I bought a Fire Truck

[Paystar]

I just bought a fire truck, LOL Why? Well when I was a kid I started out driving many Ford dump trucks with Detroit Diesel power. 6-71, 6V53, 8V53, 8V71. I don't know ANYTHING about fire trucks.
But when I saw the chance to save a 1980 Ford L9000 from getting trashed I bid on it.
My plan was originally to pull the body and put a flatbed on it to haul my antique tractors because I just wanted a cool old Ford. But once I saw it, I don't have the heart to take it apart. So it will be preserved as is.
It has 162,000 KM (100,662 miles) and is powered by a 6V92TA Detroit Diesel with an Allison automatic.
Everything works, and it was still in service, it just now aged out to be re-certified as a front line pumper.
What a sound going down the highway!! Reminded me of why I'm deaf after a life of driving 2 stroke Detroit's and trucks with straight pipes.

 

[Paystar]

Now I just have to figure out how to work it all, LOL
The fire chief gave me a quick lesson when we pumped off the tank but I'm still lost, LOL

 

[RjCorazza]

I would be happy to help out with any questions you may have.
To start off, do NOT run the pump for an extended period without water actually flowing (either out of a discharge, or recirculating to the tank). It will burn up the pump.
That is a sweet looking engine!

 

[Midniteoyl]

Alright, now *that* is cool as hell..

I see many parades in your future

 

[MossRoad]

Nice!

Nothing would bring my friends and me running down the block faster than a fire truck on a run down the highway. That detroit sound + sirens! Wooo!!!

And yes, get some hearing protection. Just a few decades back they started requiring the firemen to wear it in the trucks. Many had lost a good portion of their hearing.

 

[MossRoad]

Just a question.... I see you're up north. Do you have to drain things to prevent freezing and breakage?

 

[EddieWalker]

My previous neighbor bought an older fire truck that wasn't running, but the tank and pumps worked. He modified it into a trailer that he ran off of the PTO of his tractor and parked it next to his burn pile when he lit it. I think he said it held 1,000 gallons of water.

Having a fully operational fire truck would be great peace of mind when burning debris in the pasture!!!!

 

[JohnP3616]

My daughter works with special education kids at the elementary school. It would be so much fun pulling up and giving them, and all the other kids, rides in that. Too cool. Okay, I’m starting to get a little jealous.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Oooohhh that is cool! I'm surprised to see it still has the old Dayton wheels. I figured they would have been required to upgrade those.

 

[ruffdog]

Just a question.... I see you're up north. Do you have to drain things to prevent freezing and breakage?

Maybe run some RV antifreeze through there?

 

[D&D]

My plan was originally to pull the body and put a flatbed on it to haul my antique tractors because I just wanted a cool old Ford. But once I saw it, I don't have the heart to take it apart. So it will be preserved as is.

Well, add a trailer hitch and use it to pull your antique tractors instead Be a trendsetter

 

[QRTRHRS]

Some Detroit Diesel stories.

I drove several trucks with DD's including a couple of GMC 9500 day cabs. One was particularly horrible. For one, it had a 318 with the 50 injectors (I think) so it was a gutless wonder. With twin stacks mounted to the cab rather than the frame, it was horrible. I stuck around about a month.

I used to get my doors blown off of my F model Mack with a 318 (Big injectors, loud) by this Astro 95 with a V12 Detroit. That thing would run.

LOL, I was cruising along in North Carolina one time. I come up on a cabover along the road with the cab jacked up, two guys working on the Detroit. They had a head off, likely swallowed a valve. No service truck around so I guess that they carried parts with them just in case...

 

[dodge man]

Awwwww, now I want a fire truck!. I think after a while I’d convert it to what you bought it for unless you have some use for it as is. I think the cool factor of owning a fire truck will wear off.

 

[civilian]

We live 3/8 of a mile off the dirt road 8 miles from the local volunteer fire dept. No hydrants around my area, but there is a sizeable creek about a mile down the road from me, but no permament stand pipe. And we were having trouble getting a water well for the house build. Was thinking we would have to truck in water for domestic use. Having a working fire truck for domestic water plus the benefit of using it for a fire would be a plus. Luckily we finally hit water after 5 attempts of drilling. Jon

 

[Bad Boy Biker]

Great to save it. But it looks like an Engine not like a Truck.

 

[D&D]

Great to save it. But it looks like an Engine not like a Truck.

“pumper truck”

 

[Bad Boy Biker]

Engine.

 

[MossRoad]

Rabbit season
Duck season

 

[MossRoad]

A fire engine has a pump and a fire truck has ladders.

I don't see any ladders.

So engine it is I guess.

But don't both have an engine under the hood and sit on a truck chassis?

Anyhow....

Big red loud machine... life is good.

 

[Paystar]

My previous neighbor bought an older fire truck that wasn't running, but the tank and pumps worked. He modified it into a trailer that he ran off of the PTO of his tractor and parked it next to his burn pile when he lit it. I think he said it held 1,000 gallons of water.

Having a fully operational fire truck would be great peace of mind when burning debris in the pasture!!!!

I was going to do that, call my home insurance company and ask them what me discount is now that the fire dept is in my driveway, LOL