|
Hi Doug,
Thanks for your reply. I actually posted at the end of July, so it is a current post. I joined last year but had never spoken up.
The truck has been torn apart for several years, but just a couple days ago I had it towed to a shop I am renting, so I hope to turn up the wick and make some progress. I hope to get some more information up on the website and get restoration pictures posted on a regular basis.
As a mechanical engineer, you would definately appreciate how advanced the trucks were for the early sixties. My father designed saw mills, and applied some of that knowledge to the fire trucks. Many of his design ideas that were laughed at then are now standard features on apparatus. The two downfalls of using this technology were (1) the Scrader air valves had issues (they regularly stuck and needed some incentive to work) and (2) it was just too advanced for a volunteer department to keep operational.
I learned to pump on a 1968 American LaFrance Pioneer. It has been a while since I pumped a LaFrance, but I do have several books on pump construct and they go into detail on all the manufacturers, including ALF. It includes sections on relief valves, transfer valves, and primers. Let me know if you have questions and I will do my best to get you an answer.
If you have not joined SPAAMFAA, do so, as there are some real active groups in California. They tend to have just one thing on their mind (can you say Crown?), but could offer plenty of help and also give you an outlet to play with your toy.
Mike
|
