rmodel mack 1966

hi jeff tryed to ring you yesterday

The fibreglass bonnet was being developed in the US as early as 64/65, and being used at least on Mack Trucks own test vehicles. In Australia the very 1st R models delivered were steel fronted, but f/glass bonnetted R's were delivered here as early as 1966. Up to 1970 many R's had f/glass bonnets. However it appears that steel was the preference. This is what my research has indicated to me.... Jeff.

Found The info i got from the states years ago about R600 chassis No's

R 609 65-79......8,041
R 609 R 66-72...72.429

R 611 65- 1988-- 21,084

so they most probably did have the glass bonnet
here . In the early ones probably customer choice......

Hi Steve

How do you get away with driving it with no rear guards you have them if you drive it bob tail or even pull a trailer. Dave

Dave, in Brisbane it might attract a bit of attention, but Allora would be pretty safe, I wouldn't want to cross the border though,NSW is something else.

As far as I know you could get the glass bonnets here,but they all thought they would be too flimsy.I think I read in the Leader book that the Flintstone sheet metal was locally made as well.

Initially it was all imported, and towards the 70's Mack Trucks Australia strived for local content. Pressed steel body panels, sleeper cabins, some tanks and bracketry were the first to be produced. In the early 70's they even started to have castings produced here. Jeff.

As far as I know you could get the glass bonnets here,but they all thought they would be too flimsy.I think I read in the Leader book that the Flintstone sheet metal was locally made as well.

Cam, I just realized you mentioned this on the other thread ( www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1251663286/0 (shameless bumping here)) but forgot due to a senility attack... The weird thing is, when R600s started being exported to Israel, the powers that be thought the same, although Leyland Ashdod was building complete cabs from GRP at this time. Also down under I believe you had the Atkinson GRP cabs, so I'm not sure why Mack was so afraid to introduce GRP into the market :-?

Staradair: South America is full of older iron and some of the stuff is actually well preserved and works for living which, considering the conditions, is a testimonial to how well US trucks used to be built. I reckon someone has a very good business exporting all manner of non-electronic engines from the US...

Cheers,

T

An older MACK,a NR14 still in use in Germany,but just for exhibitions.

Geez rmodel it would look good down Colac way over easter