Sometimes you need to drive long ways to see a Mack truck

[mrsmackpaul]

The sand dunes and driving in sand is a different experience if your not used to it 

This is a great adventure your having Vlad

Thanks for taking us along with you

 

 

Paul 

[Vladislav]

On 6/13/2024 at 2:42 PM, mrsmackpaul said:

The sand dunes and driving in sand is a different experience if your not used to it 

This is a great adventure your having Vlad

Thanks for taking us along with you

 

 

Paul 

Thank you Paul! 

During the years it happened for me to drive in different circumstances. But that was interesting experience definitely. 

[Vladislav]

Came to Tehran for one day. You definitely need much longer time to look well a capital of a country. But I was short on time and it started getting hot overall. So the initial idea was to not enter Tehran at all and keep it for future. On the other hand my way was right near the city so I figured I'd make some basic check out. Describing by words traffic jam was nasty and temp was hot in the afternoon. I could survive though. Found a hotel with a help of a honest local motorcyclist and cruised a bit of streets in the evening than. 

Visited a TV tower on the next day. It's quite high, nearly 500 meters. But built not long ago, just in the recent years. Honestly the look of the city impressed me. Last time I saw a similar scenary was from a plane when it was gliding above Long Island prepping to land in JFK. 

[Vladislav]

Saw a few Mack trucks down my ways. 

That poor blue single axle Kaveh R probably survived only because of the crane unit. I saw it parked in a small street in a small city I came into by mistake when was looking for a hotel. 

[70mackMB]

Vlad! Who took the pictures from the TV tower?! You didn't go to the top of it?! OH Boy!    .....Hippy

[Vladislav]

16 hours ago, 70mackMB said:

Vlad! Who took the pictures from the TV tower?! You didn't go to the top of it?! OH Boy!    .....Hippy

Yup, the pics were made by myself. I sure had some doubts on the entertainment but mostly when I was already in elevator. It had one wall made of glass and you could see the higth through those windows in the side of the tower. But it was too late to get off😀 

Also Iranians seemed producing good quality concrete to withstand earthshakes. And the tower was build just 10 or so years ago. So I hoped it's steady enough to not collapse when I was up there. 

[Vladislav]

Came to Tabriz the 2nd time and met a very nice B-model tractor parked in a street. Had a bit of talk with the driver. He said the truck was made in 1966 and has been mostly original. It had a single frame made of very thick metal which seemed in perfect condition. I could wipe dust off the VIN number and the truck was B-53 not B-61. 

While making photo's a F-model drove by so I could catch up two Macks in one pic. 

[Vladislav]

Finally could see a so-called Mack Jungee (Mack War if translated verbatim) parked in the same street on the next day. Still can't figure out the matter of this model. Looks like some kind of a L-model assembled in Iran but more like WW2 time NR with different engine and a cab built locally. So far the 2nd option seems clother to the truth. Unfortunately I couldn't access the vin stamping on the frame since the wheel arch was too tight and too dirty. 

[mrsmackpaul]

Last one looks very much like a NR Mack based truck

The B 53 looks very sexy

We'res the Vin number on these, if it was in Australia it is stamped on the chassis RHS behind the first drive axle

 

 

Paul

[Vladislav]

8 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

Last one looks very much like a NR Mack based truck

The B 53 looks very sexy

We'res the Vin number on these, if it was in Australia it is stamped on the chassis RHS behind the first drive axle

 

 

Paul

From what I saw it also looked that way to me. From the underneath you could see a few very distinguishing parts if you know NR chassis well enough to relate to. Of remarkable points all NR's had riveted frames and these trucks have bolts. Also newer engines, something like END or ENDT-673 and newer 2 stick trannies (TRD-720?). And those industrial style radiators with shutters. You can see many photos of these trucks on the net and I could catch up a few (4 or 5 but mostly saw from a distance) and all were equipped generally similar. So I'm sure the engines, trannies, radiators and some other items were imported from the States in lots. Doesn't look like just single trucks rebuilt in a shop. This way my current guess is some facility in Iran renovated WW2 NR's using new components imported from the US and locally built cabs. And that was done in series. 

[Brocky]

Vlad, Again a BIG Thank You!!!! I have been offsite for most 2 weeks going to both the York and Macungie shows.. I really appreciate the pictures of the various buildings  and their architecture.. Places which I would never see in person.

[Vladislav]

2 hours ago, Brocky said:

Vlad, Again a BIG Thank You!!!! I have been offsite for most 2 weeks going to both the York and Macungie shows.. I really appreciate the pictures of the various buildings  and their architecture.. Places which I would never see in person.

You are welcome Brocky! 

That's really good you could attend both the shows. I kept in mind Macungie in this time frame but thought York would take place later. Recently I'm generally also off the site excepting this thread, just not able to pay attention to everything I would like to. 

Sorry to hear arthritis bothers you. Hope you can feel Ok splitting your activity and spend some time for relaxation. 

