I had intended to set up a mini web site with photo's but work has
shifted into overdrive, thus this less elegant method..
I do some work for a local nonprofit group called St Vincent de Paul. A
year or so ago somebody donated a 1952/53 M35W/WN, mil model OC-54, fire
truck. I had offered to take the vehicle and donate hours of pc/network
repair on my own time but the manager of this region fights hard for
their dollars <g>. Thus it remains there, waiting for a paint job.
I am not any kind of expert: my 2.5 years in Korea 20 years ago were
spent more as a dispatcher or a lifeguard ( good duty: no really! )
than as a mechanic. But I did spend perhaps a year or so as a mechanic,
and always had my 'own' vehicle I had to maintain ( a 5 ton tractor ) so
I have some idea what shape a truck should be in to be usable.
This truck is solid. It is painted while. The pump assembly is dated
1970 from the 'Waterous Company' in St Paul, Mn. I had hoped to be able
to take off the water tank and pump, perhaps making my own bed for
hauling things but this beast is integrated. Too much work to do so and
I wouldn't want to in the first place...sort of like touching up the
Mona Lisa. The small amount of research I did on the web and via a
couple of members of this list show that this is a rare truck.
REO Motors of Lansing, Mi built the truck. They claim it was 1952,
while the California DMV claims it was 1953. The vehicle has HISTORIC
VEHICLE license plates ( which expired in July of this year thus a
payment/penalty is due. at this time it's about $100 or so ) thus it's
'legal' to drive it only for parades and such.
Everything on the truck will need polishing or painting. there is no
cab cover. The batteries are dead as far as I can tell ( it's been
sitting there over two years I believe with no charging being done ) but
then again I couldn't figure out with certainty how to start the
$#!#$#&^ thing as it does not have the standard Deuce toggle switch
starting array.
There are a couple of large hoses on the back. The engine appears to be
original in that it is an in line 6, with the REO Motors stamp on the
top. One of the members of this list indicated that would make it a gas
engine.
I took 15-20 digital pics while out there last week. I would be happy
to email them to anybody interested in this truck along with the contact
information for the fellow actually selling the truck. The photo's are
about 250K each, so let me know what the limit is on your E-mail inbound
messages and I'll split them up.
Thanks.
Paul
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