Don,
Coming at it from the fire truck side of things, that truck looks to be in excellent condition. And there's nothing better than getting a truck fresh out of service from the department. You can build a relationship with the FD and learn about the truck's history, what fires it fought, etc. And you know that (at least, most likely) that it hasn't been abused.
Being passionate about American Fire Apparatus, I think it's a special truck. Can't remember when they opened a plant in Iowa, but that truck was probably built in Battle Creek, MI. On a recent trip, I took pictures of the building where American used to be, now a concrete contractor.
I hate F*rd cab-overs, they're kinda nasty to work on, and the engine is as complicated as possible. I would hope the GMC is more practical, and better to work on.
I doubt you'd need a CDL to drive it anyway - fire apparatus usually gets a waiver, whether in service or not. BUT, I agree, it would be best to check on that.
American used some electric ladders on their cheaper apparatus, but Grove was a high-quality ladder maker. Hydraulic is definitely better. Probably nice to only have the single axle rear, as well.
Ladder trucks are a blast, especially if it's a quint (has the pump on board). I think $1800 would be a great price for it. I'd beg the department to leave as much on the truck as possible, ie: hose, axes, lights, radio, etc.
Don't know if this helps?
-Michael
