Lookin great. I like the part when I put the shinny stuff back on so close to the finish. Once ya get the engine cleaned up and brakes done all the dirty stuff is about over for you. Just shine and go bud.

 

Thanks Rich. I can't wait for the go part!!

Got one mirror in the mail today. A DoRay just like was on the truck originally. I just need another one.

 

It's looking great Keith. I really enjoy seeing these updates. The work you are doing is amazing. You have to take a video of your grandfathers driver seeing it completed and of him driving it.
You are bringing history alive for us and everyone that will be fortunate enough to see this beauty in person. Kudos for all your work and I can't wait for the book.

 

Thanks Joe. I will definately do a video. I will also be calling the media again in April for my cities annual parade so they can do a follow up to the story they ran about the truck and Ron in 2009.

 

I really look forward to these updates and things are starting to get real exciting. Like Rich said, its sure great when the shiny parts start going back on.

Bobby

 

Thanks Bobby.

Yesterday Gerald said to me, the parts cabinet is almost empty now!!

 

My booster is ready again! He said something about a rubber cup not in place in the check valve. I hope there will be no more problems.

Check out these before and after pics. I've come along way since I first saw the truck in 2002. Interesting how they covered the laddder entry points and made holders for the pike poles. Nice built in step!!

 

Wow! what a difference. Before and after pics are always fun to look at.

Good luck with the booster........again

Bobby

 

It looked good before but phenomenal after.

 

Gentlemen we have brakes!!!

But now some carburetor issues. The last time I started her she was smoking and you could smell the fuel. Today we charged the battery up and she immediately started but was smoking. We thought the float was sticking and took the top of the carb off. It didn't smoke to much after we messed about with it. No more fuel was leaking out towards the air cleaner. She doesn't want to idle good and the jets may be gummed up. We will take the carb more apart this week. Gerald went by the sign shop and brought a sample of the gold leaf. I this the 3/4 inch size took good. We also got the speedo put back together and installed.

 

Gold striping.

That gold vinyl looks nice, but I too am wondering how it is going to do on the curves on the fenders, etc. Unlike the real thing, (I did so many fire apparatus by hand with 23K gold leaf) there was no limit on where the stripe had to go. It is just that the people who could lay genuine leaf are getting fewer and far between, myself included. (Arthritis has taken it's dasterdly tole).

Are you planning to apply black (or dark green or maroon) outline stripes along the edges of the gold stripe? That would be the traditional style, but I have not seen what your truck had originally. It's going to look real sharp however you do it.

I will be continuing to follow the progress of this project. I love old fire apparatus especially restoring them. Nice work Keith. Glad you are sharing with us.

Aloha, Tony

 

Hi Tony. Thanks for following my thread and for your kind words. I am concerned about the fenders too. We looked at that today and Gerald said the fenders have a big arc so we shouldn't have an issue. There has been some discussion on this thread about using original golf leaf on the truck. I still haven't got an estimate for original or imitation leaf. If I had a perfect paint job I would be leaning towards not using vinyl. I agree with you that there should be a border on the striping. I'll probably use black.
I would like to see some of your work. Do you have a picture you can post here?

 

If you are going with vinyl, don't use strips of the sign vinyl for the striping, but use striping tape, it's thinner and more conforming. Don't pull or stretch the tape to get it to conform to a curve or it will lift along the outside edge. You have to sort of compress the tape around the inside of the curve and lay it down without any tension so the outside does not stretch. Don't do it when the weather and/or the metal is cold.

 

AxRacer ... thanks for the advice. I am going to have a pro do it.

 

Got some work done yesterday. More wiring ..... I now have a tail/tag light, the roof and bumper lights now flash, wiring is now tightened up and finished in the back of the truck. I put all the wiring in plastic loom for protection. We got the radio and speaker permanently installed. We were figuring out where the Fire Patrol decals were going to be placed and with the correct sized font. Unfortunately I noticed some brake leaks at the banjo fittings. I bought some new copper crush washers and will install them on Thursday. I was telling the guys at the auto parts store about my carb issues and they said to use a carb cleaner additive in the gas. They said it works really good. I bought a can I will at least try it before I pull the carb off.

On a side note. I was driving to the barn and down the street was the Gator Boys. If you are not familiar with them, they are TV personalities (Discovery Channel or Animal Planet)who capture wild gators and snakes. They pulled a 8 footer out of someone's backyard lake. My boys love the show so I stopped and took a photo of Jimmy. Its on my phone and I am having trouble downloading it. I will post it later if I figure it out.