MACK

Mack Brothers Co. (1902-1905)

Brooklyn, New York

Mack Brothers Motor Car Co. (1905-1911)

International Motor Co. (1911-1916)

International Motor Truck Corp. (1916-1922)

Mack Trucks Inc. (1922-1967)

Mack Trucks Inc., Subs. Signal Companies, Inc. (1967-1990)

Mack Trucks Inc., Subs. Renault Vehicules Industriels (1990-2001)

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Mack Trucks Inc., Subs. AB Volvo

Allentown, Pennsylvania (2001-2009)

Greensboro, North Carolina (2009-present)

This is an enameled Mack radiator emblem (1931-c1950)    mjs
Size: 177mm wide 75mm high   MM: None

The Mack brothers had a successful wagon-building business in Brooklyn where they built their first motor vehicle in 1902. This was an 18-20 passenger sightseeing bus, which was produced on a quantity basis from 1904. They were known by the trade name "Manhattan", which was also used for Mack trucks until 1910. Only 15 vehicles were made in Brooklyn and, early in 1905 the Mack brothers acquired a plant at Allentown, Pennsylvania. At first production was concentrated on the Manhattan bus, other bus types and combination goods and passenger vehicles. Trucks were also put on the market in 1905 in a range from 1-1/2-ton to 5-ton capacity.

Up to 1911 production was modest, about 100 per year, but then the number rose to about 600 per year. The International Motor Company was formed in 1911 backed by bankers J. P. Morgan, to manufacture Mack trucks along with the American Saurer and, later, the Hewitt. Sales of these makes of trucks were combined. During this period the Mack brothers departed from the company. Jack Mack left to form the Mac-Carr company, which built trucks until 1935 (see Maccar).

After 1911 new Mack truck models were produced but the years 1914 to 1918 saw the introduction of two models that were to bring great fame to Mack. These were the AB and AC models, both designed by Edward R. Hewitt, who had become chief engineer in 1914.

The AB model was made in 1-ton, 1-1/2-ton and 2-ton sizes and was introduced in 1914. It remained in production until 1937 by when a total of nearly 52,000 had been made. The AB model was also used as the basis for medium-sized fire engines and bus chassis.

In 1916 came the even more famous and distinctive looking AC model, which was made in 3-1/2-ton, 5-1/2-ton and 7-1/2-ton sizes, and which were called the "Bulldog" by British Army engineers during World War I. A total of over 40,000 AC models were made up to 1938. The famous bulldog was first used as a logo by Mack on AB chain driven models in 1921 and was adopted as the official Mack corporate logo in 1922. The bulldog mascot still sits on the top of the radiator of all Mack vehicles. In the 1930's Mack sales were disappointing and a deal was made with Reo to slightly restyle light- and medium-duty Reo trucks and rebadge them as Mack Juniors.

Mack continued to develop over the following years and in 1956 bought Brockway Motor Company (see Brockway) and Beck, which owned Ahrens-Fox. The Ahrens-Fox name was discontinued but production of Brockway trucks continued until 1977. Mack was bought by Signal in 1967, then by Renault in 1990 and is currently (as of 1916) a subsidiary of AB Volvo with Renault as the parent company. Mack remains one of America's most successful manufacturers of trucks, fire engines, buses and other commercial vehicles and is sold worldwide.

Emblems

Mack trucks and buses had a different nameplate for almost every model, some differed only slightly by dimension. The following list of nameplates and emblems is indicative rather than exhaustive.  If you have details of different nameplate or emblem designs, please send details to add to this post.

Early Mack vehicles did not carry an emblem but did display the "Mack" name on the hub caps and some had a serial or data plate attached to the side of the body. Early radiators displayed the name of the radiator manufacturer, W.J. Kells Manufacturing Company.

In mid-1910, Mack dropped the "Manhattan" trade name and new production vehicles carried the name "Mack" in script painted on small brass plates attached to both sides of the drivers cab just rearward of the cab entrance doors, see example below:

This is a Mack side nameplate (c1910)    aowm
Size: c120mm wide  80mm high

The "Mack" name also continued to be displayed on the hub caps, see example below:

This is a Mack hub emblem (c1910)   aowm

It has been reported that there was a Mack nameplate with the "Mack Brothers Motor Car Company" reference. I have not seen this nameplate but it would have most likely have been produced in 1910-1911 and would be extremely rare. If you have further information or a photo, please send details.

From about 1912, Mack vehicles carried a brass nameplate/emblem covering the top of the radiator with the "International Motor Co" reference, see example below. These radiator nameplate/emblems were used on Mack vehicles with rounded top cellular radiators until about 1922 and are rare.

This is a Mack truck radiator nameplate/emblem (c1912-1922)     mjs
Size: 444mm wide 70mm high (designed to fit radiator)

The 1913 Model S 3/4 to 1-ton delivery truck was the first truck produced by the International Motor Company to display the I.M. monogram on the sides of the vehicle just forward of the drivers cab entrance doors.

