I have had lots of old Ford pickups. All from the 60s. I just came across a truck at our local public auto auction. It is a 1972 F900 LaFrance fire truck. The odometer shows about 115,000 miles on it. The body is very straight although I see some parts of the body and cab that have various shades of red due to repairs. It's not in museum condition, but it is in good enough condition to have just been taken out of use. I know the auction owner and he let me in the gate to start the truck and we both had a lot of fun running the lights and all. He said it was quite unusual for a fire department to leave so much "good stuff". It is a pumper engine and it is equipped with a 500 gallon water tank. The auctioneer predicted that it would sell for $1500. That seems quite cheap for such a cool old truck. Does that price sound about right? Our climate is very moderate and we don't use salt on the roads. I'm sure this truck has never spent a night outside. I've never owned a truck this big. It seems like it would be a lot of fun to have. Any feedback?

 

I went back for another look. It's a C900. But you already knew that!

 

If gas, it's probably a 534. Check the forums for info, but lots of gas.

It is probably also over 26000 GVWR, CDL territory. Does it have air brakes?

What would you do with it?

 

It does have a gasoline V8 and air brakes. I am a car dealer and I am rationalizing that I could use the fire truck as a promotional piece. I floated the idea at dinner last night. My wife could not relate. My 18 year old son thought it was the most logical, reasonable idea he'd ever heard of!
I have acreage out in the country, so parking and storage is not a big deal. It just seems like a cool toy if it doesn't get too expensive. I'm guessing I would need some sort of CDL endorsement on my driver's license. I'd just fold it into my dealership's inventory for insurance coverage. I usually use this auction to dispose of unwanted vehicles. The shoe could be on the other foot this week.

 

Sounds like a lot of fun

If nothing else, you can wash your house, buildings, parking-lot, mountain-sides, you name it

 

Krewat, Thanks for the encouragement. Just think of being able to water the back yard...from the curb! I'm convinced I could enjoy this truck for a while, then recover most of my expense by marketing the truck to someone that had a legitimate use for it. I might also be dreaming about what the truck can be purchased for. If a serious buyer is in the crowd, they will be more motivated than I.

 

You are not in fire country, but down here, a fellow had an old rig like that and saved his and a couple other houses when the FD's were stretched too thin in his area.

Good luck with it if you get it.

Do check on the CDL, a bigger pita than you think.

 

This is mold country here. I don't think it could ever get dry enough for a wild fire. I'm still leaving a wake with my riding lawn mower. I need to check into the CDL. Is there a federal standard or does it vary by state?

 

Federal. Go here for details. Check out the GVWR. If it's not going to be hauling water and not being used as a fire truck, maybe you can lighten it up???? It can't be 26000 sitting there empty, can it?

WA State Licensing: Who needs a CDL?

I recall leaving a wake on the old Ford tractor this time of year many many times. And getting stuck, and wet and cold... I miss all that green though. (I graduated from Arlington HS, '71--Ferndale used to give us a nice professional beating in football)

 

You could always replace the water tank with a camper (think travel trailer bolted to the frame), then you wouldn't need the CDL, right?

 

I snuck back over to the auction yard yesterday (in a cloudburst!) The tag inside the driver's door says 30,000 GVW. Is the CDL requirement based on the rating or the actual vehicle weight? The truck is pretty fully equipped. A ladder, a BIG old generator and a few sections of fire hose. I figure the truck is minus 4000 pounds if the 500 gallon water tank is empty. There are no air tanks or misc. tools that I could see. I didn't go through all of the compartments as there are a lot of them. I'm pretty sure I could sneak the truck 12 miles to my home in Ferndale.
85e, Arlington is a nice little town. We like to jump off I5 there for ice cream if we have time. Ferndale finally won a state football title in 2005. We're all still cheering for Jake Locker. Ferndale has grown just like Arlington. If you grew up here, you spend a lot of time remembering how it used to be. Almost all of the small family farms are gone and all of the great trucks and tractors along with them. I have really been inspired by this big truck forum to get in on the action while there are still a few good pieces.
Krewat, I've been noticing a few cool conversions for old fire trucks since I got caught up in this project. This C900 seems to me to just be a 28 year old Ford cab & chassis without the fire truck body. I've always swore I would not join the RV trend. I figure I can spend a lot of nights in a great hotel for the $100k you could easily spend on a motor home. This will all be for nothing if someone really has a hankering for this truck.

 

Oldblu, CDL is based on what the manufacturer rated the truck as, not what it weighs. CDL is federal so the standards are the same in all states. For that truck you'll need a class "B" with endorsements for air brakes and tank vehicles. The testing is pretty straight forward. C models were good trucks and a blast to drive.

 

It is based on the GVWR of the truck...not how much it weighs..
For that truck you need at least a Class B CDL with air brake endorsement..and possibly tanker endorsement...

Check the link that 85f150six4mtod left you..

Greg

 

Also they changed the CDL rules in Washington, You used to be able to just go test for both written and driving If you passed them both, you got your CDL
.
You now have to go to a truck driving school, before you take the driving portion of the test, UNLESS.. you work for an employer that is in the trucking buisness,. and registered with the DOL, that will sign off, saying you can operate a commercial vehicle, JUST so that you can take the drive test without going to school. Without that, its off to truck driving school before you can take the drive test..Big bucks.

Good luck,

Greg

 

Not exactly.

There is no "air brake endorsement".