Ancient Lorries with Monster Engines!

[steamer]

In the 50's....when my Dad started with the fire department, my town was much more rural than it is now...we needed some forest fire fighting equipment!....Well   they had no money, so what to do?

Well, being he was a mechanic during the war, he picked ups some army surplus trucks and converted them.   One of them, my personal favorite, was Engine 7   see attached

Its a 1942 Pontoon layer.    That said, it had single not duel rear wheels.  and a narrower track.   This made it easy to crawl into the woods, and it was much loved by those that understood how to drive her.

I remember hitching a ride out of the woods on that truck, and finding a 8" maple tree being in the middle of the "road"....blocking our way....driver said   No problem!   Dropped a gear and punched it!   Went right through it!...bent the huge channel iron front bumper though, much to the dismay of my dad, who quickly got it hot with a torch and pulled it back straight with a chain tied to the big pine tree at the edge of the fire department parking lot.        I'm told that they re powered it recently and it's still in service with the forestry department near Mt Monadnock.

[b.lindsey]

It certainly has been well cared for based on the picture!! 

Bill

[steamer]

that was probably .....mid to late 70's?....I think?   based on the Chevy in the background.

Dave

[steamer]

  2:30 AM,  July-ish 1983

Wake up!....huh?  I say

WAKE UP!......Engine 7 is stuck at Barrett pond!...my dad leaves my room..he means get up and get dressed now! I was 19.

I get up, throw on something and we walk out the door.

My dad had been retired from the FD for some time now, but they all knew what he could do, and what he could do with that truck.

We start driving...he's not saying much, and I'm not awake....but I know where we're going, and he is not happy about the situation he was just told about...but he's quiet.

We get to Barrett pond, Engine 7 is at the other side beyond the access road so we walk around the pond.

They had just dredged the pond, and it was 15 feet deep in places,   Engine 7 was on a call, and was trying to navigate an off cambered path right next to the waters edge, and every time they tried to move forward, the truck would slide sideways towards the water....They didn't know what to do next, so they called my dad.

We got there...everyone backed up and he looked over the situation...and he got a lot less stressed....still wasn't saying much.

He looks at 4 firefighters,and then me and says  " Dave, anchor the winch cable to a tree, You guys...Follow him! "     Oh crap...time to wake up!

The Four firefighters snap to and we hauled the cable over to a tree I chose, and I told them how to hook it up...never even got my hands dirty!....They were all over it.

Dad got in the truck, engaged low range 6 wheel drive and the front winch which was driven off a PTO.   Now at low range and 1st gear, the winch speed just about matched the truck speed perfectly.

He let out the clutch, and just drove right out of the predicament it was in as pretty as you please.....he stopped, shook the shift commanders hand, and we walked right back out...

"Thank you!"  and he never said a word all the way home.    Never heard about it again....that old picture made me remember that night though.

Dave


 

[Admiral_dk]

Great story Dave.

That was the same reason why the old Land Rovers where popular in the wild, as their lowest Four Wheel Drive matched the mechanical Winch exactly - the later electric winch is not quite the same, but still useful.

[Old Bill]

Great story! I love things like that. There are so many yarns like that out there which will never be recorded and they are always a joy to hear. Truck looks good too!

Christmas project here is to finish the Thornycroft and try it on the road. Mind you, if the weather doesn't improve, the workshop may prove more attractive!

Steve