In 1916, the Mack Model AC was introduced with the radiator placed behind the engine and a uniquely different and distinctive hood design with the I.M. logo displayed as an emblem attached to a ventilaton grille in the front of the hood. This was to become the famous Mack "Bulldog" hood, which continued to be used until 1938 on Mack trucks and other vehicles, see examples below:

This is a Mack Model AC truck showing the I.M. emblem (1916)    mthm

This is a Mack AC fire engine with the I.M. emblem (1918)   aowm

There were several designs and sizes of the I.M. hood emblem. The original I.M. hood emblem shown below is scarce:

This is an I.M.C. hood emblem (c1920)     mjs
Size: 203mm high 200mm wide

From 1915, the "Mack" nameplate attached to the sides of the drivers cab included the "International Motor Co" reference. This nameplate is scarce, see example shown below:

This is a Mack side nameplate (1915-1921)    mjs
Size: 203mm wide 83mm high

The Mack "Bulldog" logo was first used on Mack trucks in 1921 on a brass plate attached to each side of the drivers cab, see example below:

This is an International Motor Co Mack "Bulldog" nameplate (1921-1938)    mjs
Size: 205mm wide 173mm high

There was also a version of this nameplate with "Mack Trucks Inc" instead of "International Motor Co" but I do not have the dates of use of this very rare nameplate, see reproduction shown below:

 

This is a reproduction Mack Trucks Inc "Bulldog" nameplate (dates unknown)    mjs
Size: 205mm wide 173mm high

There were several emblems used on Mack vehicles with cellular radiators, as almost every model had a unique emblem design. Some of these radiator emblems are shown below.  

The following Mack radiator emblem was finished in black enamel paint with chrome or nickel plating and was used on early Model B vehicles from April 1923:

This is a "B" Model Mack radiator emblem (1923)     mjs
Size: 145mm wide 70mm high  MM: D L Auld

The following radiator emblem was finished in polished brass with black enamel paint and lacquered and was used on Mack Model AB radiators from later 1923 to 1925:

This is a Mack radiator emblem (1923-1925)     mjs
Size: 228mm wide 97mm high  MM: None

This is a Mack Model AB radiator emblem (c1925)     mthm

The following radiator emblem was finished in black enamel paint and chrome or nickel plating and was used on Mack Model AB radiators from 1925 and on Mack Model BC radiators from 1931:

This is a Mack radiator emblem (1925-c1932)     mjs
Size: 228mm wide 95mm high  MM: None

The black and white Mack radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post was used on several models of Mack trucks and buses from 1931 to about 1950. The emblem shown above at the top of this post is finished in black and white enamel but there was also a painted version of this radiator emblem, see example below. I cannot confirm the specific dates when the enamel or painted emblems were used.

This is a painted Mack truck radiator emblem (1931-c1950)     mjs
Size: 177mm wide 75mm high  MM: None

The following enameled emblem was attached to the sides of Mack Model BJ truck hoods from about 1930 and was finished in polished brass:

This is a Mack truck side hood emblem (c1930-1935)    mjs
Size: 232mm wide 61mm high  MM: Grammes

From 1935, the Mack side hood emblem was chrome plated, see example below:

This is a Mack truck side hood emblem (1935-c1942)    mjs
Size: 232mm wide 61mm high  MM: D L Auld

The Mack side hood emblem shown below was finished in black and white enamel paint and was used on Mack gasoline powered E Series trucks from 1936 to about 1950:

This is a gasoline powered Mack E Series side hood emblem (1936-c1950)     mjs
Size: 278mm wide 48mm high  MM:

The Mack side hood emblem shown below was finished in black and white enamel paint and was used on Mack diesel powered E Series trucks from 1938 to about 1950:

This is a diesel powered Mack E Series side hood emblem (1938-c1950)     mjs
Size: 353mm wide 44mm high  MM:

The photo below shows the radiator emblem and Mack bulldog used on Reo built Mack Junior trucks from 1936 to 1937:

This is a Mack Junior radiator emblem (1936-1937)     ms

The radiator grille emblem and side hood emblem shown below were used on Reo built Mack Junior trucks: 

This is a Mack Junior radiator grille emblem (1936-1937)     mjs
Size: 66mm diameter  MM: None

This is a Mack Junior side hood emblem (1936-1937)     ms
Size: Unknown   MM: Unknown

The emblem shown below was mounted on the glove box door of Mack Junior trucks built in 1937 only:

This is a Mack Junior glove box door emblem (1937)     mjs
Size: 50mm diameter  MM: None

The Mack script shown below was displayed on both sides of the hood on Mack Model L vehicles:

This is a side hood script for Mack Model L vehicles (1939)    mjs
Size: 259mm wide 54mm high

The following is a Mack Model EH truck from 1942 showing a small vertical "Mack" radiator emblem on the edge of the bonnet immediately under the Mack dog mascot. The black and white enamel Mack radiator emblem shown at the top of this post is mounted in the bottom left quadrant of the radiator grille. There are also chrome plated "Mack" hood side nameplates.

Mack truck showing emblems and side nameplate (1942)  brc

Mack radiator emblem (1942)  brc

The Mack nameplates shown below are from early Mack vehicles:

This is a nameplate used on a Mack Parlor Bus instrument panel (1924)   mjs
Size: 288mm wide 51mm high   MM: None

This is an engine oil instruction plate for a Mack Model AB truck (1921)    mjs
Size: 127mm wide 51mm high

This is an engine oil instruction plate for a Mack Model AB truck (1924)   mjs
Size: 127mm wide 51mm high