MARCH 2010 OLD TIME TRUCKS
IN MEMORY OF LOUIS BARATTA
By Old Truck Nuts John & Shirley Sponholtz
Sometimes trucking is a family affair. That was the case with this 1985 Mack DM 886 dump truck, purchased new by brothers John and Louis Baratta of Long Island, New York. It was originally a dump truck but, along the way, the brothers converted it into a tractor for use in their construction business. After working the Mack as a tractor for a year, the Barattas parked it in the corner of their garage, intending to restore it to its original condition. Before they could do that, however, Louis passed away in 2001. The old tractor stayed in its corner until one day when John decided it was time to bring the Mack back to life. He got the truck started and took it out for some body work, including a new paint job. Although John got some help with body work and paint, he spent several months getting the final details on the truck just right. The result was the immaculate truck you see here, complete with gold leaf and pinstripes, and dedicated to the memory of Louis Baratta.