TranSource's Service Department brings a Classic Mack B model back to life

TranSource's service department team always has a great variety of interesting projects in the works, but some allow for more reflection than others.

This 1965 B model is currently a show truck for our friends at Sam W. Smith hauling in Eden NC. The history of this truck begins in September of 1965 Sam W. Smith Sr and his son Sam W. Smith Jr drove to Allentown Pennsylvania to take possession of the brand new truck they had ordered. The 1965 B-75 Thermodyne was ready to come off the assembly line at the Mack Factory, and Sam W. Smith Jr got the honor to actually drive the B65 off of the line and out of the building. The truck was in active service for decades, and In May of 1988 Chad Smith, the grandson of Sam W. Smith Sr was ready to get his Class A License.At this time the B65 was still in service as a working truck. James Smith, father to Chad said it was finally time for Chad to get his license. Chad said he wanted to take the B-75 truck and try to get his license. James told Chad that if he could get his licenses in the B model, then he would be able to drive any truck in the world, so that's what Chad did. When he went to the DMV to do his road test, the DMV officer got in the truck with Chad and asked him "do you know how to drive a truck with 2 gear shifts" Chad just smiled and said "of course I do" the officer then said well if you can drive this then you passed because I have no idea how to drive a truck with 2 sticks.

The rest is history, the B- 75 Model Mack Truck was retired a several years ago but the truck was completely restored and remains a show piece for Sam W. Smith, Inc.

We arranged for the truck to be featured in front of the Mack World Headquarters building in Greensboro NC recently to honor the legacy of the Smith family and thousands of others like them who make the Mack Trucks family so unique.