Old Bucket Truck Gets New Life

2025 - Volume #49, Issue #2, Page #26

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Greg MacKenzie says he always gets compliments and thumbs-up gestures when people notice his restored 50-year-old bucket truck. The vehicle has been a solid performer in his electrical contracting business since 1975.
“I was 18 and remember seeing the truck being used for maintenance by the city of Rye, N.Y.,” MacKenzie says. “Later, I learned that the city had used it to raise a large steel beam, which sheared off the bucket. The engine needed a valve job, and the body was rusty, so they traded it. I found it at the dealer and was able to buy it for $325. It was in really tough shape. I made a few repairs to get it working, then decided to give it a complete makeover.”
MacKenzie replaced the original 1961 International truck body with one from a 1975 Loadstar 1600 International. That chassis had a #345 gas engine and a four-speed standard transmission. He wanted that chassis because it had a shorter frame, making the truck easier to park in the spaces where he’d use it. He ordered a fiberglass tilt hood on the replacement rather than the original butterfly design because working on the engine would be easier.
Rather than patch rusted metal on the truck body and repair the boom lift, MacKenzie purchased an identical replacement from Delphi Body Works. He shipped the truck to Indiana so the company could make the switch.
“I thought about working on the body myself,” MacKenzie says, “but I’m a small business, and the time and money I’d spend on that was better spent on a complete replacement. Delphi has an excellent reputation for reworking and rebuilding, and then I’d get a factory guarantee.”
When the factory completed the work, MacKenzie flew to Indiana to pick up his “new” vehicle. “It was everything I’d hoped it would be,” he says. “We spent the next day and a half on the highway at 55 mph driving it back to New York. The only additional work I did was add power steering, making it much easier to handle. We’ve used it in the business for line work, lighting repairs and installs. We’ve never had any maintenance issues. My beloved 50-year-old truck only has 50,000 miles on it and still runs like it’s new.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Greg MacKenzie, 14 Mead Pl., Rye, N.Y. 10580.

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Old Bucket Truck Gets New Life Greg MacKenzie says he always gets compliments and thumbs-up gestures when people notice his restored 50-year-old bucket truck The vehicle has been a solid performer in his electrical contracting business since 1975 “I was 18 and remember seeing the truck being used for maintenance by the city of Rye N Y ” MacKenzie says “Later I learned that the city had used it to raise a large steel beam which sheared off the bucket The engine needed a valve job and the body was rusty so they traded it I found it at the dealer and was able to buy it for $325 It was in really tough shape I made a few repairs to get it working then decided to give it a complete makeover ” MacKenzie replaced the original 1961 International truck body with one from a 1975 Loadstar 1600 International That chassis had a #345 gas engine and a four-speed standard transmission He wanted that chassis because it had a shorter frame making the truck easier to park in the spaces where he’d use it He ordered a fiberglass tilt hood on the replacement rather than the original butterfly design because working on the engine would be easier Rather than patch rusted metal on the truck body and repair the boom lift MacKenzie purchased an identical replacement from Delphi Body Works He shipped the truck to Indiana so the company could make the switch “I thought about working on the body myself ” MacKenzie says “but I’m a small business and the time and money I’d spend on that was better spent on a complete replacement Delphi has an excellent reputation for reworking and rebuilding and then I’d get a factory guarantee ” When the factory completed the work MacKenzie flew to Indiana to pick up his “new” vehicle “It was everything I’d hoped it would be ” he says “We spent the next day and a half on the highway at 55 mph driving it back to New York The only additional work I did was add power steering making it much easier to handle We’ve used it in the business for line work lighting repairs and installs We’ve never had any maintenance issues My beloved 50-year-old truck only has 50 000 miles on it and still runs like it’s new ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Greg MacKenzie 14 Mead Pl Rye N Y 10580

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