Sometimes there are ads with a low number of images and information. Here are two such finds for your consideration: Is there a roofer, house painter, or a gutter installer that could use a truck with a working ladder? Listed here on craigslist in St. Louis, Missouri is this 1982 Spartan 50′ ladder truck for $4K or possibly a trade.
This ad is short on information, but we do know that this Spartan Fire Truck has a 330 Detroit V-8 with an automatic transmission. The owner says that everything on the truck is in working order and there are good tires on the rig. We have posted the only images that were provided with the ad. Please contact the seller if you have questions or wish to see more images.
The 2nd one for today is much lower to the ground, but is not bagged or a low-rider. Listed here on craigslist St. Louis, Missouri is a 1974 Triumph TR6 priced at $4K. The seller says it runs well.
We see a few small rust spots, so this one could turn out to be a nice driver with minimal work. We would remove the ugly 5-mph bumper add-ons ASAP.
The seller asks you to call for details and directions to see the car and many vintage salvage items that are also for sale. So if you have $4K that “needs” to be spent and you want a running rig which one of these is for you? The unpractical but great looking fire engine or the fun but still unpractical TR6? You could have fun with either of these finds, but which one looks like the most fun to you?
Motor-on,
Robert
Hey, before you call the fire truck impractical just think, you could start your own tree trimming & gutter cleaning service. (Most people with two story houses have never cleaned their gutters themselves)
It funny you would think that someone could re-purpose it but I have seen many running fire trucks sold by municipalities but I’ve never seen one on the road.
That is super cheap for a rig like that fire truck. The ladders are probably worth the asking price.
For a running, driving, licensed fire truck $4K is a steal, especially with that great paint, all that chrome, and that big ladder. But but what are you going to do with it, other than maybe flipping it to a city that needs one but is short on cash?
OK flippers, here’s one for you.
But seriously, It’s looking like a scam listing to me. $4K? Really?
That fire truck would be a godsend for a rural fire dept. with willing volunteers but little cash!
Well, the biggest problem I see with the fire truck, is the poor excuse for a motor. Anybody that’s sat behind (or above) a V-8 Detroit,( or any 2 cycle Detroit, for that matter) knows what I mean. The TR6 is awful tempting. Just shows, when the time comes, there should be one out there for me. TR6 is a great deal, no matter what it needs, ( besides a better ad)
I own and operate over a dozen Detroits. In the current world of non rebuild able engines that require specialized electronics to run……the last diesel running on the planet will be a Detroit. They are a little short on fuel economy but they always start and run. Everything is cheep to rebuild, replacement parts are being built on every continent. They have fewer moving parts than any 4 stroke. The blowers whine at high RPM but the idea that these are a high RPM engine is silly. Some are set to run a few hundred RPM higher than a comparable 4 stroke but I have over 20,000 hours on a generator in one of my tugs. It purrs along at 1200 RPM and has never failed to run in 30 years. As for power, I have a 500KW generator that runs on a 12V71 turbocharged engine. That is close to 1000 HP at peak.
You can convert the truck to a car hauler. Would cost about 2.00 per mile to transport.
It’s a puzzle, in today’s paper it says they are making a case for a new truck, but appear to still be using it and don’t mention it’s still for sale.
http://www.stegenherald.com/community/schwent-makes-case-for-new-ladder-truck-for-ste-gen/article_60a45f84-b55d-584a-b377-9be919164248.html
“Ste. Genevieve Fire Chief Mick Schwent stands behind (literally, not figuratively) Unit 7142, his department’s 30-year-old ladder truck, whose age and increasing disrepair, he argues, make it a danger to firefighters and the community—and require a replacement whose cost could top $600,000.”
Do they know it’s advertised for sale, and so cheap?
It was put out of service in April, actually, here it is fighting its last fire.
The Chief’s story details all the problems with the truck, and there are many…
…yet in the Craigslist ad “everything works great!” Hahaha! 😂😃😄 classic…
A friend has one and he converted it to a car hauler for his cars. Put stickers all over it with a ramp back.
A fire truck that is 30 years old, and has served the community well would In fact be used up. If the town leaders would have been budgeting for a replacement all the years this has been in service they would have there money for a new one. As for the truck and equipment on it I have to ask, would you trust your life to go 50′ into the air on a mechanical ladder. A failure like that might be fatal. When this truck gets decommissioned equipment like that should be removed and destroyed. The basic truck platform is ok to sell to be refitted for another use. If it were mine I’d strip off all the fire equipment and rig it up to pull trailers. You then have a truck with an enormous cab that can take a whole group of people. It could be used for both personal hauling or commercial hauling. It’s that or junk it.
When you look at a TR6 you have to wounder what the Triumph corporate leaders were think when the came out with the Tr7. It must have gone something like this, let’s take our much loved car and make it as ugly as possible. They must not have wanted to stay in business any more. The car in this ad is something that if I had the means to buy right now I’d be bidding. It looks like a workable project, and fairly priced, I hope it goes to someone who will keep it, restore it, enjoy it and them make sure it goes to someone that will do the same.
A local guy who just lost his job bought a rig like this and is using it to string up Christmas lights for those with tall houses or commercial places with large trees. He reports that he’s so busy he can’t keep up. Also that he keeps a lot of candy in the truck because everywhere he stops kids and their big kid parents stop to look and crawl into the firetruck. Everyone loves a firetruck when it’s not at a fire.
How am i to get that truck to the UK. Shipping would probably be more than the truck.