Unless you are an absolute savant like the three of us were as kids, chances are pretty solid that the first vehicle you could name without any provocation whatsoever was “fire truck!” Why is that? Once they are talking, in short order, every little kid I’ve known immediately gravitates towards a gigantic fire rig as their favorite vehicle of the moment…and for most, that usually ends when they get an earful of the “MOVE” horn as a truck on a call blasts through an intersection. But some kids grow up still dreaming of the day when they get to turn that massive steering wheel and scare traffic half to death. Most go about it the right way and become firefighters. Then you have others who wait for older fire engines to go up for auction. Or, if you still have the itch to drive a big fire rig yourself, you can plunk down a couple grand and drive this 1971 American LaFrance home to the absolute horror of your significant other as your kids proceed to worship the ground you walk on.
At least you’ll be driving it home for your $2,500. The neighbors might not appreciate the sound of a Detroit Diesel filling the air, but they’ll learn to love it…you hope. In fact, everything should be okie-dokey with this particular truck outside of the pump…that may or may not work. But we reiterate: you’re getting a running, driving fire truck for $2,500. If the water pump you probably shouldn’t be using is a deal-breaker, then we don’t know what to tell you.
At the worst, you’re getting a novelty that can be sold on or, if it craps out on you, will pull quite a bit of that investment back when you send it to the yard. At the best, imagine driving your kids to school in this. How long would it take for the staff to freak out? And speaking of freaking out…has anybody heard from Lohnes lately?
Craigslist Link: 1971 American LaFrance Type 900 pumper
cut the body just past the cab and make a car hauler..
My dad was a fireman when I was little, so I spent a good amount of my childhood playing around in the fire hall when nobody else was there. Still kinda wish I was still a so I could do it again. Good times….good times.
Yeah….”kid” is supposed to go between “a” and “so” up there….LOL
My six year old son would go absolutely bonkers over the possibility of a father and son Seattle to Atlanta road trip in a fire truck.
My wife would go bonkers too, but in the opposite way.
Oh the possibilities
Saw one of these on EBAY a couple of years ago that was made into a hauler. really sharp,lots of polished diamond plate,lots of money!!