This month’s throwback takes us to the mighty Mack Superliner—a truck that become a legend in the industry
In the last DOW issue (383), we showcased the Mack Cruiseliner, which was a short-lived but popular classic American-derived cabover that endeared itself to the traditionalist just as the Europeans started to get serious in the New Zealand market.
The Cruiseliner’s stablemate, the mighty Superliner big bonnet, epitomised “big is better” like no other and many awesome Motor Trucks Distributors (MTD) assembled ‘Superdogs’ (as they were nicknamed) carved out a loyal following that continues to this day.
The appeal to owner drivers was the V8 440-500hp power plant, although quite a number of E7 350-400s six-cylinder Macks were popular with options to fit CAT 3406s and 3408s for the heavy end.
Nothing sounded better than a Mack V8 going through all the gears ‘pouring coal’, with the driver wearing a big smile under his Mack cap.
With the popular R Series (covered in previous DOW features) still going through development and improvements (ie RB Series, Vision, etc.), the Superliner was the King of the Castle for the on-highway Mack sales.
Launched in 1977 in the U.S, the Superliner was built on the Cruiseliner frame and borrowed many features, with a Mark Two revision in mid-life to accommodate the larger cooling requirements of the higher horsepower engine.
In 198,1 the Superliner New Zealand versions were sourced from Wacol, Queensland and shipped to MTD Palmerston North. These were specifically made for Pan Pac, Whirinaki. Instead of genuine Mack engines, the trucks were powered by CAT engines, with a Roadranger transmission, Rockwell drivelines and retarders.
Right: The last Superliner made, seen here at the Bombay Truck Show in January, and it’s for sale
As they were built for road trains and heavy haulage in Australia, you knew when getting one for New Zealand it would handle the 39-44-tonne weights back then without a problem.
The interior was through-and-through leather, traditional American trim but functional, wooden trim, gauges for everything and traditional switches and controls.
Around 59 Superliners were put on the road in New Zealand, with Brittons House Removals getting the first and it is still with the company today.
Their longevity is obvious still 40-odd years on, with many examples restored or being restored and a few even getting out of their kennels to work. Aussies adored them and there are still plenty working in the big dry sandpit today. Their replacement, the fugly Valueliner, didn’t quite have the same following.
“Never late in a V8” was probably coined by a Mack V8 driver; they were seen as the ultimate engine for New Zealand, big brash and cool – but back then diesel was cheap.
Operators like Herb Renall of Masterton for many years ran stunning double shifted Mack Superliners V8 440s on chip and fertilizer work. Likewise Tuapeka Transport in the deep south, Southern Transport, Uhlenbergs, Mike Lambert, Tanners, Kaitaia Transport, Brett Wells, TranzCarr, W.E Hale, G.W Wright, Dibbles, Clive Taylor, Chemical Cleaning, Total, Thames Freightlines, RoadAir, Trevor Masters, R&J Doughty, Trevor Doidge, Bruce Porter, Kaingaroa Forest Contractors, Jackson Road Haul, Brittons Housemovers, along with many on linehaul like PBT, Mainfreight Group, owner drivers, ASC Flowers, STL, with many owner drivers on logs working for Pan Pac and elsewhere – the list was long.
Drivers loved sitting behind a big square bonnet looking at a bulldog behind all day and enjoying the V8 thumping away with windows down. There were no touchscreens or rain sensor wipers back then. The Superliner was true to the slogan ‘Built like a Mack truck’.
Images by Rod Simmonds