MAY 2008 OLD TIME TRUCKS
1961 MACK GOING STRONG
By John & Shirley Sponholtz
This 1961 Mack B-73 was purchased new by Mr. Ham Bryson Jr. It was delivered in primer, so he painted it blue. Ham and his partner Tom Stovall hauled pulp wood, lumber and fertilizer under the name of B & S Haulers. It was originally a single axle with a Cummins 220 engine. He later changed it to a Cummins 335 and then to today’s Cummins 350. Ham was very particular about his truck, washing it every day and storing it inside. When he got in the truck he removed his boots and drove in his house slippers. He wouldn’t let the truck idle with the doors open because it would vibrate and loosen the hinges. If you drove the truck, a large keychain was not allowed because he didn’t want scratches on the dash. And he didn’t let just anyone drive the truck – Curtis Allison was one among a select few during the 60s, 70s and 80s. This truck became a landmark, hauling lime from Tennessee back to Western North Carolina. Mr. Bryson took ill and passed away in 1998. Curtis was a pall bearer at his funeral and upon learning that the truck would be sold, he put his name on the list of hopeful owners. He bought the truck from Ham’s family and continued to use it commercially for several years. Curtis always loved two stick transmissions but found that after six hours or so it became work and not pleasure, so he changed it out to a Fuller 15-speed. Curtis gave the truck its third paint coat, lengthened it out and installed tandem air rides to make crossing bridges smoother. In 2005 the truck became “semi-retired” but it still hauls around 20 loads of Christmas trees to nearby markets and attends many national and regional truck shows each year. The odometer now reads over 2 million miles. For more weird and wonderful old trucks, visit www.oldtimetrucks.org today.