fellas still learning every dayPaul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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