Johnny_B Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Hey folks, Tonight was the night! The title has been transferred to my name and I am officially the owner of a 1958 B-61. I'm still trying to learn about this truck. I've wanted a "B" ever since I was a kid and finally it has happened. I've attached pictures of her. Hopefully it will become everything I have hoped for! Not quite ready to start working on her but I couldn't let one slip through my fingers, especially this close to the house. I'm open to any input. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Welcome! Looks like you have a project now. A B-61 is a diesel powered truck not gasoline. Does the VIN match between the door tag and the number on the right front frame rail? Seeing that it was a tandem rear suspension and also an extended front bumper, was it a cement mixer? Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399808 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryS Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Congratulations on your find. The emblem on the hood is B-61 and as pointed out the engine gas. A little research will tell which has been changed. I like the air bags, means smooth ride when you get her on the road. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399809 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_B Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, j hancock said: Welcome! Looks like you have a project now. A B-61 is a diesel powered truck not gasoline. Does the VIN match between the door tag and the number on the right front frame rail? Seeing that it was a tandem rear suspension and also an extended front bumper, was it a cement mixer? I was told it started life as a cement mixer. It is double framed. I need to dig into it more to figure out which gas motor I have. I believe it is the Continental 6 cylinder. It's married to the quadraplex 5x4. Couldn't pass it up for how solid it is. I'd love to switch it back to diesel and as cool as it would be to keep the trans, maybe put an 8LL in it. The suspension on the rear was changed two owners ago and basically left as is by the owner I got it from. He included a newer style front axle to complete the conversion. Edited June 1, 2018 by Johnny_B Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399811 Share on other sites More sharing options...
41chevy Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Contact the Mack Museum with your VIN and a decent donation for the trucks build sheet. It will have a the info on how it was optioned, specs and more. The people there are all volunteers so a nice donation helps a lot. Paul Mack Trucks Historical Museum located at the Mack Customer Center 2402 Lehigh Parkway South Allentown, PA 18103 Telephone: 610-351-8999 Email: mack.museum@macktrucks.com 1 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 https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399822 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_B Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 1 hour ago, 41chevy said: Contact the Mack Museum with your VIN and a decent donation for the trucks build sheet. It will have a the info on how it was optioned, specs and more. The people there are all volunteers so a nice donation helps a lot. Paul Mack Trucks Historical Museum located at the Mack Customer Center 2402 Lehigh Parkway South Allentown, PA 18103 Telephone: 610-351-8999 Email: mack.museum@macktrucks.com Cool, good to know. Is there any way to decode a vin number for these online? Having a hard time finding information. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399825 Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 First B - model Second and third is the engine such as 42, 61, 75 etc. (diesel and gasoline) fourth and fifth chassis style T- tractor, ST - tandem tractor, P straight chassis single axle. SX extreme service tandem plus a bunch more. rest of the numbers would be the sequential build number. (numbers start at 1000) Example B42SX-1501 B model with a 401 flathead gasoline engine tandem extreme service and the 501 built B61ST-11234 B model with 673 diesel engine tandem tractor 10234 built https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/tutorials/article/206-b-model-engine-data/ https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/tutorials/article/208-b-model-production-info/ 1 Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399829 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_B Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 10 minutes ago, j hancock said: First B - model Second and third is the engine such as 42, 61, 75 etc. (diesel and gasoline) fourth and fifth chassis style T- tractor, ST - tandem tractor, P straight chassis single axle. SX extreme service tandem plus a bunch more. rest of the numbers would be the sequential build number. (numbers start at 1000) Example B42SX-1501 B model with a 401 flathead gasoline engine tandem extreme service and the 501 built B61ST-11234 B model with 673 diesel engine tandem tractor 10234 built https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/tutorials/article/206-b-model-engine-data/ https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/tutorials/article/208-b-model-production-info/ Awesome info, thank you. It appears that I do not have a B61 but rather a B-42. VIN reads B42S15224. Regardless, I still love it. I can't wait to get it home. Also, it has the power steering setup that's driven off the rear of the generator. From what I gather, that's a hard to find option? Maybe it'll become a B-61 someday 😉 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-399830 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Hey man welcome aboard and have a ball with it...bobSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-400057 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Don't forget to come to the ATCA Macungie Father's Day Weekend Truck Show!!! You can talk to all of the liars errrr ahhhh I mean guys on here as well as legitimate and reputable folks as well. If the weather is nice, 700+ trucks will show up on Saturday. Us BigMackTruck.com guys do a group mug shot I mean photo at the Watts Mack tent at 12:00pm on the Saturday of the show. You can also do a self-paced walking tour of the Mack Trucks Macungie Assembly Plant as well as the Mack Museum, buses provide transportation free of charge (courtesy of Mack) from the show grounds. Here is a flyer to the show: http://antiquetruckclub.org/forms/2018 Natl Meet Flyer.pdf 1 Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-400059 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidHarding Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Welcome abroad. Nice to have you here. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/53472-newbie/#findComment-403062 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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