Summary

Fire truck converted to a car hauler. Powered by a 5.9-liter 6BT 12-valve Cummins 6-cylinder engine paired with a 4-speed Allison automatic transmission. Equipped with Hydroboost, power steering, 4-wheel disc brakes and radial tires.

Details

This 1957 American LaFrance fire truck was found abandoned in a field. During the restoration all that was kept were the cab, emblems and a few chrome pieces, mounted on a 1991 Blue Bird school bus frame. It is powered by a 5.9-liter 6BT Cummins 12-valve diesel engine paired with an Allison 4-speed automatic transmission. This hauler is equipped with 4-wheel power disc brakes, power steering and radial tires all around. The conversion started by moving the engine, radiator and transmission to the mid-frame. Next, the fire truck cab was mounted and centered over the front wheels. The cab was chopped 6 inches to achieve the current look. The partition behind the driver was moved to the rear to enclose the entire cab, leaving room for four people. All original gauges and switches in the cab were retained, although some are just ornamental. The goal was for the build to sit low, so the original bus rear end was discarded in favor of a Freightliner airbag package, and the front leaf springs were replaced with airbags. The entire box portion was designed and fabricated by the owner and features non-functioning original fire truck controls and gauges on the driver's side. Water extinguishers were installed in a custom panel on the opposite side. It has a working siren and semi-cab lights, electric windshield wipers, heater, defroster, dash and interior lights. All panels and storage boxes are removable if necessary to access internal components. A 5,000-pound electric winch was installed to load toys on the custom-built bed with heavy-duty aluminum ramps. Ramps store securely on board when traveling. With over 30 cubic feet of lockable keyed storage boxes, it has a fuel tank that holds 60 gallons with a lockable fueling area. The interior features custom upholstery, with new glass and window seals. It is finished in Rustoleum flat brown enamel. It has been the recipient of many People's Choice and Best of Show awards during the short time the seller has owned it, including the Goodguys Spokane Chrome and Suede Award in 2019. It has been pictured in the Canadian Hot Rod magazine.