Diverse is certainly a word that best describes the offerings that we see here at Barn Finds. This 1949 American LaFrance Pumper is no exception. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Santa Barbara, California, and is offered with a clear title. Bidding on this old classic has reached $1,250 at the time of writing.
A bit of detective work has allowed me to confirm that this vehicle is a 700-Series Pumper. These were produced by American LaFrance between 1947 and 1959. The cab design for the 700 was revolutionary, as the cab-forward design allowed an increase in forward visibility over its predecessor of an astounding 250%. This 700 looks to be in quite good condition. The body appears to be straight, with only a few minor dings around the front of the cab. Certainly restoring the vehicle to its original glory shouldn’t present too many challenges.
The interior of any firefighting appliance is purely functional, with little consideration being given to creature comforts. Interior trim is always hard-wearing, allowing it to cope with the dirt, soot, and moisture that is such a major part of firefighting. The interior of this 700 is largely in good condition, but the cover on the driver’s seat is badly torn. Sourcing a replacement shouldn’t be a problem as there are a number of historic groups that specialize in maintenance and spares for the American LaFrance.
Unfortunately, we don’t get any engine shots, and this is a huge disappointment for me. The 700-Series could be fitted with any one of four different V12 engines, and a lack of photos makes it virtually impossible to determine which of these engines it could be. The engines were all a work of art, and all featured double-redundancy for the ignition system. This meant that each engine featured two distributors, four ignition coils, and two spark plugs per cylinder. That gave these 12-cylinder engines 24 spark plugs. The engine on this vehicle doesn’t currently run, but the seller seems to believe that the issue may be associated with the battery and the twin carburetors.
If you were to buy this American LaFrance, what would you do with it? There’s no doubt that you could dismantle the rear of the vehicle and transform it into a camper. It could also be used as a mobile pumping service to empty dams, ponds or swimming pools. Personally, I’d like to see someone restore it and either show it at truck shows or display it in a motoring museum for people to appreciate and enjoy.
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