JULY 2010 OLD TIME TRUCKS
MACK'S LIFE GETS EASIER
By Old Truck Nuts John & Shirley Sponholtz
When John & Judy Frauenkron of Winona, Minnesota bought this 1980 Mack Superliner from Gary Dahl of Rochester, Minnesota in 2003, it was in pretty rough shape. Built in California, the Mack had been purchased new by St. Cloud Excavating from a dealer in Fargo, North Dakota. The truck was used to haul bulldozers and other heavy equipment. By the time the Frauenkrons acquired it, the Superliner needed a lot of work. The Neway air-ride suspension was worn out, so John replaced it. The cab was in bad shape after being used in the excavating business for years, so it required a lot of attention, too. After chiseling caked-on mud out of the cab, John completely restored the interior, which included installing new carpet, new liners and new seats. In addition, John rebuilt the Superliner’s 350 Mack engine and replaced the 12-speed Mack heavy duty transmission with a Fuller 10-speed. He also removed the fifth wheel, stretched the frame, and then installed a flatbed. The finishing touch was a new paint job, and the Mack was ready for truck shows. The Superliner still works a little when it hauls John’s mostly original 1977 Ford F-250 pickup to truck shows. To see and read about more cool and unique old trucks, get a copy of Old Time Trucks magazine or visit them online at www.oldtimetrucks.org today.