Your Favorite Semi Truck

 
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Post by top top » Fri. Apr. 17, 2015 7:40 am

I had a number of mid '50's Macks with triplex & quadruplex boxes. One I drove a bit was a B-73 with a 335 Cummins and a Spicer box. Guys with new rigs and big power (well it was big power in those days) just couldn't believe the Old Dog was showing them taillights in the mountains and loaded heavy. Also a G Model with a turbocharged Cummins and double over triplex. She had legs that just wouldn't quit. A friend bought a brand new Brockway, looked like an F model Mack, with a 1693 stuffed under the hood. He loved passing someone's new chromed out Pete or KW in the hills then get on the radio and screw with them. "Man that sure is a pretty truck! Damned shame you didn't get a motor with it." I had a Pete 352 with an 8v71 and Fuller 13 sp. With good mufflers and nice tight cab it was actually very quiet.

I had a couple old Cornbinders with the rubber block suspension. One had a 6-71 and believe it or not I could pull the biggest, steepest mountain in Colorado fully loaded & never shift a gear. Good thing too, because you were already in the lowest gear it had. Every mountain pass in the Rockies involved an hour and a half in low gear with the throttle pulled out and laying down an unbelievable smoke trail. A couple times I crossed Nebraska west bound with a light load and bucking a headwind and had to run a lower gear. She could only maintain about 45 mph and it is a looooong way across that state at that speed. Even so, she was a $$$ maker when running Florida and Texas flatland. The truck I kept the longest was a Road Commode that I bought after it was re-popped. I didn't like the thing at all but it was perfect for the job at hand. I think my favorite was a cabover Freightshaker with a 3406 upon which I turned up the fuel and backed off the A/F ratio valve to eliminate turbo lag. She had legs and power as well as being very comfortable. I had it two years when my fuel filters froze up and I did not have a spare. While it was sitting on the shoulder another truck smacked it, totaling both trucks & both trailers.

Good times touring our great country in those old crates, tearing down engines and transmissions or replacing a clutch in the corner of a parking lot with not nearly enough tools, and I feel very blessed I don't have to do it now. When I get a chance I'll post a pic or two.
Last edited by top top on Fri. Apr. 17, 2015 6:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.


 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Apr. 17, 2015 7:57 am

My dad bought a 1973 White Road Boss at an auction once. It was painted orange and white, and the clutch was totally shot. He bought it cheap, and ended up selling the dump trailer that came with it for nearly the same amount . We did the clutch and brakes in our own shop, and brought it to another man to have the frame stretched. We put a 20' dump body on it and put it to work hauling corn silage all over Northern NY and VT. It had a Big Cam Cummins, 9 speed Roadranger, and 46k rears. I have no idea what HP the engine was originally rated for, but it really rolled some smoke when you called on it. Compared to the other trucks we had this thing was a rocket.

One time I was riding with dad and we were going down the interstate loaded, a fancy truck passed us and commented over the CB that the old White wasn't much of a looker. A few miles ahead was Lincoln Pond Hill, which has a slow lane for trucks. Dad replied to the other trucker that he would probably get to see the passenger side of the White before we got to the top of the hill....sure enough, one downshift and the old White took it over the top in the left lane. 8-)

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