The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts The Stovebolt Volunteer Fire Department A Ferd fire truck temptation

I was contacted by the local scrap yard today . It seems that some one told them that I was a collector of fire trucks . ME ? They got in a mid-60's Ferd C-800 COE pumper . Not a bad looking Big truck . It's supposed to run & pump but the fuel tank is bad . The 10" tires are in great shape darn it why couldn't they have been 8.25's - I would have bought it just for them. I told them I was a Chevy/GMC guy I was not to sure if I wanted to take on a newer vintage compeditors truck . The price was right but ...a Ferd ? Who knows I still might do it - but don't tell anyone . ED H

Ed,

I hope we can relax the "no Ferds" rule, at least as far as the firebolts forum is concerned.

Here goes:

We actually tracked down a Ford 1960 C-850 (I think) Howe pumper that a good friend once worked on, and got it for him. Since then, we've had the carb rebuilt, replaced the clutch discs (Yes, there are two ), pressure plate and throw-out bearing, and chased down a myriad of problems.

His truck has the V-8, 435 gas motor, HUGE gas guzzler, but strong as an ox.

My advice - stick with Stovebolts!!! There's not a darn thing on that stupid truck that isn't twice as complicated as it needs to be! Sheesh, even the DA*! AIR CLEANER takes a schematic to understand!!! :mad: The 4-barrel Holly carb weighs a ton and costs a fortune to rebuild, there's so much junk mounted on the engine, you can't work on it . . . one of the best days at the warehouse was the day he finally drove that stupid thing off the lot!!!

And that's from someone who loves ALL firetrucks!!!

Buy the ford to save it from the crusher, but part it out. For the poor souls who have these trucks, parts are not as easy as calling Jim Carter's. For a truck that was made millions of, you'd think their was better after-market support, but I haven't found it!!!

OK . . . deep breath . . . count to 10 . . . go to my happy place . . .

ahh, all better now.



-Michael

OK Mike - please don't have a stroke over it . Went and looked at it again today and besides frezzing myself into a block of ice while I looked at it I came to the correct conclusion Not to get it . I could not show my face in this forum again if I did . Actually the cost of fixing up such a large truck was more than I was willing to undertake until my Chevy was running good and equiped to do battle with the fire monster. And I just got a '48 Chevy 1 1/2 ton w/hoist that I hope to pick up this weekend. Thanks for the Ferds querks Warnings ! ED H

You've done the right thing!

There's a no Fords rule??



Does that mean I have to get rid of mine??

John

I'm just sensitive - I don't want to rock the (stove)boat!

(There's your next forum, John: stovebolt-driven water craft! )

I must admit, I often wonder if I'm a Chevy guy because the first fire truck for sale that I happened across was a '41 stovebolt. What if it had been a ford? Heck . . . what if it had been a Yugo fire truck?!!! What then?!!! Where's the forum for Yugo owners?!! (Ok, Ok, no, don't forward me the links, I'm sure there's one out there . . . ).

But then, I decide that it was meant to be, because truly, I'm just not a ford guy. I like Internationals just fine, Dodges are cool, Macks are good, etc. Just don't generally care for Henry's trucks.

OK, gotta admit, the late thirties/early forties trucks with the awesome grills and the flathead V-8s ARE kinda kickin' . . .

-Michael

....john, just don't let the left hand know what the right hand is doing

Alvin -- Amen, brother! Sometimes, the skeletons slip out of the closet ...

Mike - admitting that you like '39 and '40 Fjords is like ... well it's like some things that are just best not discussed in polite company. But that's the beauty of this hobby -- what some people consider to be hideously UGLY (um, like me...), others (um, like YOU...) consider to be cool.

All joking aside, ANY old truck is worth preserving -- no matter waht marque it is. Even '39 Fjords ... I guess ...


John

And don't get me started on watercraft ... I grew up at my parents' marina ... You might get me started talking about straight eight-powered pre-War Chris-Craft runabouts ...

We'll be here all night ...


John