Commercial canopy cab apparatus

[Aaronw]

I don't think this has been done before. There was a relatively short window of 20-30 years when the commercial canopy cab was a popular alternative to the custom cab. The decline of putting firefighters on the tailboard and tightening budgets in the late 60s seems to have been the push that began their ascent, and its end came in the early 90s with the adoption of safety standards that required fully enclosed riding positions on new apparatus. 

 

Personally I find this period of design an interesting hybrid of the commercial chassis and custom apparatus, not cleanly fitting in either side.

 

This is specifically canopy cab apparatus built on a commercial chassis, crewcabs and standard fixed cabs need not apply. The one exception I'm making is that odd creation that placed firefighters in a seperate box or in the apparatus body itself behind a standard cab, examples being Washington DC's "telephone booth" Fords or the USFS' Model 61. I make this exception because it seems to have been a close rival of the canopy cabs, and it quickly faded away after the canopy cab ceased production.

 

Edit- Open bench seats behind the cab and extended cab trucks with rear seating but no seperate doors for those seats are close enough to fit within the umbrella of "canopy cab" and encouraged.

 

 

I don't actually have a lot of examples of these to post so I hope others will chime in and add some of their own.

 

I'll start of with what was probably the single most successful commercial canopy cab chassis, the Ford C series. All photos posted by me were photographed by me unless otherwise stated.

 

California Office of Emergency Services Ford C / Westates

[Aaronw]

On their Model 9, the California Department of Forestry went with a simpler design, placing the crew in a detached canopy behind the cab.

 

 

[Aaronw]

The Ford L series saw a fair bit of use as well. In the San Francisco Bay Area they were popular in the East Bay with both Oakland and Berkeley running several.

 

Berkeley Fire Department Engine 6, Ford LS / Van Pelt (Photo credit Paul Pansoy)

 

 

[Aaronw]

and my last for tonight, an example of the enclosed compartment in the apparatus body, a US Forest Service Model 61.

 

Chevrolet 8500 / Phoenix

 

 

[fyreline]

Yes, I agree - a long-overdue thread. Another fairly popular chassis for the commercial canopy-cab was the GMC (or Chevrolet equivalent) tilt-cab from the early 1960's through the early 1970's. Here's Syracuse's Engine 12, with the big Twin Six V-12. It was always a speedy and reliable rig - so of course we never bought another one! Note the plywood window covers, an unfortunate reminder of the turbulent mid to late 1960's.

 

[hank]

Good photos!

 

tHANKs

[Guest]

Tampa had four of these Ford C/E-one 1000gpm/500 gal. pumpers during the mid to late '80s. These and two Chevrolet/FMCs were Tampa's only venture into commercial cab apparatus.

[Guest]

A not so good photo of one of the Chevrolet/FMCs. They both began life as standard two door cabs as the administration at the time wanted to reduce engine co. staffing to three and all three crew members rode squashed in the cab and donned airpaks on arrival. They were both eventually sent to a local truck frame and spring company where the frames were lengthened and these odd looking canopy cabs were added. They sagged in the middle and had the turning radius of a battleship. Fortunately they didn't last long and were promptly scrapped.

[Guest]

Here is one of the Chevrolet/FMCs before the frame was lengthened and the canopy was added. Photo Tampasbravest.com.

[Guest]

Driver's side with the usual missing flip up compartment door. Tampa must had had dozens of these doors ripped off before going to roll ups.

[Image7801]

Stillwater, OK Reserve Engine (x-Engine 3)
1990 Ford F-800/Smeal 1000/1000
S/N 092221

This is an interesting rig. One of two purchased in 1989/1990, I was told that the Chief at the time wanted them bought quickly, due to the pending NFPA requirements for completely closed cabs. The other rig was identical, except that, due to drivability issues (light front end) with the 1000 gallon water tank, the other one had to be baffled down to 500 gallons. This is the only one left.

   

[Rheems1]

I have a few to add to this, as I find them I will throw them up.


Ford F/? Pumper

Orwin Fire Department

Orwin, Pa

 

[Image7801]

I have a few to add to this, as I find them I will throw them up.

Ford F/? Pumper

Orwin Fire Department

Orwin, Pa

 

Smeal? Central States maybe?

[taurudak]

Smeal? Central States maybe?

I have this as a 1991 Ford F800/Darley 1250/500.

[Big Dave]

If no one minds, I thought I'd post a few Canadian examples that I believe fit this thread's criteria.

Davidson, Saskatchewan  E482 is this 1987 Thibault/Ford F800 625/750

[Big Dave]

U3 in Vulcan, Alberta   1984 Superior/Ford C800  840/840

[Big Dave]

while not as common as the Ford C chassis, several examples of the International Cargostar chassis could be found in Canadian depts.

Parkland County, Alberta had this 1982 Superior/Int'l C0-1950B  1050/500 running as a spare pumper last year.

[Big Dave]

Portage La Prairie, Manitoba  P-4  1984 Thibault/Ford C8000  1050/750

[Big Dave]

Sudbury, Ontario T4  1988 Anderson/FLL delivered in single axle with a Bronto

converted to a tandem axle tanker in 2005 by C-Max   1500/2700

[Big Dave]

now maintained by the fire fighters in Niagara Falls, Ontario  1986 Superior/Int'l  C0-1950B  1050/500