Oh, the stories these tough old Macks could tell

Inside the Sound Room Gallery — a large, nearly echo-free chamber that once was used for testing noise levels of Mack trucks and components — are this 1927 Mack Model AC 5-ton chassis (foreground) and 1933 Mack Model AB stake body (at rear). (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Closer look at the 1927 Mack Model AC, which had 69 hp. and could manage a road speed of 20-26 mph. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Note the 1927 Mack Model AC's "IM" front emblem denoting International Motor Co., a holding company that handled sales and service for Mack trucks in the early years. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Those are solid rubber tires on the Mack Model AC. It likely made for a very bumpy ride... (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

The rear wheels of the 1927 Mack Model AC are chain-driven. Note that each link of the drive chain is attached by cotter pins, so that if a link broke, it would be easy for the user to replace that one piece as needed. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

In the early days before the well-known Mack bulldog hood ornament, the bulldog had already been established as part of the Mack identity by the Model AC. Check out this 1927 unit's emblem showing a bulldog tearing up "hauling costs." (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Yes, that's a hand-crank starter at the front of the 1927 Mack Model AC. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A look at the hood of the 1933 Mack Model AB; the year before, the famous Mack bulldog ornament's design had been patented, meaning this was one of the first production trucks on which it appeared. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Inside the 1933 Mack Model AB's cab. The truck featured an electric starter and lights. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's the Mack Model AB transmission that would be found in the 1933 truck in the prior photos. This particular 4-cyl. gasoline engine made 63 hp. and transmission had four forward speeds and one reverse gear. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This 1923 Mack Model AB dump truck featured a chain-drive dump mechanism. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A view inside and looking out from the distinctively antique-looking 1923 Mack Model AB dump's cab. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's a very classy-looking Mack 1939 Model 505S fire apparatus with 500 gal. per min. pumper. This fire truck originally was owned by the Ranger Fire Co. of Berwick, PA. How many Pennsylvanians did this truck help save in its day? (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A side view of the 1939 Mack Model 505S fire apparatus. Note the lights and siren mounted just forward of the driver's seat as well as the "Rangers" flag painted on for the Ranger Fire Co. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A view from the driver's seat of the 1939 Mack Model 505S fire apparatus. This truck has a Mack Model AB four-speed transmission and 6-cyl. Mack CE gasoline engine producing 116 hp. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Side gauges on the 1939 Mack Model 505S fire apparatus showing the operations of the 500 GPM pumper. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's another Mack with quite a history. This is a 1942 Mack Model FJ chain-drive tractor that was one of C.E. Hall & Sons' trucks used to transport huge, 68-ft. artillery cannons to the East Coast to defend against potential submarine attacks during World War II. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This 1942 Mack Model FJ tractor originally was built with a Mack 145-hp. diesel engine, but got a Cummins diesel transplant after WWII. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

The winch mechanism behind the cab of the 1942 Mack Model FJ tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A view from the rear showing the fifth wheel and winch on the 1942 Mack Model FJ tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A look at the console and driver's controls of the 1942 Mack Model FJ chain-drive tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A view from the driver's seat of the 1942 Mack Model FJ tractor. This old fella likely saw years and years of tough use. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Closer look at the gauges and instrumentation on the 1942 Mack Model FJ tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

We actually know something of what this truck looked like back in the early days. Here's a photo of this exact 1942 Mack that was taken in 1947. 

Here are some photos of one of the C.E. Hall & Sons Macks transporting 145-ton, 68-ft. cannons to the East Coast for anti-submarine defense during World War II. This particular run was from Tiverton, RI to Fort Church, RI, according to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum, and the average speed for that operation was 2 mph (those walking alongside the truck in the photos probably had little trouble keeping up).

Feast your eyes on "Phantom 309," a 1950 Mack LFT with 32-ft. insulated Fruehauf trailer on loan to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum from Floyd Kyes of Locke, NY. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner) 

Beneath the hood of this 1950 Mack LFT tractor is a 165-hp. Mack Lanova 6-cyl. diesel engine. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

The slick Mack bulldog hood ornament on the 1950 Mack LFT tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Some sleek lines and mirror shine on "Phantom 309," a 1950 Mack LFT tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's an item you don't see every day. It's a Mack sander, and there are two of them on the 1950 Mack LFT tractor. Open the cap to pour in some sand and get them churning some out if you need more traction on those winter roads... (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

That's a 1955 Mack Model D42T tractor, part of the Mack Trucks Historical Collection. It's pretty rare — only 266 of the D42Ts were built between 1955 and 1958, according to Mack. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This 1955 Mack Model D42T tractor is a rare one — only 266 of the D42Ts were built between 1955 and 1958, according to Mack. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

A very classic-looking 1962 Mack Model B67-LT tractor. Under that two-part hood is a Mack Thermodyne 6-cyl diesel producing 187 hp. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Rear view of the 1962 Mack Model B67-LT tractor. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Another rarity: perhaps four of these coin-operated Mack bulldog kids' rides were built in the late 1960s, according to Mack Trucks. Mack gave this one to the Lehigh County Blind Assn. for a fundraiser and Daryl Emery of Hamburg, PA bought it in 2010 and restored it. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Kids under 80 lbs. can actually saddle up and give this fully-restored 1960s Mack bulldog ride a whirl. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's a very rare 1963 Mack M18X off-highway truck back in the Sound Gallery (note anti-echo tiles on the wall). Only 31 M18 trucks were produced from 1961-63, according to Mack. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This rare 1963 Mack M18X off-highway truck is on loan to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum by Jack McDevitt, Jr. of Manchester, NH. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Another proud Mack that's seen, undoubtedly, not only years of work and service but a great deal of care besides. This 1964 Mack B80X originally had a Mack Thermodyne 6-cyl. diesel but was modified with a different engine and transmission to be redesigned as a B81. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This 1964 Mack B80X served Worcester Sand & Gravel Co. of Shrewsbury, MA. It's on loan to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum by the family of Mike Trotto, also of that town. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This 1964 Mack B80X was redesigned as a B81, as displayed here on the hood. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Here's a piece of recent Pennsylvania history. This 1984 Mack Model DM886SX tandem-axle tractor came from the facilities of Bethlehem Steel Corp. after that storied company, following years of decline, went bankrupt and was dissolved in the early 2000s. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Got info in this Bethlehem Steel Mack DM886SX? Contact Matt Landis, its current owner, at matt633@ptd.net. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

We'll round out this look at historic Mack trucks with one of the first. This is a 1905 Mack Brothers Motor Co. bus, chassis #9. With a 4-cyl., 40-hp. gasoline engine, it shuttled folks around at about 15 mph. Noted Mack historian Doug Maney, "The first Mack was a bus, and the first bus was a Mack." (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

Mack TRL1078 Maxitorque transmissions like this one were paired with Maxidyne engines from 1970-1998. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

With a solid lifespan from 1969-1999, the Mack TRTXL1070 transmission was used with 6- and 8-cyl. construction vehicle engines. This one features 12 forward speeds and 5 reverse. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

That shiny gold fellow in the foreground is a Mack ENDT866 8-cyl. diesel making 375 hp. Nearly 17,000 of them were produced from 1969 to 1980, according to Mack Trucks. To the rear is a Mack "Big Six" ETA885 6-cyl. diesel. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)

This is actually a prototype! In development from 1978 to 1982, the Mack ETA885 straight 6-cyl diesel engine was nicknamed the "Big Six" and never reached production. Horsepower was not rated. (Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner)