Mack LMSW 53

T. Metsovitis · #1 15-05-05, 20:22

Some years ago I found this Mack LMSW 53 abandoned near Athens. I'm looking for photos of similar vehicles in service. All I have so far is what has been published in Wheels & Tracks and in B.H. Vanderveen's book on the Mack. A web search turned up only a restored vehicle in the Netherlands. I suspect that these vehicles must have stayed in service with the Canadian armed forces post war. Are there any photos of these?

Thanks in advance

Fyll

Alex Blair (RIP) · #2 16-05-05, 00:48

Quote:

Originally posted by T. Metsovitis
I suspect that these vehicles must have stayed in service with the Canadian armed forces post war. Are there any photos of these?

This is a beauty..
A full tandem drive design..611 Cubic Inch 6 cylinder engine..
Originally designed as a tractor as the skid plate shows to recover heavy tanks or what ever else neede hauling..Were in use in the Canadian service at least into the '60's..and probably still some around.The twin boom wrecker is a Garwood probably removed from a Diamond "T" which was the usual wrecker model.There was also the 57 model Mack..bigger cab,soft rollback canvas top..but the same otherwise..
A great one to save...

cliff · #3 16-05-05, 01:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Blair
This is a beauty..
The twin boom wrecker is a Garwood probably removed from a Diamond "T" which was the usual wrecker model.

These were built new as wreckers for lendlease purposes and as such the boom wrecker unit was not "removed" from another wrecker but was the same type as the Garwood units fitted to other wreckers. Also they normally did not have the fifth wheel setup on them, or at least all the information I have shows them without it.

In the Observers Fighting Vehicles Directory, Bart Vanderveen, it shows two models. One supplied to the Canadian army and another with a two winch setup, which was the equvilent of the British Scammell SV/2S, and supplied to the British Army. This type also had a Power Divider in the rear bogie.

The book also states the Canadian ones had double swinging booms with a lift capacity of 16 ton and some were soft top cabs, although I have never seen a picture of a softtop.

Cheers
Cliff

Alex Blair (RIP) · #4 16-05-05, 04:07

Quote:

Originally posted by cliff
These were built new as wreckers for lendlease purposes and as such the boom wrecker unit was not "removed" from another wrecker but was the same type as the Garwood units fitted to other wreckers. Also they normally did not have the fifth wheel setup on them, or at least all the information I have shows them without it.

In the Observers Fighting Vehicles Directory, Bart Vanderveen, it shows two models. One supplied to the Canadian army and another with a two winch setup, which was the equvilent of the British Scammell SV/2S, and supplied to the British Army. This type also had a Power Divider in the rear bogie.

The book also states the Canadian ones had double swinging booms with a lift capacity of 16 ton and some were soft top cabs, although I have never seen a picture of a softtop.

Cheers
Cliff

Hi Cliff
I have the maintenance manuals on the 53 and the 57..
Contract #CDLV587
Chassis ser#LM2D 1470-1599
(LM-SW-53)
Contract#CDLV1516&1659
Chassis #LM2D1617-1776
(LMSW -57)
I can't see any references to the wrecker attachment in either one,but it is quite pevelant in the Diamond'T" manuals..
Here is the 57 Convertable model with extra cab..Not much new is there..

cliff · #5 16-05-05, 04:18

Quote:

Here is the 57 Convertable model with extra cab..Not much new is there..

You are right Alex there is not much difference between the soft and hard tops.

Alex these were built as wreckers in the states and supplied under lend lease to the allies. I was unaware there was a tractor unit until you supplied the information here in this thread.

Mind you I find this forum interesting as there is just so much to learn from all the knowledgeable people here.

Cheers
Cliff

gjamo · #6 16-05-05, 09:23

Item # 4549175068

cliff · #7 16-05-05, 11:45

Quote:

Originally posted by gjamo
Item # 4549175068

That is not an LMSW and probably not a Mack at all. The front mudguards appear to be similar to the Ward Lafrance or Kenworth heavywreckers and looking at the other photos taken by the owner it does have a Garwood wrecking unit fitted but I think the truck is far from original.

Cheers
Cliff

Bill Mulholland · #8 16-05-05, 18:31

Don't know a lot about some things, but do know a lot about things recovery. The Mack is in fact the Canadian model. The British also used them, but to a lesser degree. The British used a style of recovery gear on their Macks similar to what was on Scammel, while the Mack used by Canada had Gar-Wood twin lattice booms. The Diamond T was kitted with W-45 Holmes wrecker gear. I think Cliff is very close to the mark on the "green machine". It would appear to be a Ward-LaFrance/Kenworth chassis and wrecker gear, but the cab could be from an M-series by the roof profile.

Cheers, Bill

T. Metsovitis · #9 16-05-05, 18:44

Thank you all for your answers. It's amazing how obscure this vehicle seems to be!

Alex, does the manual contain any pictures of the cab interior? I'd be interested in any of those as I'm building a model of this beasty.

Vanderveen's book on the Mack has pictures of the version with the soft-top cab, although they are taken post war and the vehicle is in civvy street.

The British version had a very box like rear superstructure with a single extending boom.

That vehicle from ebay is indeed a heavily modified Ward Lafrance, the seller gives some details about it as well as some more pictures.

Fyll

Hanno Spoelstra · #10 16-05-05, 20:18

Quote:

Originally posted by T. Metsovitis
A web search turned up only a restored vehicle in the Netherlands.

Of which a couple of pictures can be found here: http://tanxheaven.com/ljs/mackljs/mackljs.htm

Quote:

Originally posted by T. Metsovitis
It's amazing how obscure this vehicle seems to be!

Yes, and I hope the one near Athens will be restored one day. It seems to good to be scrapped.

H.

Alex Blair (RIP) · #11 16-05-05, 20:53

Quote:

Originally posted by T. Metsovitis
Alex, does the manual contain any pictures of the cab interior? I'd be interested in any of those as I'm building a model of this beasty.

Yes it does..
I get requests from modelers every day to post bits and pieces of manuals.
which I never do..(With rare exceptions)
These manuals are priceless to 1:1 restorers but very expensive for modelers..
Contact me off line for manual pricing.