Well ... I got hit up about helping with another project yesterday, and I could not say no !! I dont know if this is the proper place or not, but I just wanted to share!! Here goes the long story !! My Dad worked as a mechanic for the City here from the late 40's to the mid 70's. He was also a volunteer fireman for about 20 of those years. When I was about 10 or so, I spent a summer helping him "tidy up" this old fire truck for our Fire Department. This truck was used in parades for about 10 years afterwards, and was then donated to our museum, where it has been for about 25 years or so. I have been a volunteer on this same department for about 12 years now. The museum board wants to get the truck out and get it running and "paradeable" again. I couldnt pass it up. Best we can remember, it is a 1929 Chevrolet. I looked at it in a rush and took these pics. The engine still turns over by hand !!! The hopes are to get it going for our parade in late August, and then possibly paint it over the Winter/Spring/Summer. Geeze .... I am so stoked !!!!!!
The Old Girl deserves to be able to "Strut Her Stuff" again. This is a part of History and Heritage. Think of all the Younger People who will delight in seeing this vehicle roll down the streets again and again. You are Fortunate to be a part of the Resurrection......... Jeff
I volunteer at our local department and I only wish we had an old engine to restore or use in our parade. Good on you for stepping up. That engine is worthy
The Wiliamston Fire Dept restored a couple of early trucks and use one for riding kids during the Spring Water Festival & Car Show every year. It doesn't hurt that several of the Firemen are restorers & hot rodders. HRP
Painkiller .... Unfortunately no. I lost my Dad in '92. That is why I thought it would be fun to take this on. My son is now 11, and has an interest in anything old, fast, or loud. Combine the old, fast, and loud together and he is really hooked !! I told him about this firetruck, and the story of me helping my Dad on it when I was about 8 or 9 years old, and now my son wants to start on it RIGHT NOW !!! We have already made arrangements to go down tomorrow afternoon and play around with it and see if it will run !!! The radiator has been drained, fuel drained, engine and transmission oil drained before it was stored in the museum. When I looked at it Thursday evening, I was able to turn the engine with the fan !! So far, we have all fluids, 6 volt battery, some fuel hoses, and misc. wiring in hand just to see if it will do something !!!!
What color are you going to paint it ? (Ok, bad joke ) Looks very solid and complete, you should be able to get it running pretty easily I would think. Nice back story on it too. Don
Thanks Don !! It really is pretty solid from what little bit I looked at it. The fun part may be trying to find the correct gauges and accessories to go on it. They are already talking about a hand cranked siren and the flashing lights that should have been on it and stuff like a ladder, hose and nozzles, and extinguishers !!
I was a volunteer ff for 27 years with terms as training officer, ass't chief, & fire chief. one of my fellow ff's rebuilt his 54 Ford F100 panel to re-create our 1st ambulance. its now in an area of our garage that's all windows. also in the garage we have piece of the World Trade Ctr. suggestion for the bed: I always see benches built in, but the back rest is against the outside edge so people have to turn around to wave. I always told myself if I took on something like that, I would build the benches down the middle facing outwards. congrats on taking on the job, post pic's when you're done. I'd love to see them.
Several years ago we lost a great guy,Will Drake who was a volunteer fireman his whole life,a fellow club member for nearly 30 years and a NSRA Rep for South Carolina. Will help restore the fire truck that took him for his final ride. Experiencing the final call was...there were no dry eyes. This was Wills car that his wife still drives. HRP
Some good stories here !! I have been to some of those Final Calls ...... They are quite awakening for sure!! But ..... If we didnt volunteer, who would?? We went yesterday and messed with it a little bit. We need to clean the fuel tank and lines, and the fuel pump isnt pumping. We put a battery on it, messed with a few wires, and got it to spin over. Then we filed the points and dumped a little fuel in the carb, and it ran !! It didnt run long, but at least it did run !!!
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