Frequently Asked Questions about Classic Mack

Who founded Mack Trucks and when?

Mack Trucks was founded in 1900 in Brooklyn, New York, by brothers John "Jack" Mack and Augustus "Gus" Mack, and the name is the family's surname. The brothers had bought the Brooklyn carriage and wagon firm Fallesen & Berry in 1893. Their first successful motor vehicle, completed in 1900, was a 20-passenger sightseeing bus used in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. The company took the name Mack Trucks, Inc. in 1922.

Why is the Mack truck called the Bulldog?

Mack earned the Bulldog nickname during World War I, when British soldiers gave the name to the blunt-nosed Mack AC trucks their government had bought to supply the front lines. The company later adopted the bulldog as its corporate symbol. The hood ornament followed in 1932, when chief engineer Alfred Fellows Masury carved the first bulldog while recovering from an operation. His design patent was granted on October 11, 1932.

What does a gold bulldog mean on a Mack truck?

A gold bulldog on a modern Mack means the truck was built with a Mack engine, Mack transmission and Mack axles, while a chrome bulldog means another maker's components are in the drivetrain. According to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum, gold originally marked trucks with the Maxidyne engine and Maxitorque transmission, and because Mack is a custom truck builder, exceptions are likely.

Where were Mack trucks built?

Mack trucks were first built in Brooklyn, New York, and in 1905 Allentown, Pennsylvania, became the home of the company's main manufacturing operations. An assembly plant in nearby Macungie, Pennsylvania, has been part of Mack's production network since 1975 and assembles its Class 8 trucks for North America. Powertrain components come from Hagerstown, Maryland, where the first Mack engine came off the line in 1961.

Who owns Mack Trucks?

Mack Trucks is owned by Sweden's AB Volvo, which took ownership of Mack and Renault's truck business on January 2, 2001. Before that, Mack became part of Signal Oil and Gas Company in 1967 and a wholly owned subsidiary of Renault's truck division in 1990. In August 2008 Mack announced it would move its headquarters from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Greensboro, North Carolina.

What was the Mack AC?

The Mack AC was a heavy chain-drive truck introduced in 1916 and offered in 3.5-, 5.5- and 7.5-ton sizes. It served with British and American forces in World War I and was the model that earned Mack the Bulldog nickname. Mack's history counts 40,299 ACs built. Sources differ on the final year of production, giving either 1938 or 1939.

When did Mack build the B Model?

Mack introduced the B Model in 1953 and built it through 1966, when the R Model replaced it. The same year, 1953, also brought Mack's Thermodyne open-chamber, direct-injection diesel engine, which was offered in the B series. Production totals differ by source: Mack's own history gives 127,786 trucks, while another published count is 126,745.

Did Mack make its own engines?

Yes, Mack built its own engines as well as its own trucks. In 1938 it became the first truck manufacturer to design and build its own heavy-duty diesel engines, according to the company's history, and its Thermodyne open-chamber, direct-injection diesel followed in 1953. The Maxidyne diesel that came next is dated to 1966 or 1967, depending on the source, and was paired with Mack's Maxitorque transmission.