Summary

1928 Ahrens-Fox antique firetruck. This restored truck is powered by a T-head 998ci 6-cylinder GEO gas engine with dual ignition and a 3-speed manual transmission, and is equipped with a 900 gpm pump.

Details

Ahrens-Fox has long since been considered the Rolls-Royce of fire trucks. The origin of Ahrens-Fox traces back to 1852, the beginnings of the steam fire engine era, when Alexander B. Latta constructed a steam-powered fire engine in Cincinnati. This was early in the era of the steam-powered fire engine, and the development was followed closely by a young apprentice in the works named Chris Ahrens. Ahrens later assumed ownership of Latta’s company and in 1903 merged with American LaFrance. Ahrens-Fox was started in 1910 following Ahrens’ sons and two of his son-in-law’s (one of whom is Charles Fox) departure from American LaFrance. Initially Ahrens-Fox manufactured a few horse-drawn and steam-driven fire engines, but they soon switched to an apparatus powered by Walter Christie's pioneering 2-wheel tractors, then concentrated on 2-wheel gasoline engine-driven units. One of the most identifiable features of an Ahrens-Fox is not only the unique grille of the engine but also the massive upright pump with all its polished fittings. These features are what helped to secure the Ahrens-Fox fire engine’s place in history as having one of the most remarkable faces in the world of motor vehicles. This particular Ahrens-Fox was originally commissioned in 1928 for the City of New Orleans Fire Department. It was later sold to a fire museum in Louisiana, at which time it was totally restored. This truck is powered by a T-head 998ci 6-cylinder GEO engine with dual ignition and a 3-speed manual transmission. This unit is also equipped with a 900 gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump.