If you dream it, we'll make it!
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1906 Trentham Road
KYNETON 3444 VIC AUSTRALIA |
Mack Model L Series 1940-1956
General Information by Ian Lee
“Built like a Mack Truck”. What a wonderful statement – one of the best descriptions you can give to a piece of equipment designed to stand up to tough conditions. Since just after the turn of the century, Mack has been turning out trucks of such a quality that the phrase has become part of our language. The first truck placed in the Smithsonian Collection was a Model AC -–the venerable “Bulldog”.
The Mack brothers made their name as horse drawn wagon builders in Brooklyn, New York in the 1800’s. About 1902 they produced their first motor vehicle, and by 1911 Mack produced over 500 trucks a year. The outbreak of World War 1 proved a boon to their business, which by then was established in its present headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
As the 1930’s drew to a close Mack needed a new line of heavy trucks to replace the aging AC & AP and some remaining earlier series B models and the result was the all new L Series with its bold new features, large outstanding grille, new arch crown mudguards and a larger cabin with large amount of glass built as highway and some off highway application.
The model proved popular and in later years of its production larger models were usually diesel powered. Because of the WW11 most of the production occurred after 1944, over 31,000 were built from 1940 to 1956.
Models available in the L Series range.

LF was advertised as the “Thrifty”. The smallest of the series usually powered by a EN 510 cubic inch 160hp Thermodyne petrol motor or a 672 cubic inch Mack diesel. Mack had first introduced a diesel engine in 1938, it used the Lanova combustion chamber design which incorporated a figure 8 shaped turbulence chamber. It was available with 5 speed or 10 speed duplex gearbox with monoshift or two leaves available as single LF or tandem LF SW built with 10 inch chassis, hydraulics or air brakes , dual reduction rear axle, rubber insulated spring mountings, radiator shutters with a sleeper cabin optional 12, 453 LF Models were built.

LH generally used for long distance hauling, usually with 707 cubic inch Thermodyne petrol motor or with 743 cubic inch Cummins diesel. 822 were built from 1940 to 1953.

LJ - designed for heavier loads with a heavy duty X Model Motors available 707 cubic inch Thermodyne petrol Producing 225hp or Mack 672 diesel engine. The tipper Model had a 510 cubic inch petrol motor with GVM of 35,000 lbs. There were 13,921 built from 1940 to 1956 a cab over LJV model was available for a short time. Very limited number of LJ came to our shores however an excellent example is often displayed at Queensland truck shows by Tom Saxelby fitted with a 220hp NHB Cummins.

LM – heavy duty model with many characteristics for off highway models, built for mining suffix M and logging suffix L, for extra heavy duty generally with off set cabins and power steering. Motors were 707 cubic inch petrol engine or Cummins diesel range included a LMU cab over, The LM SW –M had a GVW of 100,000 lbs. 2391 built from 1940 to 1956.
After WW11 an LR SW six wheel drive off highway tipper model was built. This massive truck built for construction and mining with load capacities 115,000 GVM or 180,000 lbs GCW fitted with planetary reduction in each drive wheel with 15,090 sq in brake lining area. A further engineering factor was balanced bogie and power divider giving equal traction and even entire loading. This device covered under Mack patents and still in Mack trucks today.

1947 was to see an all new version, the LT SW an all new model built specifically for certain western states which allowed truck engaged in long distance transport to have longer wheel bases and more powerfull motors to handle the areas, mountainous terrain and built primarily for long distance multiple hauling. The LT SW were used in logging on and off highway. The most Distinguishing and striking feature was the bonnet which seamed long enough for two motors, in tandem. Motors available were the Mack EN 707A Thermodyne petrol motor. The massive impressive Hall-Scott 400 of 1090 cubic inch or 181 cubic inch per cylinder rated at 290hp on petrol or 306hp on butane or a variety of Cummins motors. The ten speed Mack Duplex was the most common gearbox but many had a joey box for extra gears.
The bonnet seems long enough for two motors.

To give maximum pay load a light weight version of this special west coast distance hauler identified as the LTL SW, the second L standing for lightweight with over a ton of weight savings looking identical to its cousin was achieved with the extensive use of heat treated aluminum alloy for chassis parts including the bogie support brackets, frame cross members, wheel and hubs including the bonnet. The LTL somehow became a unique part of the western Highways. Today these are the very devisable trucks to have in any collection, there seems no record of any of these trucks reaching our shores, however this year a Hall-Scott powered LTL has reached a Queensland collector and two more in a Victorian collection undergoing restoration.
At the time of writing this story I personally have never seen a LTL, the word from Queensland is that they are awesome and just unbelievable, a US collector was told by an old LTL driver ‘driving an LTL was so inspiring it was hard to keep the buttons closed on his shirt”
LT and LTL were built from 1947 to 1956 with 2,009 vehicles built
LT and LTL were built from 1947 to 1956 with 2,009 vehicles built
Yes, I have now personally driven an LTL as it is now in a Victorian Collection. The sleeper is just sitting on the chassis and may not be used on the truck. Yes, they are an awesome bit truck for their period of manufacture.
Lee No.3 Pty Ltd
Trading since 1961 ACN: 005 204 599 ABN: 40 005 204 599 |
For more information please contact Ian Lee on 0428 507 408 [email protected] |
PO Box 614
KYNETON 3444 VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA |