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Here is my 1946 Chevy firetruck with central conversion in St Louis, Mo
Should be fun for parades.
Doug
1946 Chevy Firetruck

Nice truck!

Did you get the Hard Sleeve Hose and ladders with it?

Mike B

No hose?? Thats something I will need help finding or suggestions were to look for one. Ladders actually rotted off were it had been parked since 1989 outside.
Doug

That is a cool truck! Does it run?

No it doesnt. I havent even tried yet. I have had it only a coulpe months. My goal is to get it running and fix brakes which I am sure will need something. Then maybe just drive it in some parades just like it is. Maybe later fix it up.
Doug

Doug,

Great truck! Being a stovebolt, AND being a Central (I'm from St. Louis), it's especially terrific!

The good/bad news is that it's set up for a "Squirrel-tail" suction. The original hard-suction sleeve was a 20 or 25-foot 4.5" black hose, that was connected to the pump on one side, then wrapped around the front of the truck to the other side, where it had either a barrel-strainer for drafting, or a double-female connection for connecting to a hydrant. Squirrel tails are awesome, and were a St. Louis specialty, but they are very hard to find now, and expensive to have made. It's too bad, because they look REALLY cool.

Of course, if you don't plan on pumping the truck any time soon, it's no big deal - and, you can always just find two standard 10-foot hard suctions, connect 'em, and lay 'em in the brackets.

Wood ladders can still be found, typically around $100 per section. Just a booger to get 'em home! Be sure to measure your ladder hangers to be sure the ladder won't foul on the rungs (typical fire ladders run 12-inches between rungs).

We're refurbishing a 1948 Central custom in our shop right now. They're proving to have been a pretty beefy builder. Interestingly, our '48 uses slightly modified Chevy truck headlight buckets like are on your truck - go figure.

I've got a '41 Chevy like yours, been through it, so don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I love talking fire trucks! (can you tell?).

Congratulations on your new baby! You're bound to have lots of fun with it.

-Michael

Looked again -

Looks like someone swiped the rear ladder bracket, and the front one is hanging upside down. Any chance the missing one is sitting in the hose bed?

By-the-way, the "hole" bracket on the rear of the driver's side is for a pike pole - the rear of the pole slid through there, and the hook rested in the other bracket towards the front. Those brackets are Central-specific.

Nice, beefy bumper!

-Michael

Michael- I have both ladder holders. The red flashing light for on top of the windshield is laying in side and the big spot light is there also. If I could find the 2 hoses to put together and lay in the rack that would be fine for now.

This truck was used over around rural Hannibal Mo. and the person I bought it from was from around Kearney Mo. He and his brother purchased it and then never did anything with it. He actually belonged to the fire dept. and used this truck to fight fires with.
I have two boys 8 and 4 1/2, we plan to use it in parades.

Thanks for all your info and I will probable take you up for some advice.
Doug

Doug,

Glad to hear it! Fire trucks are awesome if you have kids. Birthday parties are always memorable if they include a fire truck ride. Drive 'em to the local playground, let 'em burn off some energy, drive 'em home, give 'em cake, and send 'em home happy (and hyper?). Priceless.

-Michael