On this week’s CAT Scale Rig of the Week, we celebrate the history of a truck that paved the way for modern transportation.
Introduced in 1914, the Mack AB was Mack’s first standardized high-volume model series. Its simple yet robust design quickly became a staple in medium-duty trucking. Over its production run — until 1937 — more than 55,000 of these workhorses were built.
This particular 1923 Mack AB, proudly displayed at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, comes with a piece of history — a 1914 Fruehauf trailer. It’s a testament to the versatility of these trucks, which could haul anything from hay to farm equipment.
Last summer, during the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, this Mack AB celebrated its 100th birthday in style. Bill Moon, a truck enthusiast and founder of the Iowa 80 Truckstop, acquired this beauty back in the ’80s. Restored to its former glory, it is a reminder of a bygone era when trucks were built to last.
Though it may not hit today’s highway speeds, cruising at a modest 15-20 mph, this rig holds a special place in trucking history.
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A former military public affairs specialist, Cody Graves has a journalism career that has spanned radio, television and print. For the last ten years, he produced special sections for Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper. During his time in the U.S. Army Reserves, Cody served tours in El Salvador, Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his spare time, he plays guitar in a local band and spends time with his dogs, Lucy and Daisy.