The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts My fire truck is finally Home! Now with Pics

After about a month of problems and set backs trying to get my 1950 Chevy fire truck back to OZ (Kansas) from Iowa it's finally happened . Up at 5am - started out from home with the rented trailer around 5:45am. Drove east to a friends house who had a larger truck that we were going to use to drag the big trailer . Left at 7:30 am to Mo. and hopped on the north bound interstate to Iowa. Grabbed I-80 east and then Hwy.71 north and by 1:30pm saw my fire truck for the first time up close . Not to bad looking -yes the paint is ugly - one small fender dent and the usual amounts of surface rust . Only one lower cab corner was bad so I was happy with the bodys overall condition . I was told the truck was running and there was a SLIGHT rear brake drag issue . Well It would not start but did try to - not that big a deal But the rear brakes were Locked up ! The brake pedal went to the floor / no pressure . No clutch pressure . Hummm not to happy :mad: with those surprises but kept my Irish /German temper in check . That stuff can be fixed besides I Loved the truck . Got the paperwork and had him use his forklift to push/lift the truck onto the trailer . Chained her down and off we went and Whooah Nelly ! When you got over 55 mph that was one nasty whip on the back of the truck . Over we pulled at the first safe location . Checked all the trucks/trailers tire pressure -OK . Checked the chains to make sure that the fire truck was not moving around on the trailer / OK . The truck was lined up on the trailer as best it could be done / OK . So there really nothing to do but take her nice and slow . So we took a nice tour of the Iowa two lane highway system . It was now around 7pm - dark - a cold front was coming threw with high winds and we were also dodging Bambi and family . Welcome the northern Missouri two lane highway system NOT fun . After a rather close Bambi call we saw the exit for the interstate and jumped on it like / well you know what . As long as you keep it at 50-55 mph there was no problems . So for the nexxt few hours the interstate was home . Got to OZ (Kansas) caught a good two lane west and rolled into home around 11:30 pm . Parked the truck and hit the sack - one long day done. Up early grab a bite and now to off load . Hummm How to get a truck with locked up rear brakes off the trailer TOTO to the rescue . Backed Toto up to the trailer - raised the tailgate ramp level with the bed - tilt bed so that the ramp almost touches the trailer - hook up the winch and let it pull Toto back to the trailer the rest of the way while I worked the bed controls . When the ramp touched the trailers bed right where the rear duals were I slowly pulled onto Toto's back the old fire truck . Lowered the bed to level - pull the trailer out of the way . Backed Toto up to where I wanted the fire truck at and laise the bed - slack off the winch and lickity split one safely uploaded fire truck where you wanted it . Now the bad news I broke my camera the day before the trip so there are No - of this adventure - Sorry . When I get another one I will post some . I'm now the proud owner of a classic '50's Fire Truck - OH YA !!!!ED H

Congrats, can't wait to see pics. What are your plans for here, you gonna turn her into a parade people hauler or return her to a fully functional state?
Mongo

Mongo ; I'm going to make her a fully functional fire truck . I have rancher friends that burn every spring and there is never enough rural fire equipment around to help control things . And yes she will be in a parade or two but that is just a by product so to speak . DaOzTinFireman?

You mean there is nobody within 22 miles that has no camera!!!!
Come-on Oz, whats up with that.

Johnboy - I'll have a camera tomorrow and get Lots of pictures - today all I did was off load it and do some cleaning / inventoried the equipment that came with it and deside the spot where I'm going to mount the fire bell . Tomorrow pictures / getting the motor running and find out that's up with the clutch and brakes . Check back in the evening for picks. ED H

Ed,
Congrats and welcome, officially, to the Stovebolt Fire Department! Hurry that hi-rez glory shot -- I'm saving a month in the SFD Calendar for you!

You have a fire bell??? Peg will be sooooooo jealous! She wants a bell for our truck.

John

Yippppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for daozman. I can hear that bell ringing all the way down here! OOPS, my wife said it was all in my ears!

OK here's the update . Got busy doing work on the truck so I hope to have the fire truck pictures up by late tomorrow evening . Had to pull the bad dbl. action fuel pump and order that and 2 new headlights - hopefully get all that put in on Wendsday. Finished mounting the fire truck bell and running it's line into the cab - Boy what a Sweet sound !!! It will make the local RFD boy's ( & the local F-dept.) green with envy . Tomorrow I will be trying to find out what the brake problem is - and what parts I need to order to make them work and Get those pictures yall want . And if I don't have to report for Jury duty next week - I just may be able to have the truck running for the towns Night Christmas Parade this coming Saturday . ED H

Sounds like an adventure. Too bad a about the camera. I busted my Canon A80 I use to take pics of my truck parts before I scatter them. I dropped it one too many times. I picked up another on ebay with a 1 gig card and case for like $60. Just have to pick it up at my brother in law's place. I had it mailed there since I am in Canada. When you get some pics post them. Have fun and get those brakes fixed. I guess you don't know what the steering is like. And by the way everyone has surprises when you go to pick up a mail order truck. I was not thrilled with my surprises either, but at least I am learning lots about my truck taking it apart.

IMO: there are lots of surprises anytime you have one of these big old trucks!!!! Pictures baby... I need pictures!

Yes - They are Here ! I'll be working on adding captions but the are ready to see . Click http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/erhoover/1950%20Chevy%20Fire%20Truck/ . Enjoy ED H

Very nice!!! Thanks for the pictures!!!

Dude, am I envious.......nice.

All I can say is WOW

I took the slide show view and looked at every picture. It is a really nice rig.

Looks very cool ED! I'm Envious of the find.
I mailed a Christmas present off to Toto and... What's the new trucks name? I vote for "Hoser" it reminds me of a Dalmation my hometown fire department had.
Mongo

I did the slide show also. Your going to have fun with this one.
I wish I had more room, I would find me another fire truck.
Nice find. Cleon

Cleon,

Do you have a hi-rez image of the '31 Firetruck we could use for the Stovebolt Fire Truck Calendar I'm working on?

200 dpi and 11.5 inches wide by 17.5 inches tall is what I need.

Thanks,
John

John, I sent you a PM
Cleon

Hi Ed,, Very nice firetruck!!!! On photo 61,of the driver side floor,you captioned it "what went here?" Thats for the emergency brake on the smaller trucks.
Hey Virginia Firetruck, Remember when yours looked like that?

Ed...She's a beauty!
She looks really complete.
I've been following the adventures of the S.V.F.D, it looks like you've become a member of a pretty exlusive club.
Fire trucks and personnel have a special place in peoples hearts in the U.S.A,and rightly so.
You should be proud that you have saved such a fine example of it's kind!
Good luck.
Jock.

Marty: Yes. I remember just how bad it looked when we first started. i get the best reminder when I look back at those first pictures during the restoration. It is easy to forget how bad it was after a few years of work.

Ed: take lots of pictures as a guide and reminder how to put it back together!