Mussy’s Big Bully: Mactrans’ Southern Cross Mack Titan

Mustapha “Mussy” Deen is unashamedly a Mack fan, and when the opportunity to buy the 50th Anniversary Titan or Superliner came about he was able to acquire the much sought-after 1988 identifier for this prized collectors’ edition truck. Australian Custom Trucks writer and photographer Warren Aitken spent time with Mussy getting the story behind Mactrans and its custom built Titan.

Words by Warren Aitken. Photography by Warren Aitken.

‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog that counts’ and I’m sure when Mark Twain wrote this famous line he never envisioned a circumstance where the size of the dog would actually equal the fight within.

I’m also sure when the brains trust at Mack Australia sat in their meeting room to discuss exactly how to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mack manufacturing in Australia, they didn’t expect their end result to be compared to a 130 year old quote used to motivate sportsman.

But this is where we are. The dog in question is a stunning looking 2013 Southern Cross Extra Heavy Haulage Mack Titan and the fight within is the most powerful conventional truck in Australia, an MP10 685hp running through Mack’s state of the art M-Drive feeding into a 250 tonne rated rear end. So in this instance the size of the dog in the fight equals the size of the fight in the dog.

There are so many angles to this story that it is hard to know where to start. There is the truck itself. It’s not your average run of the mill Mack Titan. In late 2011 Mack Australia set about trying to find a way to celebrate the upcoming milestone of 50 years of manufacturing in Australia.

The first bulldog swam ashore in 1919. It was not until 1963 that Mack began building their own Aussie trucks out of their new Rocklea factory.

Yes it was all American parts but they were uniquely Australian. Mack eventually moved down the road to their new plant at Wacol and now have the largest truck manufacturing plant in the country. For those already arguing, yes the Kenworth plant matches in area but Mack still produces larger volumes.

The concept of a Southern Cross series, as a tribute to Australia was decided early on however the stumbling block was deciding numbers.

Mack was still very weary of their previous Limited Edition models. The Bi-Centennials are now highly coveted and valuable but when they were released in 1988 to commemorate Macks 25 year anniversary only 16 of the intended 20 were commissioned and built. Then Mack’s Centennial series to commemorate Mack’s worldwide 100 year anniversary never reached major peaks.

So it was with trepidation that they decided on The Southern Cross series, with 20 Superliners and 10 Titans.

The next step was how to distinguish the trucks apart, the Bi-centennials were named after famous and infamous Australians ”Burke & Wills”, “John Flynn” and the centennials were named after famous Australian highways “Warrego”, “Newell” etc. A different approach was taken with the Southern Cross series when Gary Richards, one of the brains trust involved from the beginning was glancing at a timeline devised for the 50th anniversary book Mack was putting together and he suggested letting the owners of the trucks choose a year.

That allowed the owners to personalise the trucks even more. Done deal. The next, even bigger step, selling them to the purists.

Though the official announcement from Mack dealers nationwide took place on the 5th of February 2013. Word had been leaking like a sieve in the build-up.

No pictures had actually been seen but the anticipation was immeasurable and much to the delight of Mack Australia before the two minute noodles were heated for lunch on the 5th of February the entire 30 trucks were spoken for.

Part of the conditions for choosing your year for the truck was basically first in first served. Mack were aware certain years would be highly prized so owners were asked to select three preferences. Once the deposit was paid you were granted your choice if available.

Such was the demand for the trucks, and certain numbers, that my heart went out to the poor office girl up late at night literally working out to the last second who got in first.

Not surprisingly the one year with the highest demand was 1988.

The man that won the race for ‘1988’ was Mussy Deen. Owner, director and driver at Mactrans Heavy Haulage. It seemed rather fitting that this particular year ended up on one of the last Southern Crosses off the line, one of the biggest Southern Crosses off the line and in the hands of one of the most diehard Bulldog enthusiasts around.

Coming from a trucking family Mussy grew up with diesel with his breakfast and Jake Brakes soothing him asleep at night. As soon as he could legally push those heavy clutches to the floor he was driving and accumulating experience, knowledge and contacts. It was Macks all the way in the Deen family, “I had that Bulldog injection when I was young,” Mussy says “Mack’s a choice, I always thought Mack trucks, there’s nothing else, nothing better”.

At the young age of 24, after a lot of scrimping, saving, begging and borrowing, Mussy purchased a 1990 Mack V8 Valueliner with a 4×4 Drake trailer and started Mactrans Heavy Haulage.

The company name reflects where his allegiances lie, Mack Transport being shortened to Mactrans.

For five years Mussy worked the 12 speed box in his Valueliner himself, the 500hp working its heart out as he built a stellar reputation which eventually meant an increase in work and the need for a second truck, a 610hp Titan and a second Drake trailer 4×8 and dolly.

Mussy did this for a year piloting the new combination with a driver in the first combination before taking a serious look at where he wanted his company to go.

