Topless American LaFrance Engine

[Danno]

This is the oldest build I have. Like many, I built as a child, I built as a teenager, I built as a young adult, then resumed the hobby again later in life ... with gaps between each of those periods of building.

This is the only model I have from any of my earlier eras. There are many of you who post here that probably weren't even born yet: this model was built in 1977. It's been damaged a couple of times and restored, but never rebuilt or updated. What you see is how it was finished 33 years ago!

It is an AMT American LaFrance 900 Series pumper built to replicate the 1969 ALF 900 that I trained on as a young firefighter. It was built with the materials and supplies available at that time, including enamel paint, silver trim paint - no BMF, and no photoetch or resin aftermarket parts. I cut the roof off to replicate our open cab engine. The door markings were created by trimming out each individual letter from the kit's decal sheet and arranging them one at a time on the model.

The hose lay was created with shoe laces of proper size. The booster reel lines were replicated with red-insulated single conductor electrical wire. It has various appliances, extinguishers, and tools from kits or scratched; all to replicate the equippage on the actual engine.

I've long entertained the idea of building a new version ~~ a build with the advantages of all the new technology ~~ just to kind of demonstrate the 'then vs now' advances in modeling. Who knows?

[Modelmartin]

That is not a bad build at all.

[John Teresi]

Wow Dan......you have a really unique talent for building community state vehicles .......Awesome!.......totally Awesome!!!!!!

[Modelsbyroni]

VERY NICE.

[Scale-Master]

Very cool vintage work there Dan. So does this mean you are about to start building again?

[Danno]

Thanks for the props, guys. John, you are way too generous! Coming from you, that's QUITE a compliment!

Start building again, Mark? There may be a rumor to that effect, but no one's been able to prove it. Now that I'm semi-retired (or something similar), it might just happen. Stay tuned.

[Railfreak78]

That's a great looking firetruck Dan. Being your a retired fire fighter I sure hope you don't take offense to the one I brought to the project table Any hoot nice ways to come up with details since the build is a year older than me.

[Danno]

That's a great looking firetruck Dan. Being your a retired fire fighter I sure hope you don't take offense to the one I brought to the project table Any hoot nice ways to come up with details since the build is a year older than me.

See there? I said the d@#g thing was older than some of our modelers!! Jeeez, it's even older than the Moonlight Modelers Club by two years! LOL.

No offense taken by your (ahem) pink glitter firetruck. It takes a sense of humor to survive a career of emergency service. Don't forget my Coddington County Fire Rod; I would have no room to complain!

[Harry P.]

Stupid Question Alert: Why did that particular engine have an open cab? What did the firefighters do in the rain? Wouldn't rain getting into the cab be a problem?

BTW... very nice model, 1977 or any year.

[Danno]

Stupid Question Alert: Why did that particular engine have an open cab? What did the firefighters do in the rain? Wouldn't rain getting into the cab be a problem?

BTW... very nice model, 1977 or any year.

Thanks, Harry.

Well, open cabs were more common than closed cabs in the early days of firefighting, and many carried over as "tradition" for many years. Initially it had to do with the extra cost of all that additional metal. And, the "traditional" view that real fire trucks didn't need no silly tops. Eventually, health/welfare in cold climates and safety considerations prevailed and open cabs faded away.

Closed cabs made more sense, of course, from both weather/environment considerations and pure stuctural strength aspects (driving an open cab fire engine over undulating surfaces generated a symphony of groans, creaks, clangs, and bangs! Picture driving a 13-ton convertible).

As far as rain and other inclement weather is concerned, firefighters in open cab apparatus did what they had to do; we couldn't reschedule alarms for sunny days. Besides, we already had on heavy waterproof protective clothing and helmets with visors; who needed a roof? Ha! We scoffed at inclement weather! Even when it was 10 or 15 below zero.

Did we miss open cabs when they passed? Yeah, right. They went the way of dinosaurs and won't be back.

Engine 4 was the last open cab that our department had.

PS: Remind me to tell you the story about passing a highway patrol trooper on the interstate in a downpour while driving an open cab '34 Ford V-8 fire engine well in excess of the limit. Hey, it was wet out there! (He just shook his head and bailed at the next exit. Firemen!)

[Harry P.]

Thanks, Harry.

Well, open cabs were more common than closed cabs in the early days of firefighting, and many carried over as "tradition" for many years. Initially it had to do with the extra cost of all that additional metal. And, the "traditional" view that real fire trucks didn't need no silly tops. Eventually, health/welfare in cold climates and safety considerations prevailed and open cabs faded away.

Closed cabs made more sense, of course, from both weather/environment considerations and pure stuctural strength aspects (driving an open cab fire engine over undulating surfaces generated a symphony of groans, creaks, clangs, and bangs! Picture driving a 13-ton convertible).

As far as rain and other inclement weather is concerned, firefighters in open cab apparatus did what they had to do; we couldn't reschedule alarms for sunny days. Besides, we already had on heavy waterproof protective clothing and helmets with visors; who needed a roof? Ha! We scoffed at inclement weather! Even when it was 10 or 15 below zero.

