1965 Mack PK5RP Truck of the Month - August 2023

Don't judge a book by its cover, you may be very disappointed in yourself for your error in judgement. The typical Mack enthusiast may have easily passed this little truck off as a more common light duty B-model based upon the sheet metal and hood emblems. Your attention is captured by the light duty disc wheels, then the small spoke rear wheels, next, 7.25 tires... screws filling the right side mirror mount on the windshield pillar...
The more you look, the more you see, the identification plate adds to the confusion. This is one unique truck, one as in, the only one.
This is the pilot build for the 1965 PK5RP model that was destined for delivery to Pakistan. The trucks were built based upon the pilot, but never delivered to the intended location. We are not quite sure what may have interfered with the initial sale, but the trucks were ultimately sold and delivered to Guinea. Most trucks in that region are used until they can't be used any longer. It is extremely doubtful that any of the original production trucks exist, which makes the pilot build truck even more exciting.
The PK pilot was sold to Shaw Mack in Dubois, PA after the build was complete. Shaw converted the truck to left hand drive, added the dump body and necessary items to make the truck PA legal. The PK was used to haul soft coal to feed their large coal furnace to provide heat for the dealership. When the Neibauer family purchased Shaw Mack, the PK came along with it. The truck was ultimately retired and stored in the former Shaw Mack shop.
In 2022, it was determined that the best place for the PK to reside was the Mack Trucks Historical Museum. The truck will be preserved to represent this unique order and build. It is amazing that the little truck exists to contribute to the Mack story.
Many thanks to the Neibauer family for their thoughtful consideration and donation to help us preserve the history of Mack Trucks.