[Vladislav]

A few more trucks I saw in Tabriz and its neighbourhoods. 

Some Kaveh R-models were made with hoods produced in Iran which had scripts Iran-Kaveh in place of Mack letters. Some dog mascots also looked made locally. 

Saw an old IH by ocassion. 

[Vladislav]

Walked to Tabriz rail road station being interested to see what Iranians use for rail transportation. But couldn't go to the tracks since the station was organized the way it's done for airports. You're able to go to a train only when it's arrived. 

So only remarkable items were an old steam loc in a square nearby and a RD dump truck someone got parked in a few hundred meters further down the street. 

[harrybarbon]

17 hours ago, Vladislav said:

A few more trucks I saw in Tabriz and its neighbourhoods. 

Some Kaveh R-models were made with hoods produced in Iran which had scripts Iran-Kaveh in place of Mack letters. Some dog mascots also looked made locally. 

Saw an old IH by ocassion. 

Vlad are all those parked Macks working trucks? given the age of all those Macks, Inters and Mercedes Benz it is a credit to the owners and operators that they keep them running. Not pretty trucks but still earning money.

[harrybarbon]

17 hours ago, Vladislav said:

Walked to Tabriz rail road station being interested to see what Iranians use for rail transportation. But couldn't go to the tracks since the station was organized the way it's done for airports. You're able to go to a train only when it's arrived. 

So only remarkable items were an old steam loc in a square nearby and a RD dump truck someone got parked in a few hundred meters further down the street. 

This late R model is interesting, it is after the US sanctions on Iran, so how did a late 1980's or early 1990's Mack find its way into Iran?

[Vladislav]

6 hours ago, harrybarbon said:

Vlad are all those parked Macks working trucks? given the age of all those Macks, Inters and Mercedes Benz it is a credit to the owners and operators that they keep them running. Not pretty trucks but still earning money.

Yes, all those were working trucks. Those parked in a raw were in a closed yard nearby a work shop. I asked to look over and was invited to but also took a tea and later shared a mill. As I figured some trucks were waiting repair and the rest were just not in work at the moment.

[Vladislav]

6 hours ago, harrybarbon said:

This late R model is interesting, it is after the US sanctions on Iran, so how did a late 1980's or early 1990's Mack find its way into Iran?

That's an interesting question I learned answers partially so far. Read somewhere, too possibly on BMT, that after the US put sanctions Canada hasn't done that for 8 or 10 more years. And that was the way. Than later Iranians bought plenty (the majority?) of used Macks in Europe. Mostly from Netherlands and also Germany, France, Belgium. Than also as it looked to me and some other persons Iranians scratched up all Macks from Turkey. That isn't known for sure yet but Turkishes had qute many Macks in 80's and early 90's and now (and 14 years ago when I cruised Turkey extensively) there were no Mack trucks overthere. 

So seems Iranians used multiple ways purchasing trucks and had some luck with that. Aside of these early 90's RD relatively many MH's can be see in the country and also a few CH's. I saw 3 or 4 but wasn't able to make a pic of. Also guys in the shop told me there were some with a V8 what means CL not CH. 

[Vladislav]

Catched whole two Jungee cement tank trucks at the last days of my travel in Iran. And saw a tractor with a cement semi-trailer which seemed as Hayward built RS600. But it was driving down the highway and I only passed over it than stopped on a shoulder and made a shot. 

[harrybarbon]

On 6/19/2024 at 6:22 AM, Vladislav said:

Catched whole two Jungee cement tank trucks at the last days of my travel in Iran. And saw a tractor with a cement semi-trailer which seemed as Hayward built RS600. But it was driving down the highway and I only passed over it than stopped on a shoulder and made a shot. 

I dont think these Macks would pass roadworthy tests here in Australia 🤔 What about the USA or Canada, would they pass? 🤣

[Vladislav]

On 6/22/2024 at 5:51 PM, harrybarbon said:

I dont think these Macks would pass roadworthy tests here in Australia 🤔 What about the USA or Canada, would they pass? 🤣

With the condition of tyres those trucks rode on they wouldn't pass roadworthy inspection in Russia too. 

But I guess if the frames and axles are Ok, lights operational and good wheels they would have chances to get allowed to works officially. 

[Vladislav]

Took my back way over Armenia from Iran. The road was 90% serpantine with many many really tight turns and steep elevations and declines. But very scenaric for the most of its part. 

[Vladislav]

Saw many old Soviet trucks working there. Same styles may be found in Russia too. But getting scarce nowadays. 

[Vladislav]

Passed along the lake of Sevan. Looked at a very old Christian chirch built of stones. 

[Mark T]

2 hours ago, Vladislav said:

With the condition of tyres those trucks rode on they wouldn't pass roadworthy inspection in Russia too. 

But I guess if the frames and axles are Ok, lights operational and good wheels they would have chances to get allowed to works officially. 

Looks like the frame is cracked