Oak Grove 70 Restores the First Mack AC Truck Ever Built! (11/01/2002)

WALCOTT, IOWA — The first Mack AC truck ever built was delivered to Oak Grove 70 yesterday from Spencer Restorations in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. The Moon family purchased the truck over 10 years ago from the estate of Bill Harrah of Harrah’s Casinos. The truck is now completely restored and verified by Mack Trucks that it is in fact the first Mack AC ever built.

This 1916 Mack AC was shown at the Boston Auto Show in January of 1916 and sold to the Boston Ice Company. Boston Ice Company traded it back to the Boston Mack branch who used it as a utility truck. In 1940 the Mack AC was sold to the Princeton Auto Museum in Wooster, Massachusetts. From 1965 to 1973 the truck was owned by the Zimmerman Auto Museum at the Holiday Inn motel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 1973, the hotel was sold and Mr. Zimmerman auctioned off his collection of vehicles. Bill Harrah of Harrah’s Casino attended and bought the Mack for around $5,500. When Bill Harrah passed away, Oak Grove 70 purchased the Mack for less than $10,000. Today is it worth significantly more.

At the time Oak Grove 70 purchased the 1916 Mack AC, there was some controversy over whether or not is was the first Mack AC ever produced. A book by John Montville claimed that Serial number #7001 was the first Mack AC. Iowa 80’s Mack AC is numbered #7000. Later, Colin Chisholm of the Mack Museum has researched and confirmed that indeed Iowa 80’s 1916 Mack AC is the first one ever built. John Montville admits he was incorrect and had not researched it enough. The next oldest Mack AC known to exist is serial number #7006 and is owned by Marvin Comer of Baltimore, Maryland.

This 1916 Mack AC is currently on display in the lobby of Iowa 80 Group Corporate Headquarters in Walcott, Iowa. Visitors are welcome 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. The truck will be showcased in Oak Grove 70’s Trucking Hall of Fame museum when it opens in 2005. Iowa 80 currently owns over 100 antique trucks and trailers, the majority of which are displayed each July at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree.