“ | Two days ago, I saw a vehicle that will haul that tanker . . . You want to get out of here, you talk to me . . . | ” |
– Max (Speaking to the survivors at the oil refinery) |
Cars are characters in the Mad Max Saga. They are vicious, like Max's V8 Interceptor. They are often big and brutal, like the Gigahorse. They are pivotal to the story and none was more pivotal to Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior than the Mack R-600 Coolpower oil tanker.
Technical Specs[]
The truck is a Mack R-600 Coolpower as indicated by an aftercooler mounted to the side of the cylinder head. It used a tip turbine fan to boost and ram air over this aftercooler. It also utilized two air cleaners and sometimes had vertical bar shutters to open and shut in front of the radiator to maintain proper temperature.
The engine could have been either 285, 300, 320, or 350 horsepower, depending on fuel pump, injector, and turbo combinations. The cab model of this truck seemed to date between early 1970 to 1978 based on the old style roof clearance lamps.
Appearances On-Screen[]
A Mack R-600 plays a critical role in the events of Mad Max 2. Max first finds the truck shortly after the events of the opening chase. One of the Marauders' vehicles that had been chasing Max crashes into the truck's trailer.
Afterwards, Max finds that the Mack's fuel tanks are dry and, after making a grim discovery in the truck's cab, he moves on.
Judging by the contents of the trailer when Max finds it, this truck was likely part of a convoy of fleeing survivors. We can presume, based-off of the writing, that it was attacked by Marauders not too different from the ones led by Lord Humungus, perhaps, even by Humungus and his horde.
"The Tanker"[]
Max later returns to the truck in order to recover his own vehicle. With the aid of the Gyro Captain, he returns to the Mack with fuel that he received from the refinery. He manages to get the rig started, and detaches it from its trailer, which appears to contain a variety of household items.
While attempting to return to the refinery, Max drives the truck past the Marauders that surround the refinery. In his attempt to get through, the truck is temporarily disabled by a well-placed shot fired by Humungus at the truck's radiator. Max manages to limp the vehicle back through the gates of the compound.
Final Chase[]
The paraplegic Mechanic and his assistants manage to repair the truck's engine. The truck is attached to the fuel tanker trailer, and is also fitted with a protective metal plate to protect the radiator and cow-catcher-esque front end. The trailer is also modified so that three defenders -- including Warrior Woman -- can ride on it and attempt to fend-off marauders.
When exiting the refinery, Humungus fires what remains of his ammunition at the front of the Mack, but the protective metal plate absorbs the shots.
The marauders continue to harass the tanker as it drives away, shooting out some of the tires in an attempt to slow it down.
The tanker is not stopped until Humungus rams his Nitrous-fueled truck head on into the tanker at high speed. Humungus' truck disintegrates on impact, and although the tanker truck remains in one piece, the impact causes Max to lose control and veer off of the road, the vehicle rolling over on its side in the process.
When it is realized that the tanker was merely a decoy filled with dirt, what remains of the Marauders withdraw.
Dirt[]
Astute viewers of Mad Max 2 will no doubt notice the word "Earth" spray-painted on the driver's side of the tanker cabin. This was a brilliant bit of foreshadowing for the surprise twist at the very end.
After Max and the tanker defenders battle Lord Humungus' Marauders, the tanker is crashed. The mission has failed. Everyone -- all the heroes -- except for Max and the Feral Kid is dead.
This is when we see Max stagger over to the tanker-trailer to discover the truth -- the tanker wasn't filled with precious gasoline, it was filled with dirt. He was a decoy! The violent and vicious battle he just endured -- and survived -- was over nothing more than worthless dirt.
This is hugely significant and, perhaps even, the greatest, most poignant moment of the entire franchise, for, we, through Max's eyes, realize the entire history of the Earth in this one moment boils down to a perpetual war for the Earth, for territory, for soil, for dirt; mankind's entire bloody history has always been about (essentially) one thing -- dirt. Mankind has slaughtered millions throughout the Earth in his conquest over territory -- dirt. The entire human race as of this moment in Max's time and space and for all the survivors of the Apocalypse ("Pox-Eclipse") has been because of dirt!
And the brilliant George Miller told us how this battle would end before it even began.
The Meek and the Vermin[]
In the Holy Bible, the Book of Matthew 5:5 states, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." The survivors who first "owned" the tanker hauler twisted that phrase to read, "The vermin have inherited the Earth." This is a quote from the original script for Mad Max 2 that was used in tandem with a shot from Mad Max for the opening montage. The scene was scrapped, but the line, "The vermin had inherited the Earth" made it into the movie as the writing on the side of the trailer and the tuck.
Ir. A GROUP OF OUTLAW BIKERS . . . . . . leap from a hillside onto the roof of a moving fuel tanker. They pass a hose into the tank. NARRATOR V/O At last, the vermin had inherited the earth.
Max realizes, like the soldiers of history, he was used as fodder. The tanker was filled with the "Earth" for the vermin to inherit because Pappagallo always knew the Marauders would ultimately win the battle, but lose the war.
And so it goes, just like the days before the Fall . . .
Trivia[]
- In the scene where the driver side door is ripped-away, a stunt driver can briefly be seen, this stunt driver changed the gears, instructing Mel Gibson when to clutch and shift on stick.