1949 American LaFrance 700 Series Quint

[Guest]

I was sorting through some older pictures tonight and thought I'd share some pictures of Big Green's predecessor, "Green Machine." It was a 1957 American LaFrance 800 Series Engine, Reg. No. 9455. You couldn't help but to love this poor thing. I came upon it in 2002, and it kicked around here for about three years before it went on its way to a new home in Illinois. My Dad was elated, though not pleased that it had been replaced with an even bigger and greener American LaFrance.



Neal Collection <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />











Ole Gray ain't got nothin' on the retro-1970s metallic green paint job! <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hysterical.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[1961MackC95]

[quote name='1949ALF' post='137267' date='Aug 5 2007, 23:33 ']I was sorting through some older pictures tonight and thought I'd share some pictures of Big Green's predecessor, "Green Machine." It was a 1957 American LaFrance 800 Series Engine, Reg. No. 9455. You couldn't help but to love this poor thing. I came upon it in 2002, and it kicked around here for about three years before it went on its way to a new home in Illinois. My Dad was elated, though not pleased that it had been replaced with an even bigger and greener American LaFrance.



Neal Collection <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Ole Gray ain't got nothin' on the retro-1970s metallic green paint job! <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hysterical.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />[/quote]



WOW! Another green ALF in the collection-imagine that!



Lindsay D

Richardson, TX



   

[Guest]

Cool pics !

[Guest]

[quote name='1961MackC95' post='137287' date='Aug 6 2007, 06:21 ']WOW! Another green ALF in the collection-imagine that![/quote]



You know it had to start somewhere. I wasn't the least bit disappointed when the owner before me told me it was painted green ...



He thought I wouldn't like it! <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_crazy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Guest]

Last night, I was sorting through some video clips I had uploaded a while back, and I found this one of Big Green that I took last November while driving through town. I'm not sure if this link will work, but I'll give it a try.



Google Video: [url="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1781120172139191858"]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1781120172139191858[/url]



If that link works all right, I have more video clips that I can add for a couple of our other trucks.

[Guest]

Worked perfect, that was cool !!!

[Guest]

[quote name='knarfage' post='148966' date='Sep 16 2007, 16:46 ']Worked perfect, that was cool !!![/quote]



Oh, good.



Here's the continuation of that video clip of Big Green.



[url="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3434755480265092419&hl=en"]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=34...92419&hl=en[/url]



And here's one of the Gray Ghost running in the garage. It doesn't like being woken up. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='<_<' />



(You can see Mario lurking in the background by the other little Fire Engine, hehe.)



[url="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4997791595455168175&hl=en"]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=49...68175&hl=en[/url]



But once you get going, it sure is a nice ride. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Here we go back through town in the opposite direction.



[url="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8529669165558991142&hl=en"]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8...91142&hl=en[/url]



And into the cornfields.



[url="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7267980186673328709&hl=en"]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7...28709&hl=en[/url]

[Guest]

You don't by chance have any of.......um, well you know the Squrt <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> going down the road do ya? Now you got me thinking that I need to do something like that......way cool



Frank

[Guest]

[quote name='knarfage' post='149110' date='Sep 16 2007, 21:03 ']You don't by chance have any of.......um, well you know the Squrt <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> going down the road do ya? Now you got me thinking that I need to do something like that......way cool[/quote]



Oh, I'm sure I do somewhere. When I come across them, I'll upload them and post the link(s) in the Crown's topic.

[Guest]

[quote name='1949ALF' post='149124' date='Sep 16 2007, 22:20 ']Oh, I'm sure I do somewhere. When I come across them, I'll upload them and post the link(s) in the Crown's topic.[/quote]





I got your e-mail today. Thanks. What did you think of the relettering job on my Squrt? I think it looks hot. Not bad for $200 bucks huh !!

[Guest]

[quote name='knarfage' post='149130' date='Sep 16 2007, 21:38 ']What did you think of the relettering job on my Squrt? I think it looks hot. Not bad for $200 bucks huh !![/quote]



It looks nice. We're eventually going to have to do the same to one of our ALFs. That reminded me, I need to get a new door seal decal for Green sometime as well. It never ends, does it?

[Guest]

[quote name='1949ALF' post='149132' date='Sep 16 2007, 22:41 ']It looks nice. We're eventually going to have to do the same to one of our ALFs. That reminded me, I need to get a new door seal decal for Green sometime as well. It never ends, does it?[/quote]



Nope, it's just one project to the next. I stripped the old paint of the stamped CROWN on the 4 bumper corners of my Squrt, repainted, sanded the red off the Crown, drybrushed some silver across the pitted area's, the 5 coats of metal clearcoat. I'll post some pictures on my thread tonight or tomorrow.



Frank

[Guest]

I should've made more of an effort to keep these pictures in order, but I don't come across these older pictures unless I'm going through things for some reason or another. Tonight is one of those nights where I'm digging for something and came across some pictures I thought I might add to this thread.



Here's a picture from when Big Green first arrived home in Indiana. It was a cold morning. I don't even remember who took this picture of me with it. I think it might've been my Dad.



It was a nightmare unloading it from the trailer it arrived on. Even with the ramps on the trailer, we needed a loading dock. Of course, there aren't any loading docks large enough to accommodate it around here. The driver ended up backing his trailer up to a ditch and unloading the truck that way. He almost twisted one of his ramps and sunk Greenie in the mud, but he got it. I wasn't about to take on that task.

[Guest]

The following June, Big Green visited its new house and neighborhood for the first time. The next day was the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter's Association Convention which I already posted pictures from in this thread. I took it home to clean it up a bit.

[Guest]

The folks from The Republic Newspaper in Columbus, Indiana, really dig Big Green. They've featured it more than once for various reasons. This picture came from an article about the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter's Association Convention that we attended that year.



Credit to the Staff Photographer

[Guest]

A face off at the convention? I'm not quite sure what I was trying to accomplish with this picture. I didn't even close the door all the way on Ole Gray before taking it. I guess this is just a result of me being left unattended with the two trucks and nothing better to do.

[Guest]

I'll leave off with this one tonight. Both of us showing our rears.



Photo by Frank Taff

[Guest]

Hi Kid,Get out a there!The man that owns that green truck probally dosen't like people foolin around with his firetruck!Have a good trip young lady,take lots of photos while your out there!...............Bruce

[Guest]

[quote name='1947ALF' post='154834' date='Oct 9 2007, 20:21 ']Hi Kid,Get out a there!The man that owns that green truck probally dosen't like people foolin around with his firetruck!Have a good trip young lady,take lots of photos while your out there!...............Bruce[/quote]



Don't touch that. Be nice. Do something different. And, ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE THAT?! (Drive WHAT?! Ha-ha.)



See you when I return, Number 1 A ... Chief. Dad. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/fireman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />