Mauck Special Vehicles
Encyclopedia
Mauck Specialty Vehicles was created by Andy Mauck. It was a builder of custom bus-like vehicles headquartered in Worthington
, Ohio
, USA, near the headquarters of Worthington Industries, run by John McConnell, who provided the early financing to get the MSV off the ground. Mauck had previously sold custom firetrucks for a company called Sutphens.
The formal vehicle name was the Mauck MSV 1120s, where the first "1" stood for the model number, the "12" stood for the wheelbase, and the "0" was intended to refer to option packages. The "s" had no meaning.
Mauck built vehicles in association with Custom Coach Corporation of Columbus
, Ohio. Celebrities such as Alan Jackson
and George Foreman
were among those who purchased MSV's as customized after-market vehicles. They had an expensive price tag -- often in excess of $200,000 -- which limited the number of orders. In June 1998 the company was purchased by a group of investors and became known as Advanced Bus Industries.
Over 100 units were built between 1996 and 1999. Many were shipped overseas; others were put into service as micro-buses running municipal routes, often with handicapped access. Cities with MSV's in service included Dayton, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, and San Diego, CA. Those used as commercial buses were typically of the 30 feet (9.1 m) variety, whereas personal vehicles were 25 feet (7.6 m). The MSV was just under 8 feet (2.4 m) tall (with a low-floor configuration that permitted nearly 6.5 feet (2 m) of headroom), and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. Mileage averaged about 10 mpg depending on engine selected, which provided adequate range given the standard 35-gallon tank.
panels and a carbon steel frame. Several frames in the later years were constructed in stainless steel. Engine options included a GM
454 cubic-inch 8-cylinder (7.4 L
) Vortec mated to a GM 4L80E heavy duty duty truck transmission, or Cummins 6-cylinder 360 cubic-inch (5.9 L) diesel engine mated to an Allison
heavy-duty truck transmission. MSV's utilized air suspension
systems, and the vehicle sported gull-wing doors.
In order to keep costs in line, Mauck designed his bus with many off-the-shelf parts sourced from GM, Ford and others. For instance, in addition to having a GM powerplant, MSV's also had GM suspension and brake components, wiring harnesses and access hardware. The rear-end was a Ford 9" with a custom-designed Currie Industries differential. Headlights were lifted from the Ford Aeromax 18-wheeler line, while taillights came from Grand Cherokees of the era, and driving lights from the Dodge Viper. Windshield wipers were from a Toyota Previa. In all, hundreds of parts were 'donated' from other makes and models. Still, in addition to 37 custom exterior fiberglass panels and 13 oversized panes of laminated glass, another 2,700 unique parts were required. GVWR was typically 13,500 pounds, empty weight was generally under 10,000 pounds, though this did vary depending on options and year.
s, power door locks, power brakes
, power steering
, heated power mirrors, cruise control
, a reverse camera, and a Street Pilot GPS. A myriad of other creature comforts could be added, including limo-style seating, microwave ovens, coffee-makers, and even a full marine-style bathroom. Quite a few also had satellite tv domes, moon-roofs and onboard generators.
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USA, near the headquarters of Worthington Industries, run by John McConnell, who provided the early financing to get the MSV off the ground. Mauck had previously sold custom firetrucks for a company called Sutphens.
The formal vehicle name was the Mauck MSV 1120s, where the first "1" stood for the model number, the "12" stood for the wheelbase, and the "0" was intended to refer to option packages. The "s" had no meaning.
Mauck built vehicles in association with Custom Coach Corporation of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio. Celebrities such as Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
and George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
were among those who purchased MSV's as customized after-market vehicles. They had an expensive price tag -- often in excess of $200,000 -- which limited the number of orders. In June 1998 the company was purchased by a group of investors and became known as Advanced Bus Industries.
Over 100 units were built between 1996 and 1999. Many were shipped overseas; others were put into service as micro-buses running municipal routes, often with handicapped access. Cities with MSV's in service included Dayton, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, and San Diego, CA. Those used as commercial buses were typically of the 30 feet (9.1 m) variety, whereas personal vehicles were 25 feet (7.6 m). The MSV was just under 8 feet (2.4 m) tall (with a low-floor configuration that permitted nearly 6.5 feet (2 m) of headroom), and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. Mileage averaged about 10 mpg depending on engine selected, which provided adequate range given the standard 35-gallon tank.
Construction
The MSV was hand-assembled during some 600-hours per unit, constructed of fiberglassFiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
panels and a carbon steel frame. Several frames in the later years were constructed in stainless steel. Engine options included a GM
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
454 cubic-inch 8-cylinder (7.4 L
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
) Vortec mated to a GM 4L80E heavy duty duty truck transmission, or Cummins 6-cylinder 360 cubic-inch (5.9 L) diesel engine mated to an Allison
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
heavy-duty truck transmission. MSV's utilized air suspension
Air suspension
Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an engine driven or electric air pump or compressor. This pump pressurizes the air, using compressed air as a spring. Air suspension replaces conventional steel springs. If the engine is left off for an extended period, the car will settle...
systems, and the vehicle sported gull-wing doors.
In order to keep costs in line, Mauck designed his bus with many off-the-shelf parts sourced from GM, Ford and others. For instance, in addition to having a GM powerplant, MSV's also had GM suspension and brake components, wiring harnesses and access hardware. The rear-end was a Ford 9" with a custom-designed Currie Industries differential. Headlights were lifted from the Ford Aeromax 18-wheeler line, while taillights came from Grand Cherokees of the era, and driving lights from the Dodge Viper. Windshield wipers were from a Toyota Previa. In all, hundreds of parts were 'donated' from other makes and models. Still, in addition to 37 custom exterior fiberglass panels and 13 oversized panes of laminated glass, another 2,700 unique parts were required. GVWR was typically 13,500 pounds, empty weight was generally under 10,000 pounds, though this did vary depending on options and year.
Amenities
Typically, MSV's came with dual climate controls, power windowPower window
Power windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s, power door locks, power brakes
Hydraulic brake
The hydraulic brake is an arrangement of braking mechanism which uses brake fluid, typically containing ethylene glycol, to transfer pressure from the controlling unit, which is usually near the operator of the vehicle, to the actual brake mechanism, which is usually at or near the wheel of the...
, power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
, heated power mirrors, cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
, a reverse camera, and a Street Pilot GPS. A myriad of other creature comforts could be added, including limo-style seating, microwave ovens, coffee-makers, and even a full marine-style bathroom. Quite a few also had satellite tv domes, moon-roofs and onboard generators.
Sources
- FMCA Magazine
- 1999 Mauck Special Vehicles
- Car & Driver Magazine, September, 1997