After spending the weekend driving our Goliath truck around with the kids and admiring some other old pieces of iron we saw, we were cruising eBay and stumbled across the ultimate prize for any lover of old trucks. This is a very cool 1958 Mack B-61 truck that is wearing a 1955 Bucyrus-Erie nine-ton crane, and it all works. Normally these B-model Macks are found in short haul big rig configuration, so to see one as a tandem axle, long wheebase unit is rare, add to that the crane, and you’ve got the holy grail for lovers of old Macks.
The truck sources power from an old six cylinder Mack diesel, which makes virtually no power. That engine is hooked to an anachronistic manual transmission with multiple shifting levers and a shift pattern that is the mechanical equivalent of pig latin. The crane is powrered by a 223ci Ford inline six engine, so just on the fact that the vehicle has two engines operating independantly of one another (and probably…no definitely producing less than 300hp for the pair) it is cool.
We’re not sure how long the truck has been out of working duty, but just on the evidence that the whole thing is functional, it has not been too long a time. The crane has a 50 foot boom and is rated for 9-tons. Appparetly a previous owner added a 3,000lb counter weight for good measure a few years back. The outriggers work and as proved by the videos on the eBay ad, the cable spools up smoothly.
Imagine this truck restored to all of it’s shining glory at a car show, outriggers extended and the boom pointing skyward with the Stars and Strips proudly flapping in the breeze from the top! You’d be the coolest dude there, trust us!
(1958 Mack B-61 Crane Truck on eBay)
I would guess a 711ci Thermodyne lives under the hood. They may have only made 237hp but, had mucho torque.
The description says a two stick, 5 speed transmission. They are actually a 5 plus 1. One stick is extremely low, direct, and reverse. The second stick is 5 gears forward. You can start in low and first and barely move, then shift to direct and go through the 5 gears. This setup also gives you 5 reverse gears. Not the same as a two speed axle.
Yes this really hits home for all of us! Thank you for all the great news.
We love you guys! Keep posting all this great info for us car freaks, we dig big industrial trucks and the thought of taking one of these on the HRPT is what is on our minds.
YOU ROCK!
Bent8, you just don’t get it. Most of us here like stuff like this. And it WOULD be cool to take this on Power Tour, although it wouldn’t be able to keep up.
And please tell us where we can find used garbage trucks, and how to add NOS kit so it can be built into a street wheelstander! Another hit on the HRPT.
Thank you for all the great information, it helps us get through out days. YOU GUYS ROCK OUT! LOVE IT!!!