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50 Ford City Service Ladder truck


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Ok. been a while since have been at the bench spilling the glue... but I'm back with time and have three projects going. This on started out as a Yat Ming 38 Ford pumper that I took the razor saw to. I had used all the parts from it for other projects and was left with a white over red die cast shell. I had the revell 50 Ford f-1 sitting in the box waiting for a project and though ... would it fit... yes it does. all I did was open up the wheel wells a little. So this build starts with a frame and only the rear fenders of the Yat ming Die cast and a plastic 50 Ford cab. the rest is scratch.

I decided to make this a shop built City service truck with a shorter wheelbase than most. it will have a deluge gun for the big fires and maybe a 500 GPM pump. A city service ladder truck was a Fire truck that carried all the same ground ladders as a aerial truck but did not have an aerial device (the big mechanical 65 to 100 ft ladder) anyway on to the eye candy.

the start you can see the other die cast 38 ford in the back. it is like the one i cut up for this project.

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The mock up. you can see the wheel well needs cut and I used a ladder bed from another build to get an idea of what to make...

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The new ladder bed complete (sorry I forgot more in progress shots.)

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The wheel well is opened up and everything is primed. now time for bondo and sanding... you can see the big flood lights that will be added to her latter.

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I'm really liking all this rear overhand of the ladders......

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Got a lot of work done... Might be done in time for the NNL East.... all body work is done and test fit complete.... So a nice spring day and everything has paint... Color is Krylon Cherry red.. (perfect match for the old American La France red. I also built up a Deluge Gun and an intake so this rig can be used as a Battle wagon at major fires...... Copper paint is Railroad floquil...

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The inspector checking out the work and paint job.....

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Rims are painted and tires mounted

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Search light mock up

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Edited by chrismooney
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Well the Ford Cab had early demise........ LOL this ladder is now getting a 46 Chevy Cab... I had to open the wheel wells also on this one. I Loved the ford cab but i also think the Chevy cab make the truck look sleeker and give it some better lines.... onto the eye candy.

This is as far as i got with the Ford.....

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The New Chevy cab......

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Edited by chrismooney
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The cut fenders were used on heavier trucks to provide room for larger wheels, GM didn't use a longer wider hood / fenders on the larger trucks until the 1947/48 Advanced design body style. The SFFD canteen truck in the second photo is only a 1 ton with dual rear wheels.

The 1 ton trucks used a very similar appearing split rim wheel, but only 17" diameter, not 20" or 22" as on the 1 1/2 ton and larger trucks. In a photo it is hard to see the difference in wheel size but side by side you would see it.

The service truck is looking very nice, and I love the Art Deco Chevy, but what fate befell the Ford?

Edited by Aaronw
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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok some progress was made this week... The Chevy cab is complete with the exception of a hood repaint. And from the looks of it the cab paint came out is a little darker than the body due to unknow problems with the Krylon paint. ( used the same color same can same primer) ..... But oh well Photos to follow

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OK.. Hood is painted just needs a rub out in a few days when dry. Then onto the gold leaf painter (decals) and equipment mounting then shell be in service.

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The grill was stripped of chrome with bleach and painted flat black.. I then Bare Metal Foiled the grill.. let me know if you think it looks better...

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This is coming along very nicely. I prefer using artists oils to blacken the grill, but your method looks good to me.

As far as the paint mismatch between the body and cab the old remount excuse always works. It was not at all uncommon for an older body to get mounted on a new chassis. The New Jersey Forest Service has some truck bodys built in the 1930s that saw use on progressively newer trucks for 50 or 60 years.

One minor thing on the grill, if you look at 1-1 trucks, the grill has a body color strip between the upper horizontal bars, and lower vertical bars, it is not an opening ( the bit just below the part that says Chevrolet).

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