I apologize if someone else has already posted this. I stumbled across an add for this giant V12 for sale incredibly cheap and figured someone here might have some project this would work for... http://guelph.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...Seagrave-Fire-Truck-Engine-W0QQAdIdZ252733138
why are people so quick to scrap stuff? that motor is a piece a guy like me would build a car or truck around.
It's not a 900 CID engine, it's a smaller 1955 vintage 531. The engine was replaced in the truck as often was the case in the early service life of the truck. Feel free to email me any questions on Seagrave v-12 engines. Ed
I think Pierce Arrow also used the Continentals. Working at a city we have two of those in older American LaFrance and Buffalo pumpers. Gas engines using dual dizzies one as the primary and the second as a backup for protection. Great engines
No, Pierce Arrow NEVER used a Continental engine. The small v-12 seagrave went through 4 generations, but was basicly the same engine. The 900 CID motor was made by seagrave, according to literature at the time.
I cannot find the ad on Kijiji. Does anyone know if the engine was sold? What was the price? I am not far from Guelph! Thank you, Jack
Listen to this guy; he has it right. I know because I have a 468 CI V12 Pierce derived engine in my '48 Seagrave Quad. When I got it, and found out it was derived from the early 30's Pierce Arrow V12, I did a lot of research. My truck has 4100 actual miles (23,000 on the pump meter), and runs great. Idles down to 350 RPM, and it can be started (when it's warm), with one turn of the hand crank. Won a lot of beers at car shows betting with guys who didn't understand the value of dual distributors and 4 coils. I wish I could find another good one for $300. I visualize a Bonneville car (don't know if the have a class for it though)
A Pierce Arrow enthusiast teamed up with A.J. Foyt and ran a Pierce Arrow at Bonneville with a V12 and Pierce Arrow chassis. I believe the body was a carbon fiber knock off of an original `32 P-A coupe.
Yup.... AJ didn't want to run it so he stuck his foot in it and blew it up before he made the first official pass. It was run out of texas by a guy named Dee Howard.
Where was this $300 V12? I see things like that I call and buy. The other night I went and bought an engine an hour away at 10:00 at night. Hey you don't see $40 odd fires that often round these parts
A buddy of mine has this one out behind his garage, rusting away. I's been there for going on twenty years, so it doesn't look quite as good as the picture. If someone could use it I think he'd give it away..
I have the same truck but without the rear crew compartment. It was built to Royal Canadian Air Force Specs in 1953. It is rusty but all there. I am developing plans to put the V12 in a 1947 Monarch 4DR (CDN version of the Mercury) with from cowl forward stretched 12inches and bolted to an F250 frame for pwr steering etc. I hope it is big enough to handle the wt. Another option is to use enough of the Seagrave frame to accommodate the length on engine & rad and then modify for the rear axel car frame pushup. Then buy a suitable heavyu duty rack for pwr satering and duisc brakes etc. The pump is also all there and valuable for the metal alone. Anyone neeed a Seagrave Pump out of a 5Ton pumper?
Terry: Ya better check availablty of parts for any Seagrave engine ,kinda related to hen's teeth. And priced if you can find them like soild gold hen's teeth.
I know, but the stuff is out there. Besides I don't need to drive it much...mostly just look at it and start it once and awhile. Thanks for the reply. Terry
The Pierce V12 was one running machine. It looked like a real tycoon's scooter but Ab Jenkins set a record at Bonneville, 127 MPH AVERAGE FOR 24 HOURS in 1933. To put this in perspective, at the time Rolls Royce was warning their customers not to run their cars flat out for more than 5 miles or they would blow their motor. Rolls Royce top speed, 90 MPH. Mercedes Benz straight eight supercharged, 102 MPH but they warned their customers not to run with supercharger engaged for more than 2 minutes. It took a special supercharged Duesenberg double overhead cam straight eight to beat the Pierce Arrow record, also driven by Jenkins. If you wanted to go after the flathead record at Bonneville you could do a lot worse.
Seagraves fire engines were a great item..our volunteer dep't had 3 of them , new in 1958. As I recall, the factory rep said they built every piece of their vehicles, except hoses, nozzles and lights. Someone mentioned a "Buffalo" pumper,...one of those Seagraves replaced the 1941 Buffalo they had since new. That v12 would make a really cool project, and definitely a one-off ! Ditto, Pierce Arrow <built in Buffalo N.Y.> not using Continental engines... 4TTRUK
Hi, I was out of town at the Pierce Arrow meet. Just got back. I don't have the info here at work, but will get it to you in the next day or so. If it won't fire there are several common errors on the ignition set up. Also, the fly wheel is not indexed, thus you can put it on in the wrong spot...... 5 of them, as well as napa points that look the same but will not fire the plugs. What problem are you having? The cam lobe in the distributor is adjustible and not fixed, which also causes problems. Please give details. Ed
Just started working on a 46 that we just re-aquired. The truck used to belong to the city then took a vacation , the guy that owned it passed away and his family donated it back to us.
I used to work on a 100 foot ladder truck that had a Seagraves engine in it. One night a drunk asked why we were why we advertising Seagrums Whiskey on our fire truck. Sure wish I cold find a small V12 to put in my Model A.
The Lincoln is a small V12. The Pierce-Arrow/Seagrave V12 would weigh about as much as a complete Model A. jack vines
The owner of Bendsten Transmissions in Ham Lake Minnesota has a '30 Model A with 1941 Seagrave V12 flathead, a 700R4 trans, suicide doors and Frank Lynn racing differential. Pretty freakin' cool too. You wouldn't believe the crowds it draws at car shows.
Gawd what a monster ! I don't care what it's roots are--its neat ! I am glad to see there is enough interest to keep this alive. Wasn't Ab Jenkins powered by a Liberty ?
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