That direction involved Mussy stepping into a chair with a very different view, but a lot less bumps.

“It was very hard to give up driving, I love driving. I didn’t want to stop but it got to a stage where I had to so I could focus on what direction I wanted the business to run in,” he tells Australian Custom Trucks. The choice was to follow customer demand and a burgeoning economy or keeping this as they were.

That was nine years ago however he still finds time get back behind the wheel and when we caught up he was steering his first truck, the Valueliner, “Cat Carver”, as a push pull truck, working alongside the Titan.

Mactrans has grown steadily and as it prepares to celebrate its 15 years as one of Australia’s leading Heavy Haulage outfits, it’s gone from a single Valueliner to a fleet of 18 prime movers, 12 of which are active fulltime, the others being used as push-pull trucks and back-ups.

Twelve floats ranging from 4×4 all the way up to a 14 row platform. Plus a large selection of flat tops and drop decks.

With fifteen of his eighteen immaculate prime movers proudly parading the iconic bulldog out the front it was inevitable that Macks local salesman Geoff Evans would be in touch when the Southern Crosses were announced.

I’m even sure the courier broke several land speed records getting Mussy’s deposit to Mack and securing him the coveted year of 1988.

“1988 was one of the best years for Mack,” Mussy replies when questioned on his selection, “Just look at how cool the Superliners were!”

Once confirmed, the next step was how to set the truck up. With the Southern Cross series coming factory fitted with bigger bonnets, (the Bulldog sits 120mm higher than standard) different grilles, custom bull bars, leather driver and passenger seats, factory fitted remote sleeper air –con units, special custom interior and badging along with 64-inch sleepers on the Titans.

Mack offered the trucks in a choice of six custom colours. Colours only available to the Southern Cross series. All the colours offering a unique tribute to Australia. Australian Pearl, Coral Blue Sea, Bloodgum Red, Old Gold and Daintree.

Having settled on Daintree, the truck was sent to the boys at PJs Custom Paints in Rocklea where the hard work began. Mussy wanted to include the classic colours of the original Bi-centennial Macks as well as the theme, evident in the Bi-Centennial style badges on the custom rear guards, while still keeping the lines and stripes synonymous with Mactrans Heavy Haulage. He also wanted to incorporate some iconic Australian scenes with the airbrushing. Enter the PJs crew. Several design meetings followed with some unusual ideas floated, that often sunk. Eventually with the ideas agreed upon work began. All the tanks had to be removed and set in line, then strapped up to ensure an even flow of the art work.

It was a mammoth undertaking with two air-brushers on it full time for two weeks the artwork has to be seen to be appreciated.

“Having the top guys that know what they’re doing makes a difference,” says Steve Lemon from PJs.

All in all the Southern Cross spent four weeks at PJs. Where they basically repainted the truck three times to end up with a smooth flat feel across the whole truck. Quality clear coat has resulted in a paintjob worthy of an art gallery rather than its purpose, delivering to mine sites.

With the paintwork finished it was time to head off for the added bling.

Tony Tester from Big Rigs Bull Bars in Toowoomba was the man given the task of adding the extras. Starting with stainless Tony added front quarter guards, stainless disc for the hubs, stainless walk boards, nut covers, mirror brackets and countless more. But it’s the personalised stainless that really shines. Laser cut stainless on the rear toolboxes and on the side of the bull bar. Under cab stainless with Mactrans laser cut into it and rear mounted lights.

Personalised side wings with LED lighting and enough LED strip lighting to illuminate an airport runway.

Tony also mounted all the LED markers to the custom bull bars along with extra roof lights and safety beacons. The 360 LEDs and 40 metres of strip lighting are all run through separate relays allowing for complete control over which lights are working and when.

The end result from Mack, PJs and Big Rigs Bull Bars is absolutely outstanding and turns heads quicker than a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ video. Even the man behind the custom Southern Cross steering wheel struggles to comprehend it.

“It’s non-stop mate,” says Dan Crute, the man responsible for steering the Southern Cross.

“We all like when people admire our trucks, my old girl was kitted out and people used to comment, but with this thing it is all the time, unbelievable”.

Dan is another of Mactrans long serving employees having been there for almost half the company’s life and he previously drove another Mack Titan with a C16 cat.

His views on shifting to the new Mack, “It rides like a car it is unreal!”

Though that smoothness and quiet caught Dan out at the start. Having been accustomed to hearing his C16 roar from idle all the way up Dan mentioned when he first drove the Southern Cross “ I first jumped in and planted my foot, I thought what a gutless piece of …….. Then I looked down at the speedo…. Man it can pull!”

Mack trucks Australia wanted to release a truck that paid tribute to what they have accomplished in 50 years of manufacturing in Australia. They succeeded. Mussy Deen took that truck and wanted to pay tribute to the Southern Cross, the Australian way of life, family, Mack trucks and his own company Mactrans Heavy Haulage.

He succeeded.

Rear Vision: where are they now?

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