Ok, so my much needed break from old trucks is going to be short lived. I finally got some buyers for the '56 items, and have only slant cab stuff (for now, as I still have another cab to go pick up). In the meantime, I have been cruising the local Craigslist, and just couldn't help but notice some old Ford iron.....go figure.. Hi, my name is Joe, and I am an addict. I'm addicted to old Fords, and while I don't see it as a problem, others might. Oh who cares, if they don't like, they go take a flying leap...hahaha
Anyhow. Here's the down low. I may have found the perfect old trailer to house my N-scale model railroading. If I go with the plan in my head, I'll need a suitable truck to tow it, and can't think of anything better than an old Ford F-750 or F-800 fire truck. I have one local, that is a '55 F-800, complete fire truck with low miles on the rebuilt engine (I don't know why he rebuilt, but apparently he doesn't know much about old Fords). There is a '54 F-750 just over the mountain from me that is availale too, but it needs more work. They are both $2400 OBO each. The plan is, build the train in the trailer, and tow it with the fire truck to the kids' schools, and let the youngins have a field day on them. What got me going again, was the other day at the Ford dealership I work at, they flew Santa in on a chopper, and the local Fire Department, and Police Department were there, and let the kids play with the rigs. It was pretty cool seeing the look on the little ones faces, even the kids that weren't mine. That's the plan.

 

What happened to the fire truck you got in Iowa? maybe I missed that

 

The fire truck from Iowa was dismantled, regretably. After getting it here, and working on it, I found the tender part of it to be in such poor condition, that the whole thing was only good as Ford F-750. I made use of everything but the frame rails, keeping all but the drive train for myself. I used it for the semi, which is sitting here in pieces waiting for the right motor to come my way. I was a bit disappointed with the Iowa truck, as I hoped it would have been in better overall condition, and more of a name brand, restorable apparatus. But, such is life. The two I found around here, are both name brand, one being a LaFrance tender body (but the guy removed the hose bed, and booster reels), and the other being a Howe I believe. The '54 is in comparable condition to the Iowa truck, being best as a good old Big Job, and not so much as a fire truck, but the '55 F-800 is in very complete paradable (after a repaint) condition.

 

Well....that was a short break. Glad you're back!!

Dan

 

"You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave! "
Welcome back. Sounds like a great idea.

 

'Tis true Joe, 'tis true.....literally, and figuratively. Anyhow, I've made some steps towards getting this project under way. I've got two travel trailers to go look at this week, for gutting, and then installing a model railroad. I will eventually paint which ever one I get caboose red, and build a cupola on top for authenticity. I think I may go after one that is a 24' unit, built in '67. The fire truck, whichever one I end up with, will be freshened up, cosmetically with a coat of fire engine red paint, and hopefully lettering from my local fire department. So far, I'm unsure about the '54 that's over the mountain, because the seller is a misinformed person that doesn't really seem to know much about old Ford Big Jobs, and it will be difficult to get him to accept a realistic offer on a truck that isn't drivable. The other one, seems the route to go. It is a very intact 55 that appears to have low original miles, based on the pictures of the original seat.

 

This is what I'm looking at:

 

I can see that the original siren is missing from the left front fender, but they are not hard to find. I finally got a message from the guy, and will be able to schedule a time to take a good look at it.

 

Withdraws... LOL... Glad your back and wanting to make kids smile...

 

Wow, you change directions faster than a woman at a shoe sale............

 

Hahahahahaha....You're funny. Actually, that was funny, made me laugh.. Here's the thing. I'm easily bored. What's that old saying, idle hands are something? Anyhow, since I am partially retired, not by choice, I have free time, and lots of it. Having a heart attack last year at the age of 33, really through a wrench in to my mix. Trying to do things that keep me busy, well, it makes the mind work overtime. The biggest reason I said I'm selling everything, and changing focus, was to get things rolling, and to make room for other things. I didn't think I would come across the right items to get my gears turning that quickly, but hey, things happen for a reason I guess. I like old trucks, always have, since I was a little kid. I like old Fords in general, thanks to my old man, the biggest old Ford addict I've ever met. I've always loved models, and model trains. The car models, thanks to my dad, and the trains, thanks to my grandpa. While screwing around with some of the truck stuff, and playing around with the train stuff, I grabbed my kids' attention something fierce. I never really was in to kids, until I married my wife, a single mom at the time. Now, I have kids on the street that call me dad, and they are of no relation. I see, everytime I'm at the school, or at something around town, that kids these days lack the hobby inspiration that was prevelant when I was a kid. There isn't much for them to do in my area, except scate board, and sports, or farming. I figure, this could be something different, and could maybe even keep fresh breath in the old car hobby, and the model hobbies. What got me, was the enjoyment the kids had at the Santa fly in the other day. It made me wish the last fire truck was better when I got it, and actually restorable as fire truck. I also realized, that the Falcon was the only major project I got to finish before changing direction, or getting rid of it.