In these weird times, let’s take things right back down to basics here for this American Powertrain Parting Shift. We’re grabbing gears two sticks at a time in a 1965 Mack truck equipped with a Mack Triplex transmission. This truck sounds awesome with the big Mack Thermodyne diesel roaring away as the driver works the two-stick transmission smoothly through the gear range. Yes, we know, the dude could be skipping through and not touching all the gears but hey, he’s enjoying a drive in his classic truck and when you head out in your four speed muscle car, we’re guessing you don’t skip from second to fourth or first to third all the time. The fun comes in using the thing, right?
This truck was formerly a cement truck so we are guessing that it is geared up pretty good having had to lug all that weight of the wet cement and tumbler on its back. The cab we well used and not “show quality” which makes us love it even more. The B-models are as American as apple pie and during a week where it seems like nothing is normal anymore we wanted something American and normal to close it out, here.
Here’s to twin stick transmissions, rumbling engines, and torque in all of its glorious forms. Shift on, BangShifters!
