Popular Post kscarbel2 Posted November 28, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted November 28, 2016 Big Rigs / November 28, 2016 Stephen Lambert, or Chops to those who know him, bought his first Mack when he was in his mid 20's. Now at 60-years-old, the trusty rig still gets the job done! The factory white 1985 Mack R686RST equipped with a 350 horsepower 4-valve-head "Econodyne" engine was setup for heavy mining work, and Chops says while it's not a light truck, it's still got enough grunt to get up and go. "The 350 horsepower is more than enough to get me into trouble as it is,” he joked. When asked if the truck is still put to work, Chops laughed and replied, "I was driving it until I knocked off half an hour ago!” He originally purchased the truck after working for Mack Trucks many years ago, where he was involved with the delivery of it after it was kitted out. "We spec'd it out for a bloke and after doing a bit of work for him I just got a loan and bought it. "I used to run the mines and used to work out of places like Mount Isa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Isa). "Since then, I've used it to pull a fridge, it's done flat top work, grain, but mostly mining stuff.” In a day and age when many upgrade to a newer, more powerful truck every few years, Chops says he never saw the point. "I suppose I just always stuck with the truck, I've always worked with good companies and never thought I needed another one. "It's done about five and a half million kilometers (3,417,542 miles), but I've never put drivers in it, I've always been the only one." Nowadays, the trucky old Mack does mostly local work, carting imported steel around Melbourne. "I've slowed down to local and country work over the last ten years." Keep on truckin', Chops! . 4 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyT Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Why get rid of a good thing? 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353293 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 6 hours ago, BillyT said: Why get rid of a good thing? BERZACKLY Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353331 Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Already know the answer but I'll ask anyway. You guys down under don't have an issue with road salt, right? 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353350 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Yeah mate, we don't wait for them to rust away we shake them to bits on on our roads instead but to be fair there's not a lot of real rust free R model cabs left that are pre gal cabs out here the one on my bucket of bolts is stuffed Paul Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353415 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel2 Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 Paul, I know Tasmania gets snow. Doesn't it snow as far north as Sydney? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353419 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 It snows all the way up to Queensland on the great divide. I have known it to snow as far north as Mount Perry QLD where the red marker is. Australia has more acres of snow than Switzerland I was taught as a kid, and our snow is very heavy as in half as much again the weight of the northern hemisphere. I'm not sure as to why. Now it's been many years since I went to school and I doubt they teach any kids these things today. But I don't think we use salt on any roads here. I may have that wrong. It snowed for a few days each year on the farm I grew up on in SW Victoria, nothing like in the US or Europe but it was snow and to us kids it was good fun while it lasted. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353501 Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 thats just right to play in 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353510 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 Great story. Good to see him working it still. What a difference it makes having no drivers through a truck. The blue mountains just west of steak and kidney (Sydney) will occasionally get snow. Makes news usually if it does. I've been watching hwy through hell and ice road trucks and yeah, I'll leave that cold stuff to you guys! 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47809-chops-and-trusty-old-mack-keep-on-truckin/#findComment-353526 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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