American LaFrance 700

[cargostar]

Another one of many projects on the bench is a master for an ALF 700 series fire truck. 

The nose contours have been a real  pain but I think I finally have them correct. 

[Jim B]

That's pretty cool.

[Danno]

Looking good.  How soon available?

[GLMFAA1]

There are some shapes that are really hard to get, ten years plus in the making

burner

goes back and forth from front burner to back

greg

[cargostar]

5 hours ago, GLMFAA1 said:

There are some shapes that are really hard to get, ten years plus in the making

burner

goes back and forth from front burner to back

greg

Yeah it’s tough to get right. This is I think the sixth version of the nose. 

[cargostar]

12 hours ago, Danno said:

Looking good.  How soon available?

Not sure. I still have to finish the interior, and build the jumpseat area. 

[GLMFAA1]

The headlight & turn signal bezels from the AMT kit can be used as ALF added some of them on the end of production of the 800's

Scan from Walt McCall book on fire apparatus

greg

[Danno]

10 hours ago, cargostar said:

Not sure. I still have to finish the interior, and build the jumpseat area. 

Well, be sure to keep us posted.  I have enough projects to last a couple of lifetimes, but this is probably a gotta-have.

[cargostar]

One cab step done!

[maxwell48098]

Here are some ALF 700's that I built in the '80's.  Chassis is from ALF 1000 series, with modified 1000 series cabs, and scratch built bodies.  Also used the aerial from that ladder chiel on the MMA quint.

1950 ALF 700 pumper

 

 

1957 ALF 700 Pumper

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2019 by maxwell48098

[Danno]

Wow, A.J.!!!

Those are awesome builds.  I’m jealous!  Great work.  Do you still have them, or are they in a museum?

[Chariots of Fire]

You guys are making me drool!!

[GLMFAA1]

Great 700 collection

greg

[SpreadAxle]

Outstanding work on all of the fire engines shown.

[cch]

Hey! I want to do a 700 conversion on the 1/25 AMT kit. A couple years ago I found a template with dimensions that someone had posted online but I haven’t been able to find it since has anyone seen these drawings to convert the AMT kits to a 700 series cab?

[Chariots of Fire]

It's hard to make that conversion because the shape of the cab is so much different.  Not only does the very front have a slant to it but the sides taper in as well.  Dave is right.  A hard one to master.  Hope you find the drawings.

[Biggu]

OK, I have to ask.................  maybe someone can shed some light on this for me, first off the master for this truck is awesome, but my question is................ why did they build some of these trucks with NO ROOF???? It seems to me that every fire truck I have seen is spotlessly clean, I would think a fire truck  with no roof, would be inherently dangerous ( falling debris) and the fact it would get SO dirty............... what was the theory behind the no roof deal?? I have asked fire fighters  that I know and not one can tell me why this was....  don't meant o hijack your thread, but as there is a photo on this page, I thought maybe one of you guys may know.....

Jeff

[Pete68]

Looking very nice hope I see this in resin. 
 

Jeff that’s a good question I wondered about that myself

[GLMFAA1]

Answer number 1: Years ago a Canadian named Ted Calvin (RIP) made the 700 cab from the AMT ALF cab. His 'how to' was published in the GLMFAA newsletter.

One section missing is the window frame template.

Answer number 2: Open cab fire apparatus goes all the way back to the first horse drawn equipment to the first motorized apparatus. Enclosed cabs came to existence in the 1930's with the Detroit fire department safety cab. Open cabs stayed in use until the 60's when rioting showed the need to protect the firefighters. Open cabs wer a fire department preference due to clear visibility when approaching the fire scene. freer movement about the cab. Probably some 'macho' mixed in there being firefighters that could fight all elements.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year

greg

Edited January 2, 2021 by GLMFAA1
grammer

[Chariots of Fire]

To answer Jeff Robinson's question:  The open cab concept is a carry over from the days of horse and wagon and with the idea that it would be faster for the crew to get in place.   It was also thought that there would be no visual hinderance to spotting apparatus at the fire ground.   It was popular in many departments up until the time of the riots of the 1970's when many departments, especially in the larger cities ended up retrofitting many open cab apparatus with all sorts of things ranging from plywood to sheet metal to fiberglass.  To continue on the safety theme it became SOP via NFPA guidelines to have all firefighters seated and in an enclosed area.  Hence the closed cab and four door apparatus that you see today.  The fire service over the years had been very traditional and not particularly open to some innovation but that has all changed.  What you see today is also a reflection of European influence on design and safety.

And thank you, Greg for posting the how to on making a 700 cab.  I'm saving that info!?

I didn't mean to steal Greg's thunder.  I completely missed his answer No. 2 above!!  We're essentially on the same page.   

Edited January 3, 2021 by Chariots of Fire

[Biggu]

Thanks, Charles, that makes perfect sense, now I finally understand, it just seemed to me a rather dangerous prospect to have an open cab...... I get it now... I have a good buddy who is a firefighter in Calgary Alberta, and he said he used to ride in the open back of a  Ford C cab, in winter he said it was BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH cold !  Again sorry for any highjack, this is all very interesting.............  Thanks again, I will now go back to my seat and watch quietly...  Jeff