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

[Vladislav]

Thanks for all the comments, folks! I don't answer each one personally to save time. Will do for some later since that makes sence. 

[Vladislav]

So... Entered Iran. 

Crossing the border was not anything exceptional with only point I was asked to come there as early as possible to have time enough for arrangement of paperwork with customs due to importing the bike. So I came about 8AM to Turkish side which I passed in 20 minutes and than later it took nearly 2 hours for the customs deal at the Iranian side. I was told it could take a few hours so all in all it turned well. 

The nearest interesting city was Tabriz which seemed as Iranian trucking capital. Or at least that looked that way to me since the most drivers I previousely met in Russia and Georgia were from Tabriz. I needed to drive nearly 300km to it. But figured to correct the initial plan becase the guy who helped with customs also offered to stay at his B&B place in a city of Urmie. The distance to there was almost similar and I had that city on my mind also since it was located near a large salt lake with a dam/bridge crossing it. So I though I would take that offer indeed having the first place with a well English-speaking hoist and also having a chance to meet other travelers there. 

[Vladislav]

Honestly entering the country I was expecting seeing Macks all over the streets from left to right. To my surprize and slight disappointment I saw neither of them for no less than 70-80km. The most of traffic were 90's years European trucks along with modern China marks and a few mastadonts made by Volvo and Scania in 70's and 80's. Also a very common truck is Mercedes-Benz semi-conventional which was produced in 60's in Germany. To my surprize I learned that model is in production in Iran till now! They simplified the cab a little and successfully use 60yo design which can be seen everywhere and do its job. Something to think about a little, right? 

The same story with cars. 50% of them running down the road are French Peugeot 605 which came into production about 1995 year. As I understood Iranians produce it till now with some minimal mods and people buy them and use. Do we really need a new model of a car/truck every 5 or 7 years? I'm not sure on that. 

[Vladislav]

Ok, MB was a good deal but I didn't order all that music for them. 

Finally passed over a heavy tanker pulled by an R-model. Since I was hungry for any Mack I than drove a few km, found a spot where I could take a pic and shot the 1st bird. Not a really artificial road train but it was what it was. 

Driving further I noted an R-model parked in a side street near the main highway. I U-turned, went by, saw the driver tinkering with something under the hood and asked for taking photo's. Also showed him pics of my Macks in the phone and our conversation went fine! 

[Vladislav]

The truck (actually the both of them) was produced by Iran-Kaveh in Tegeran in 1975 (or so). As you can see the cab was of local production, probably the hood too. As I figured the most components of the chassis and drivetrain were made in the US and supplied to Iran. Possibly some engine parts were produced locally too but that matter is not clean to me so far. 

Interesting point the dog maskote was definitely made in Iran. Its shape slightly differes from the American original and where chrome is worn you can see bare brass casting. 

[Vladislav]

Also note heavy rears and 12.00R24 tube tyres. As I found out later, the most every truck in that country rides on that type of tires! 

And when I asked the driver of why so few Macks were seen in the streets the answer was "You should go to Tabriz"😀😀

[Mark T]

Thanks Vlad. You always get pictures of things us guys would want to see if we were actually there.  Most of us never will be, so we'd never see it. I don't know if any of us could show so much diversity in pictures from here.

[DavCut]

Thank you for sharing your adventures with us @Vladislav.  Safe travels!

[Vladislav]

Continue of the story. I came to the B&B the city of Urmie. From the outside the place looked like a fortress with high concrete walls and massive gates. The gates had a portal, both were reachly decorated. With lights making them look fashionly and so on. Hossein met me and let driving inside to park the bike. The inner yard was also well furnished with grass, trees and so on. There was a building inside with a really large living room unified with kitchen, two bed rooms and a bath room. 

My expectations about new friends also found a ground there. That day a rider from Germany arrived to the place. So we took both bed rooms and the owner stayed overnight in the living room. Actually the place was specially organized for guests and is inhabit when none of them are there. 

[Vladislav]

On the next day Hossein's father offered me to walk over the center of the city and bring me there with his car. I accepted the offer since was tired of driving and also had interest seeing the streets. That man spoke English wery well so we spent a whole day walking, talking and eating😀 

The most important part of that city along with all other Iranian cities as I learned later was a so-called Bazzar. Actually an old market located in a historical building and used for its original purpose. The outside of the building was not really artificial since the most you see is small shops facing the street. So more interesting was to look inside, for the most part the ceilling made of bricks as a series of domes with vent holes at the center. And sure almost different goods offered for sale there starting from clothes, foods and furniture and ending a grinder who was sharpening different knifes and other things right inside the building, tracing sparks to the passing by public. 

If anybody ever want to buy a samovar I would tell the offer there bets offer in Russia😀

[Vladislav]

It's also worth mentioning that German person I met there. It was his 2nd visit to Iran, also with a motorbike. And his further plan was to go to Afghanistan. To my really big surprize he stated that that's almost safe there, the Taliban put all the things in order and foreign tourists may feel safe in the country. He supported his statement by an interweb post of some French motorcyclist who rode there just two weeks before the date. On my mind that info requies a triple check but definitely worth interest. 

