The wrecker from hell

[Jarlaxle]

Seen yesterday, 1984 RB-series Mack Econodyne (the one with the funky off-center cab) 10-wheeler, set up as a heavy haul semi wrecker! The driver said it started life as a trash truck. It has a rather-smoky Mack diesel with "not enough" power, a 5-speed with no reverse & a 2-speed auxiliary with reverse (yes, you can run up through the gears backwards), 24" Dayton wheels with 11.00-24 bias-ply tube tires (the ride must be absolutely bone-jarring), ram-assist power steering, and leaf springs all around. Sorry...I'll stick to the old International, thank you.

 

[towcat]

you're not talking about this truck are ya?

 

[Jarlaxle]

Nope--this truck was faded blue and much more work-worn than that one. It also seems it was a bit shorter than that one, and had no push bumper.

 

[RKOCH]

Good lord! That is a beast both of them.

 

[maniac]

you're not talking about this truck are ya?

GEEZ, I remember High point garage, are they still in buisness?

And I believe those were "U" model macks, offset cab, gearshift came out of the floor under the passeger seat

 

[Sbrem]

And I believe those were "U" model macks, offset cab, gearshift came out of the floor under the passeger seat

The "U" and the "DM" both had the offset cab.

 

[towcat]

OH yea....Highpoint is still very much in business. The owner has a obsessive love for restoring old heavys and putting them on the road still. He's on my list for a visit when I am up in NYC/NYS area this next spring.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

a 5-speed with no reverse & a 2-speed auxiliary with reverse (yes, you can run up through the gears backwards),

I have had the honor of driving many a DM or R Mack with the 2-pole auxilliary.

237 or 300 Macksedyne with Mack all wheel drive tandems and tri-axle.

I have even drove a few with the aux. on a trigger on the main pole.

Real tough old trucks.

 

[Freightrain]

Yup, Steve is still alive and well at Highpoint. He's a B model guy too, and loves to tinker with them all. Usually finds some decent stuff hiding in weird places.

I'd like to stop and just poke around his place. Bet it's a big boys toybox.

 

[DmaxEter]

Notice the gear shifterS.

 

[DmaxEter]

And here's a REAL Mack. We will start the restoration when we finish the 48 EG Mack.

 

[mocetane]

And here's a REAL Mack. We will start the restoration when we finish the 48 EG Mack.

Now I am GD#@&%!!! jealous as hell.
Years ago I tried and tried to buy a similar Mack from some old POS dude.
He would not sell it to me. A few years later I found out he sold it to a scrap yard. GDMFB. :draw
I am still pissed after all these years

 

[DmaxEter]

Now I am GD#@&%!!! jealous as hell.
Years ago I tried and tried to buy a similar Mack from some old POS dude.
He would not sell it to me. A few years later I found out he sold it to a scrap yard. GDMFB. :draw
I am still pissed after all these years

Thats a shame. The one pictured is a 1925AC. They arent too bad to find if you look hard enough. Most will not have original engines though. Small block chevys were popular conversions. this one is all original condidtion. It was sold new to a bakery in Joplin MO in 1925.

 

[Freightrain]

"It has a rather-smoky Mack diesel with "not enough" power, a 5-speed with no reverse & a 2-speed auxiliary with reverse (yes, you can run up through the gears backwards)"



BTW, the tranny in the two truck is a 2 stick 6 spd. Ya, rev/od is one stick, the other is 5 spd. Don't hold me to it, but pretty sure. That was a common tranny in those days. Most all the Mack motors in that era were grunt motors, so you didn't have alot of gear choices since it would lug down to 1100 rpm. They tend to very VERY smoky too...!!! Ah, but that's a good thing!!

Yes, you could shift reverse 5 times. My old triplex can shift three in reverse.

 

[Offrhoder4x4]

Here's a link to "Serious Business", a custom-built tow for semis. I see this monster driving around my home town almost weekly, but if I catch it parked I'll get some more pics if people are interested.

It's a nice rig for sure.

http://www.lotuspub.com/STORE/WGTT4.html