Jack and Gus Mack founded their company in Brooklyn in 1900, and by 1905 it had moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania. Since then, Mack trucks have hauled troops through two world wars and helped build America’s highways.
Here are six of them, from the chain-drive AC to the 1977 Super-Liner. Mack itself names each one as a milestone of its first 125 years, and the production numbers come from the company’s historical museum and trucking historians.
1. 1916 Mack AC “Bulldog”, the oldest of these Mack trucks
Mack built the AC in 1916 as a chain-driven, rear-axle truck known for its reliability. It stayed in the lineup a long time. In fact, Mack built 40,299 AC models over a 24-year period, according to TruckPaper’s history of the company.
The nickname came from the war. In 1917, the British government bought the AC to supply its front lines with troops, food and equipment. British soldiers then dubbed it the Bulldog Mack, the Mack Trucks Historical Museum says. Today, the company’s trademark is still the Bulldog.
2. 1936 Mack E series
1936 was a big year in Allentown. That year, the International Motor Company became the Mack Manufacturing Corporation, and Mack revealed its E series. These were medium-duty trucks, sold as cabovers or as conventionals with the engine out front.
Clearly, they sold well for close to two decades. According to TruckPaper, Mack built more than 78,000 E-series trucks into the early 1950s. By comparison, that is nearly double the AC’s total, in well under its 24-year run.
3. 1940 Mack NM
When war came again, Mack trucks went with it. Mack lists the NM military truck of 1940 among its milestones. According to Mack’s own anniversary page, it hauled supplies, equipment and troops during World War II.
The NM was a 6-ton, six-wheel-drive truck. Production tables on a history of the U.S. auto industry in World War II list eight versions, from the NM-1 to the NM-8. Meanwhile, Mack also built wreckers, tank transporters and personnel carriers for the Allies, TruckPaper adds.
4. 1953 Mack B model
The B series arrived in 1953, and the Mack Trucks Historical Museum calls it one of Mack’s most successful products. Its rounded look set a new styling standard for trucks. Also new that year was Mack’s Thermodyne direct-injection diesel. Mack says the B helped build America’s highways and worked in both construction and long-haul trucking.
Mack built 127,786 of them through 1966, the museum says. The best seller was the B61, with 47,459 built, according to Trucksales. Its END673E Thermodyne diesel made 180 hp at 2,100 rpm. However, drivers earned their pay, because the B61 had two gear levers and no synchromesh.
5. 1966 Mack R model
In 1966, the R model replaced the B, according to Trucksales. Above all, it was a heavy-duty diesel truck, TruckPaper notes. Mack says its ergonomic cab and rugged engineering made it a favorite among drivers who valued “ease of operation and durability.”
The R also arrived alongside a new engine idea. TruckPaper ties it to the Maxidyne constant-horsepower diesel and the Maxitorque transmission. That pairing meant less shifting, so a five-speed gearbox could do the work of a ten-speed.
6. 1977 Mack RW Super-Liner
Mack released the Super-Liner in 1977. TruckPaper describes it as a conventional for heavy-haul work and a big step toward driver comfort. Moreover, Trucksales confirms the 1977 U.S. launch, before Mack brought the model to Australia. For its part, Mack calls the RW Super-Liner an icon of heavy-duty trucking, known for “bold design and unmatched strength.”
Under the hood, Mack’s own 16.4-liter V8 later evolved into the E9, says a Trucksales history of the model. In Australia, the name lives on. There, the current Super-Liner uses a 17-liter MP11 engine that makes 780 hp, Trucksales reports.
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This article was created with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by Fast Lane Only editors before publication.