Did we miss open cabs when they passed? Yeah, right. They went the way of dinosaurs and won't be back.

Engine 4 was the last open cab that our department had.

PS: Remind me to tell you the story about passing a highway patrol trooper on the interstate in a downpour while driving an open cab '34 Ford V-8 fire engine well in excess of the limit. Hey, it was wet out there! (He just shook his head and bailed at the next exit. Firemen!)

Dan, I don't question the open cab as far as the men go... after all, they had to fight fires in any weather, no matter how they got to the scene. But an open cab fire engine makes absolutely no sense mechanically... rain getting into the cab had to be a problem... imagine parking a convertible with the top down in a rainstorm. How did the electrical equipment survive an open cab? Rust? Mold? I can't understand how a working fire engine could have an open cab and still be relied on day to day.

[Danno]

Dan, I don't question the open cab as far as the men go... after all, they had to fight fires in any weather, no matter how they got to the scene. But an open cab fire engine makes absolutely no sense mechanically... rain getting into the cab had to be a problem... imagine parking a convertible with the top down in a rainstorm. How did the electrical equipment survive an open cab? Rust? Mold? I can't understand how a working fire engine could have an open cab and still be relied on day to day.

Remember that back in those days, there wasn't much in the way of electronics and electrical circuits were primarily contained within the dashboard; in open cabs, the dash had additional weatherproofing. It wasn't much different than open touring cars. They were built for it. Floors were diamond plate, rubber mats; seats were leather or vinyl; drainage accomodations were built-in. Seemed almost silly, but our ALF had great windshield wipers! LOL.

We also had a closed cab engine, and if heavy rain or snow was a real issue, it went and the open cab stayed home. But since we were in a relatively moderate climate, that didn't happen often.

I don't think open cabs were a big seller in Seattle or the northern (winter) states, although I've seen photos of open cab trucks with rudimentary canvass canopies ... completely encased in ice during a winter fire. Ugh!

As I said, it was another era ... bygone. And in the context of today, with GPS navigation systems, laptops, sophisticated communications systems, onboard printers, intercom systems, defibrillators, EKGs, scopes, scanners, telemetry, and all the electronic equippage carried to emergency scenes, there is just no way an open cab apparatus could exist.

Good question! Hope this helps.

[Harry P.]

Remember that back in those days, there wasn't much in the way of electronics and electrical circuits were primarily contained within the dashboard; in open cabs, the dash had additional weatherproofing. It wasn't much different than open touring cars. They were built for it. Floors were diamond plate, rubber mats; seats were leather or vinyl; drainage accomodations were built-in. Seemed almost silly, but our ALF had great windshield wipers! LOL.

We also had a closed cab engine, and if heavy rain or snow was a real issue, it went and the open cab stayed home. But since we were in a relatively moderate climate, that didn't happen often.

I don't think open cabs were a big seller in Seattle or the northern (winter) states, although I've seen photos of open cab trucks with rudimentary canvass canopies ... completely encased in ice during a winter fire. Ugh!

As I said, it was another era ... bygone. And in the context of today, with GPS navigation systems, laptops, sophisticated communications systems, onboard printers, intercom systems, defibrillators, EKGs, scopes, scanners, telemetry, and all the electronic equippage carried to emergency scenes, there is just no way an open cab apparatus could exist.

Good question! Hope this helps.

And a good answer!

[Danno]

Just to make Harry shudder a little:

FD New York open cab ladder truck.

And by the way ... I declare: THAT IS NUTS!

[Harry P.]

Looks like a lovely day to take out the convertible for a little spin...

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Looks like a lovely day to take out the convertible for a little spin...

Are you feeling okay, Harry?

I got chills just looking at the photo alone!

[Danno]

Looks like a lovely day to take out the convertible for a little spin...

THAT cracked me up!

Ah, yes. Back when the men were men and the firemen were NUTS!

[miatamadman]

Great looking rig!

[Danno]

Great looking rig!

Thanks, Zoli! That's quite a compliment, coming from you. I've always admired your work and aimed to ... well, you know, try to catch up!

[Railfreak78]

No offense taken by your (ahem) pink glitter firetruck.

It was red glitter from the junk box It won't be when I'm done hence the "project" table

[Danno]

No offense taken by your (ahem) pink glitter firetruck.

It was red glitter from the junk box It won't be when I'm done hence the "project" table

Just kidding!

[Jeff Sauber]

Beautiful little truck there, Dan...Very nice vintage model.

I wish I had some of my old stuff to share from way back when, but Most of it either got traded, or blown up with fire crackers....LOL

[Sixties Sam]

That's a great model! Shoelaces for hoses? Brilliant idea! I never would have thought of that!

Sam

[Jim Gibbons]

That's a great looking model! I like the vintage fire trucks. Your model has weathered the past 33 years in better shape than me.

[Danno]

Jay, Sam, Jim,

Thanks for your kind comments. I really appreciate them.

The fact that this old model still generates smiles after all these years just amazes me ... and generates a huge smile for me!

Thanks