Uncommon Motors

When ordinary just won't do

Mack Model B Custom Pickup Conversion

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1961 Mack Model B85 custom pickup
1961 Mack Model B85 custom pickup

There have been a lot of commercial truck pickup conversions, but not every one turns out well, however this 1961 Mack B85F, a former fire truck, is absolutely gorgeous. The work seems to be first rate and it’s clean top to bottom. The video below shows a nice walk around and a drive down the road. The finish is a solid gun metal gray that looks right as is and makes a great base for any accents a future owner might add. Everything except the pickup bed is original. This is a great looking truck!

1961 Mack Model B85 custom pickup
1961 Mack Model B85 custom pickup

The engine is a Mack EN707C, that’s a 707 cubic inch, straight six cylinder gasoline engine, lots of torque and it sounds smooth. No, it’s not a gas sipper, but you already knew that.

Comments

  1. Great truck! I’ve always wanted to make a pickup out of a big old short wheelbase commercial truck. I see them done poorly from time to time, but really nice examples like this one seem few and far between. Glad to have a new post as well. Keep ’em coming?

    • There’s been a trend for several years of putting big rig cabs like a Kenworth or Peterbilt on a Ford or Dodge pickup chassis, but even if the work is well done, the proportions never seem quite right, the bed usually looks too small. When you start out with something like this Mack, the end result looks good from every angle. The bed he added looks like it belongs there.

      And yes, we’ll see if we can get back on a regular schedule.

  2. Love old trucks,but the proportions seem way “off” on this one– it needs an 8′ bed.
    I’d take that JZR 3 wheeler you posted over this any day.

    • Well, to begin, the JZR and this are on different planets, it’s hard to compare in any way.

      Proportions? Without going to the full rear body or bed these trucks used in commercial applications, everything will seem visually small in some way, after all, this used to be a fire truck. Add all of that equipment back on or something of similar size and you no longer have a vehicle you can navigate easily on a normal street, even if the proportions might look better. This is a step side pickup, too, which makes a pickup bed look a little small even on an F-150, let alone a Mack Model B. If the body was full width without those sweet flared fenders, it would look totally different. I like it as is, though, as we all know, opinions vary.

  3. My father had a ’62 (I think) Studebaker that had been a tractor. He pulled the fifth wheel and put a 10′ flatbed on it. The proportions were perfect for that size flatbed, though the 9.00-20 tires were a little overkill.

    • Mr. Pileski,

      This truck is a work of art! Of the various conversions I’ve seen, it’s by far my favorite. I’m considering a similar conversion and am using this as a type of template.

      Would you be willing to share your insight with me?

      Thanks very much,

      Randy

  6. Most beautiful, love the work and imagination to create an individual and original modern classical vehicle based on a Mack.

  7. Every time I look at this truck I smile. What a piece of art! It looks like the pickup truck dream of a young boy come to life. And I really love the heavy rubber – makes so much more visual sense than the faddish low profile tires of today. Bravo.

    • I agree. Everything about it just says truck so much more than the hot rod customs. It’s understated, too, no flashy paint or chrome, it’s just the pure essence of truck.

  8. I have seen this truck several time, and I think its awesome! is there any chance the owner would part with it? I thought I had seen it for sale once, but I might be wrong. or maybe the builder would be interested in building another one? I would love to find a way to speak with the gentlemen that built this truck.

    • Yes, it was for sale. that was the reason I posted it here. I don’t recall if it sold.