The general plan of the German  was to pass Afghanistan, than enter Tajikistan (former USSR member), than from there to Kazakhstan (also former USSR), from there to Russia, and from Russia to Poland and back home to Nurnburg, Germany. I keep in contact with him so hope to learn the turn out. 

[Vladislav]

Ok, leaved Urmie on the next day and hit the road to Tebriz. It wasn't far, about 150 km. The road was crossing a salt (or salty?) lake with a similar name as the city so I expected artificial scenaries. But turned out that wasn't of a great look and also weather wasn't pleasant. Really hard wind forcing me to keep dead grip on the steering and short shots of rain a few times. Presence of trucks also didn't suit my taste but some "historical" examples were cruising that highway. 

[Vladislav]

Ups, I was wrong hiding facts of me leaving the city. As soon as I leaved the center and went over the city sorruond Mack trucks sharted showing up. Seeing a quite good looking R-model dumper I stopped by, saw the driver, asked for pics and so on. Turned out a tractor got parked nearby so I was able to make a few good quality pics. 

Worth to mention the dump truck had original American cab so I guess it was imported as a truck, new or used. And the red tractor was definitely an Iran-Kaveh creation. 

[other dog]

Nice pictures Vlad, thank you!

[mowerman]

I got nothing else everybody else did it ha ha thanks for that…. Bob

[Vladislav]

Soo... On the way to Tabriz... 

Once I passed the lake and than crawled over some local mountain pass a couple of cabovers were found out at a lot at the opposit side of the road. Keeping in mind I would never reach my destination if talk to every Mack driver along the way I just made a pic from where I was and continued spinning the wheels. Than I stopped a couple of times more seeing something of familiar to me shape and made more shots. 

Uggh, and that's probably the time to hear first rant of no girl in a car pictures. Sorry, seems this place doesn't work that way🤣

[70mackMB]

4 hours ago, Vladislav said:

Uggh, and that's probably the time to hear first rant of no girl in a car pictures. Sorry, seems this place doesn't work that way🤣

Vlad, lll slip one in here for you before other dog can. lol    .....Hippy

[Vladislav]

5 hours ago, 70mackMB said:

Vlad, lll slip one in here for you before other dog can. lol    .....Hippy

Wow! That's cool, Hippy! 

Now I don't need any excuses😀

[Vladislav]

The 1st day in Tabriz. Actually half a day. These were parked along a transit highway in the city. 

[Vladislav]

Also saw this Buick parked in a street. Than accuired a room in a quite comfortable hotel for quite reasonable cost. 

[DavCut]

Thank you for continuing the story @Vladislav!

Have you heard if all of the orange F Models came from or are currently in the same fleet?  
 

Looking forward to hearing the next chapter in your adventure!

[67RModel]

Extremely interesting trip I would guess. I'm curious if you speak Farsi. How are you able to get around in these seemingly rural areas of Iran without knowing their language?

[Vladislav]

Once again, thanks for your interest, guys. 

Now is the time to answer some of your questions. I will do that as responses to posts put up earlier.

[Vladislav]

On 5/25/2024 at 12:01 AM, Brocky said:

Vlad, Thank you much for including us Americans on your trips. It is countryside we will NEVER see ourselves. All these pictures are greatly appreciated..

Brocky, 

NEVER is not almost correct term in this case. As I said Iranian guy helped me importing my bike. That same guy told that he provided full spectrum of touristic services regarding Iran. Including arrangement of visa's. So I asked him if a US citizen might visit Iran? The answer was "Yes. But the person must have a guide (a kind of a convoy) during his trip. That guide is provided by Iranian officials and his service must be payed by the visitor. Including daily fee, stay in hotels and others". I asked of how expensive such  deal could be. He didn't say the exact figure. But put an example of a British motorbiker who made a trip over Iran a few weeks ago. He had been in the country for two weeks, respectively rode some good amount of hundreds km. The guide followed him in a car all the way, stayed in hotels for nights. All in all that cost nearly $8K for the traveller. To my question of who needed the guidance the answer was the citizens of GB, US and Canada. 

Nothing of advertizement in this info and sure nothing of personal interest. It was just a case I could achive info from the first hands knowing it might be of use to some one. 

And I definitly am way far from putting recomendations on to travel to Iran or do not to. Just learned in a theory that could be done. 

[Vladislav]

On 5/24/2024 at 8:04 PM, JoeH said:

Interesting air filter pipes on the R model, I knew the rear cab corners were different on Iranian R's but hadn't noticed the different filter housing ductwork.

Yup, those air filters are of oil bath style. I once saw an ad on a certain Iranian site offering such ones new for sale. Don't know if they were made locally (the most probably) or that's some older style American part. 

Seems Iranian install those filters on trucks which originally had dry element canisters too. 

Speaking the cab that's not rear corners only. But a complete cab including floor, firewall, windscreens of different shape and the roof. And there were multiple styles of local cabs. I will mention them in further posts.