American LaFrance was a U.S. manufacturer of fire prevention and recovery apparatus, which included fire trucks like this cab-over from 1963. The company’s roots date to 1873 and the final remnants of the firm disappeared in 2014. We don’t know much about the seller’s public servant other than it was running when it entered the barn about five years ago. Dormant ever since, this “ALF” is in Clinton, Maine, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for the discounted price of $2,000 (it was $2,500).
Fire trucks were not ALF’s only business, as they also produced rescue vehicles such as ambulances. Operations began in Elmira, New York and eventually ended up in Summerville, South Carolina after a stint in Canada, as well. We don’t know what the next owner of this vehicle might do with it, though donating it to the North Charleston Fire Museum and Educational Center (South Carolina) is one option. Some 20 functional ALF vehicles are said to be a part of that collection.
The history of this big red rig isn’t mentioned but it may be complete and could be in decent condition after living in the dark for half of a decade. Its ladders are included in the deal so perhaps everything is there to be of service again one day (though unlikely: more modern stuff is out there that’s not 60 years old). The seller is no doubt having trouble finding a new home for this ALF as it’s already been up for sale for more than three months. If you managed to get this thing home with you, what would you do with it?
See, the thing about old fire engines is, they were basically good for one thing, fighting fires. They rarely transfer over to anything useful after that. This, I read, and I’m far from an expert on fire engines, but this wonderful machine makes me seem like one, is I think a closed cab 900 series, and has a Continental 6 cylinders gas motor of about 330 HP. It was also available with a Detroit diesel and probably one of the most recognizable fire engines from our youth. The fire engine siren had a unique sound, and summoned us to grab our bikes and see what’s burning. Hopefully not your house. I’m not really sure what you’d do with it.
Can you imagine your water bill to fill the thing up?
Once upon a time I had one of these. I found a use for it a couple of times. It was parked in my back yard and there was a hydrant next door. I had someone I was doing some testing for. One time I went to fill up and someone called the cops. They confiscated a few items and said don’t let it happen again. It did I made sure it was late night.
It was nice to have for a while, but I am very glad to finally sell/
Way back in the day when New York state was a manufacturing giant. It was called “The Empire State” for a reason.
To get $2000.00 for this, it will need to run and pump water. Especially one like this,which is more of a pumper (distributes water from a hydrant, rather than a pond like a wildland unit). Sad to say, if it can’t do that, it is probably destined for scrap. Hopefully they can at least do get it running and pumping or no one else will.
Vehicles like this are fun until you need a critical part that is no longer available. I have seen older fire apparatus put out of service for a NLA drag link, a carburetor or a windshield, etc. Sometimes, you can substitute other parts to get them going, but it’s hit and miss (we substituted a $3K Rockwell rear axle on one apparatus, as an OEM replacement axle was $12K and a months-long lead time). Joining SPAAMFAA would help- it’s like a car club for owners of old fire apparatus. I have seen these American LaFrance “Century” pumpers turned into car haulers, mobile barbecue units and excursion vehicles. If you retain it as a functioning fire apparatus, then use it. Sitting stationary is the enemy of these- valves seize, orings get hard, rust starts to form on linkages, etc. There’s a reason that fire departments pull the apparatus out daily and test/exercise every function. And when they don’t, that’s when they would call me to arrange a large repair bill- nothing is inexpensive on a fire apparatus. Finally, check state/Federal laws about needing a Commercial Driver’s License. This vehicle may have a GVWR high enough to require one.
Operated one of these when I was a professional Ff Yonkers NY. These rigs could take a beating and still perform. The large cap you see on the side is a steamer port intake that would connect to the large port on the hydrant…. and yes you drafted water from a pond or the Hudson River using the same port. Being a centrifugal pump it is probably made by Hale.
Looks like ALF’s Twin Flow pump.
A proud old fire engine is something I’ve always wanted front and center on my acreage property for years. Finding one is not the issue, Moving it from one place to the next is the problem. Even if it runs and drives in almost every circumstance, the tires are 30+ years old, of course have been outside that entire time = too risky to move on them. Too expensive to justify replacement, so that rules out the possibility of having it towed with a large hook truck. That leaves only the lowboy equipment hauler = big $$.
We may likely have eclipsed into a time that it might be impossible to find someone willing to pick this up for free for scrap value. It’s quite likely the owner might actually have to pay $$ To see this down the road. Very sad……….
Having lots of friends who are apparatus collectors, that is absolutely NOT entirely true. You can get decent used tires for that for about a 1/3 -1/4 of what new ones would cost. Part ARE available, especially from places like NAPA!!! Only issue with that it, you need to get someone who knows how to look up and cross reference part numbers that aren’t in the computer!!
nice
Well- I have a rather unimaginative use for it- I’d use it as a Fire Engine. I lost three buildings full of tools, parts, motorcycles, etc., and 8 vehicles because the local fire department consists of the fire prevention version of Keystone Cops. I do not exaggerate. The only reason the main house didn’t burn down is because civilians formed a bucket brigade. If I’d had this I could have drawn water out of either of two ponds and saved most of it. Also an awesome Parade rig. Price is cheap- but it’s on the opposite coast. Not happening.
It’s a major heartbreaker, seeing these once fearless sentinels put out to pasture. I sure hope that it finds a good home and even if it’s relagated to parades and displays it will serve a purpose once again.
Our car club was once tasked with the restoration of a ’47 Open-Cab version. I can remember when it was still in use before it cracked a head. The original V-12 Lycoming engine was pulled out to get rebuilt and it somehow disappeared. Not much to do except install a substitute so an SBC 350 was set in place. Well, it gets the truck from one show to another but it will never be an active fire fighter again. At least it looks nice…
If that’s the same one I’m thinking of, I know someone who knows about that. Katrina Falk. She was not happy about because her crew was supposed to be the ones doing the rebuild, and they never received it at their V-12 rebuild shop.
I would remove the pump and cut the back off behind the cab and turn it into a roll back for hot rods
That’s another good use and has been don, although the frame would need stretched. This was a formerly a Seagrave Ladder https://www.pinterest.com/pin/297659856617082249/
Here’s another one: https://www.reddit.com/r/FireTrucks/comments/qpf885/lindenhurst_former_ladder_truck_which_was_turned/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=0-fUDOILqXA
Another one: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/297659856617082249/ All of these are on longer wheelbase ladder truck chassis.
Here’s something that takes repurposing to a new level. It isn’t a rollback but it’s still well done.