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Posted by chrisnj on Friday, August 07, 2009 at 20:37:08 :
In Reply to: Firetruck....I Sure Hope.... posted by Marty on Friday, August 07, 2009 at 12:50:27 :
and "original". I have had Alot of Power Wagons in my time here on Earth, and most of them have been at one time a fire truck of one sort or another. Each one has a story to tell, or many stories as they get passed from one department to another. There is an advantage in some regards in restoration that the vehicle has been well maintained, although beat to sh$%, so drive train and the works are all good. They usually are the ones that can still be run and used for utility purposes, for lack of better words. But then there are the ones that the fire department owns that never leave the pavement. That is where I have to make a big decision. Should it stay a fire truck, or go back to factory original? I have been real fortunate in finding some that really didn't look to outstanding as a fire truck, so off came the fire stuff and here we have a true gem. It really is a stroke of luck when we find one that little has been done to accomodate the fire equipment, so as a matter of un-bolting some things and filling a few holes. My 71 W300 (sold) was a perfect example of that. But the ones that show their battle scars, I believe, should be left alone to rest in retirement as tribute to the noble men and women who used a Dodge Power Wagon to put their life on the line. Same goes for the military trucks. They sure brought alot of our folks home. I have the same perspective with the Seagrave Trucks that I restore. I just refurbed Ladder 7 from Philly, a 79 Tiller that has a new life towing other antique trucks. We had to scrap the ladder, but the tractor is well in service with our group. While doing the restore on it, I removed many "quicky fix up" paint jobs that were covred up over the years from being to close to burning buildings. There was a ton of body filler in it from collisions and collapses that the truck was involved in. If it could only talk, I'm most sure it would make for a great evening of conversation over some beer and wings....