I was browsing through the ATHS forums and found this: Mack mondays In that second picture, doesn't that look just like a Ford C-series? But it has Mack's name and the bulldog on there too. Any idea what's going on here?

Sam

 

Thats funny. If you look at the add for the MACK bogies those things havent changed in like 50 years!

Never did like Mack trucks. Pain in the *** to work on. Kinda funny, thinking of buying a Mack superliner as a log truck..

I read a while back that Mack did buy the C series. Until now I hadnt ever seen one. Was curious why they ever did that.. Wonder how it worked out. They really were good cabs, but after Ford go done with them they were a bit dated..

 

The cabs were built by the Budd company as far as I can figure, and were primarily Ford with Mack buying some also. Some discussion of that in these links:

Mack - N-series (Commercial vehicles) - history, photos, PDF broshures

Mack N Series?

Search "Mack N series" or the oldmack.com site for more.

 

Absolutly, next towns fire dept has one. Its a C cab right down to the
dash only with a Mack name plate, suppose the running gear could be
Mack but as for why im clueless/ why didnt they just buy a C cab Ford
in the first place like every body else or It could be the body builder had
some kind of contract with Mack.

 

Now that's very interesting! Sounds like not to many of them were built. I've never seen one in person. Well, maybe I have, and I just thought it was a Ford?

Sam

 

The Budd Company was the body builder. See the links above. As for why they didn't buy a Ford, the Mack trucks had Mack running gear and frames and were as such, a Mack truck.

 

I tried buying one of those Mack's about 10yrs ago. I chased the guy for about 2 years before giving up. Mack built just under 900 of them. All Mack chassis with the ford cab. HOWEVER there is one big difference, the Ford cab has a flat floor with the shifter sticking up through it in the middle, with a bench seat. Mack modified the interior and put an engine tunnel in the middle with 2 bucket seats. The shifter was placed on a tower that potruded throught the top of the tunnel. So in a Ford the motor was under your but, buttttt in a Mack the motor was next to you.
Anyone using that cab had to get permission from Ford, they owned the design, but Budd did the stamping. Not only Mack, but FWD used those cabs. Maybe a few other builders used them also

 

No matter how they're badged they look really nice.

 

Critterf1: They do look nice! To me they're one of the few tilt cab trucks that have a nice stlye, most of the others are true cracker boxes!

Sam

 

Yes, Mack N series. The Mack N was a much heavier truck than the typical Ford C series. Most of the N's had a Thermodyne diesel in them, a few had the big Mack inline 6 gasser. Like the above post says, the N had a floor like a large cabover, with the engine between the seats. I was told Mack built that cab themselves, but bought many of the sheetmetal stampings from Budd.

 

Rusty_Old_F250: There's an AC Mack Bulldog in a shed in Brewster WA surrounded by ancient farm equipment. Center of town, northside of Hwy 97.

 

It figures, that seems to be where all the old trucks go! The last time I was over there I must've seen a several hundred old rigs, seems like any truck ever built can be found in the weeds over there. I don't remember seeing that Mack though, I'll have to look for it next time.

Sam

 

During a 10 day period last summer, drove 2,000 miles of OR & WA back roads looking at the scenery, the old vehicle scenery...that is.

Twisp WA: There's a 1930 Model AA flatbed mounted atop a sign, 20' off the ground. still has its powertrain intact.

A 1956 F600 COE tow truck is parked next to an auto repair shop, 1950's Dodge wrecker, and other assorted trucks including a 1958 F600, C600 are parked in a field just south of town.

There's another AC Mack Bulldog at the Cascades Museum in Mt. Hood.

 

Look Here, an EXCELLENT article on Ford C and it's variants. Whoever wrote this really seemed to know his history.

Ford C-Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Numberdummy: Did your travels take you through Bend OR (my home)? I have a few relics around...

 

I believe MACK had to do something in that time, to get away from the bad design of the D series cab over.It had a guillotine-style hydraulic cab lift (lifted the cab straight up vertically!).I was told many lawsuits stopped production of that model.The Budd-built C cab was a great improvement with its balance point one man tilting.I have seen 1 at a guys place in Iowa.As you say it was unique from the FORD with it's engine placement and heavy-duty specs.These were true class 8 trucks of their time as they offered the 672 C.I.D MACK 6 cyl. diesels.I have seen pictures of tandem N-model tractors hauling steel and general freight back in the day.Of course our beloved gas job C's did the same,but probably not as efficiently!The truck that replaced the N,the MB, to me was not as good looking as the N.But it sold like hotcakes itself,so what do I know!Personally,I would have like to see the N-series last a little longer in production than they did.They are just too hard to find!By the way,I like MACK's as well as FORD's,if you couldn't tell