Diecast Car Forums - PICS (1:1) ATHS Nationals, Part 9...."Big Mack Attack, Part 2, The Heavyweights".....

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Posted By: Gene Herman

Posted On: Sunday June 24, 2012 at 7:33 AM

Message:

PICS (1:1) ATHS Nationals, Part 9...."Big Mack Attack, Part 2, The Heavyweights".....

You can always count on Ervin Bickford to bring something really interesting down from his Yarmouth, ME home. This '36 "BM" dump looks like an original, unrestored piece, but Erv has been known to restore a piece while somehow maintaining a great patina, kinda like the "Rolling Bones" do with their hot rods....
This big "FH" uses the same cab, but on an altogether heavier chain drive chassis. It's a work in progress....
... and was parked next to one of the many "LTL's" on the field. I'll show the rest of them later...
When the "L" model was introduced to replace "F" series in late 1940, Mack tried to eliminate their traditional, if antiquated chain drive, but contractors raised a fuss. They preferred the rugged reliability and ease of repair of the older system.
So while they built their over-the-road trucks with modern u-jointed driveshafts, fewer than 1,000 units in three different weight classes of chain drive "F" series dump trucks using the new "L" style cab were produced between 1941 and 1949. These have become the Holy Grail to Mack collectors. Here are three examples, restored to the very highest levels....
First is Gary Mahan's '47 "FW". As I mentioned in an earlier post, his hand painted placards are very informative and the quality of his trucks and attention paid to detail are second to none....

...and his '49 "FT". Note Erv Bickford's involvement in this project....
Also of note is that NEITHER of these brutes is diesel powered!....
Matt Pfahl's shop in Bethlehem, CT really raised the bar in the hobby when he began restoring stuff back in 1992. This '41 "FT" that he did for J.E. Harrington & Sons of Billerica, MA was thoroughly jaw dropping....
More of Matt's work....
This government issue 1950 "LJSW" may not have been the flashiest truck on the field, but a more authentic resto would be hard to find...
As I've mentioned, I think the "L" Model is the best looking truck of the era. Here's a whole slew of them that run the gamut from "rough and ready" to "cherry pie". I was in hog heaven....
William Amaducci's '51 "LJT" has power by Cummins...
....as does this '49 with factory bunk owned by Jonathan Erb from Bayshore, NY....
Two extra heavy duty "LM"'s. This '48 tractor....
...and a '52 oil field service truck....
There were "King of the Road" "LTL"'s all OVER the place in many states of dress....
Jeff Vullo brought his '55 up from Colchester, CT...
Dave Strickland is from Cana, VA. He showed two : one with sleeper....
...and one without....
I didn't get the name of the owner of this stretched '54. They like 'em big in Texas, I guess....
...but my favorite has to be this one owned by Eilers Brothers from just down the road from me in Readsboro, VT....
The cabover companion to the "L" and "B" series, this '56 H-63 is yet another member of Bob West's fleet...
On the old truck show scene, Mack "B" models have become as common as Tri-Five Chevies are at the car shows. It's easy to forget how modern they seemed when they were introduced in 1953.
Styling aside, driver's soon came to miss the roomy cabs of the "L" series they would eventually replace. These two beautifully restored examples represented the type in fine fashion....
This unusual all wheel drive "B", owned by Bob West from Somers, CT, was probably modified after it left the factory....
The lift blocks certainly aren't anything that Mack ever designed. Still, it's not your average everyday "B" Model....

An otherwise ordinary dumper was classed up with a chromed radiator shell and lots of tasteful pinstriping....
Here's proof that all "B" models were not created equal....
There is so much special equipment on each of these two that they amount to custom built trucks. Note that the wrecker is all wheel drive....
Here are the specs on the other one....
"D" comes after "B". This big '65 DM 800 is a type that was used for cement mixers or hauling heavy equipment. It's a very clean example with some pinstriping to dress it up just a little bit....
Finally, Conforti's super heavy duty 1980 DM821SX from Parlin, NJ still works when necessary during the week, but is kept clean enough for shows on the weekend....
PLEASE SUPPORT THE ZONE!
And thanx fur lookin’!

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