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AtkiPete Lynch has sent me this curio and says: "G'day Brian, Rain, not something we have seen in a while down here. We have only had one drought recently... but it has lasted 3 years.. Anyhow what am I whinging about, right in the middle of it was this Mack Magnum, which looks rather like your Renault Magnum. Not sure if the spec is the same, Cheers Pete." Well not such a strange beast as you might think as over the years Rod Simmonds has been sending me the odd picture of a Mack Magnum from his travels around OZ and NZ. Including this one below from Mount Gambier...though it doesn't quite have the front bumper
arrangment of the one above!
 Well Pete it's raining in leeds (Yorkshire) too this morning---but back to the Mack Magnum. At one stage Mack Australia was designated with the somewhat grandiose title of "right-han-drive manufacturing centre" And the Mack Magnum, like the Qantum, was a good example of taking a European truck and putting a North American driveline underneath it. Down-under the Magnum was offered with a Cummins Signature--not something we got in Europe. In fact the biggest 'big-banger' we got was the old E9 Mack V8 which in the European Magnum went up to around 520hp (if I remember rightly--although it may have been higher..anyone?). But it fell at the Euro-3 fence and Magnum continued with the E-Tech Mack engine before switching to the Volvo family group of engines---first the D12 and more recently the D13.
 If my memory serves me well, one of the (alleged) sales benefits for the Magnum was that it could meet the then B-double length regs in Australia but with a decent European-style comfortable cab compared with, say, the tried-and-trusted Kenworth cabover. Not sure anyone bought that....Now click through here for a real oldie... |
From the original 1990 launch of Magnum in Europe...not bad going for a truck and cab that's still around 18-years later. There can't be too many to rival it. Answers(and pix) anorak army!
The Renault Magnum went to 560 bhp with the Mack V8 in europe.
Hi Brian, Yes the V8 Mack engine did go up to 560 in Europe, there is an operator in the West Country that uses a 6x2 to pull a four axle step frame low loader.
DAF's 95/XF105 cab shell first appeared as the Cabtec DAF/Pegaso/SedAtk cab in 87/88.
By the way it's raining in Wiltshire as well, but I don't care as I am going on holiday to the Canary Islands tomorrow
Not wishing to detract from Rod's regular and invaluable contribution to BLB but methinks the Scott's of Mount Gambier Magnum picture is one of mine. Unless of course Rod, who used to live there, photographed the same outfit in the same location in their yard. And I admit that stranger things HAVE happened. If I am wrong then of course I apologise unreservedly.
I`m surprised Pete didn`t piont out the International ACCO cab which is still in use now was released in 1972,will Renault resist change as well and not change their cab for another 18 years?I suppose the Yanks hardly vary from a design once they start using it,the cabover Kenworth hasn`t changed that much from the very early 60`s.
Well said Cam, the Magnum is a relative youngster when compared to the ACCO or K series Kenworth. But both of these veterans still sell well today.