second time around FDNY Mack

[Guest]

However, Rusty at Bernie Enterprises did give me a place somewhere in upstate NY that might have a few Mack's and/or ALF's. I still get the Jekyll/Hyde from Larry O Taylor., so I basically stopped calling them. Though I may try one more time.

Where in upstate NY? I live in Albany area- If it's local I can take a look and see if the stuff you need is there...

[tntway]

any updates on the restoration???

[smketrfdny]

[quote name='tntway' timestamp='1307301644' post='442843']

any updates on the restoration???

[/quote]



Funny you should ask.... After posting under the SPAAMFAA president's rigs, I looked here. Sorry to say, I have been a little hypocritical myself with my rig sitting outside. I had to move it due to it blocking the whole driveway to remove my wife's 1st husband (who died 4 years ago) 1967 Camaro. Not a fan of ether spray, but it got it started and still sounds sweet after sitting for ages. After numerous attempts to find vocational schools to fix it up, I finally approached my pal at Nassau Fire Apparatus here in West Babylon, NY. They are closed on Saturdays, so I asked him if he wanted to make some extra $$$ getting the Mack ready. I can bring it in any Saturday when I am not working one of my 65 jobs (including working for them shuttling rigs and buses all over), we will work on it all day, but then it has to come back home. I lost a few thousand $$$ last week when I got a call to use it in a photo shoot with connections I have. So that got me on the ball to get it done.



As they say, when it rains, it pours. I stopped by a vocational school in Queens a few weeks ago for the same thing, but their doors are very tiny to hold a 1980 Mack CF. So, if I can get the body off, and somehow flatbed it to the school, the work can be done for a very small cost. But a few weekends at Nassau Fire may do the same thing. 3 of the 4 compartments are rusted out, the fenders may need replacing (I am told of a place in SE PA that can unofficially make the CF fenders at a decent price). He's got an air leak, and an electrical issue where it won't hold a charge even with new batteries and alternator, and may need new tires.



I may call Mr. Taylor again and get the light bar, and rear lights that were unique to F.D.N.Y. rigs (anyone have a picture of the 70's F.D.N.Y. hosebeds), and the 3 piece red bumper. Will remove all the markings of the North Versailles FD, get the work done, and hopefully a nice paint job. I also need a new "Herculite" hose bed cover, maybe the Mack Museum in Allentown has that info. So I have asked before, if anyone can help me out with any of the above, please let me know.



Pipe dreams down the road include trying to get it on TV and photo shoots with my connection, and to do the muster circuit and assist the F.D.N.Y. Fire Family Transport with funerals and their Wounded Warrior drive arounds. We will see. Thanks for asking, hopefully the next post will show some progress in a positive light.



Stay safe, Brothers.

[B95MACKFIRE]

Brother , may be able to help on the hose bed cover. Local chief [c] had a few in the basement for use on there fleet of CF's. As they went o/s they saved the tops for the rest until they were all gone.[rigs] Will be at a class with him speaking on Wed 9/28 and will see if any are left !

[smketrfdny]

[quote name='B95MACKFIRE' timestamp='1316960485' post='458030']

Brother , may be able to help on the hose bed cover. Local chief [c] had a few in the basement for use on there fleet of CF's. As they went o/s they saved the tops for the rest until they were all gone.[rigs] Will be at a class with him speaking on Wed 9/28 and will see if any are left !

[/quote]





Thanks, Brother. And you're only a short drive over the Throgs Neck. First round is on me...

[smketrfdny]

Ok, will post pics later, but after 5 years, I FINALLY started on the restoration. I can work on it every Saturday I am not working over at one of my part time jobs at Nassau Fire Apparatus. Today, we removed the compartments on the Chauffeur's side where the suction racks usually go. 3 of the 4 compartments are totally rusted away and we will be getting new metal to replace the floors. My "Herculite" cover over the hose bed was shredded and discolored due to all that time outside. So all compartment doors are removed, and I got a quick lesson in grinding rust with a wheel (and took a chunk of my finger with it....LOL) Not being good with my hands, I actually feel good doing something to make it look better. Even after sitting a long while, with a few shots of ether, she purrs like a kitten (or should I say ;"Roars like a bulldog"). We still have a slow air leak and I need the electrical system checked, but hopefully with a s**tload of Saturdays, I can get her looking real nice.



I have some people working on the hose rack, light bar, bumper and some other smaller parts from someone I talked to on bigmacktrucks.com (who I think is also a member here). I sent a letter to Larry Taylor in Wysox, HOPING I may get a reply. We will see. The Q2B was not original (and not working) so I may put it up for sale. I have 2 half bar Code 3's (not sure of model, see pic) I will probably sell as well. I have a few Ziamatic SCBA bottle holders if anyone might be interested. And maybe a few amber strobes I may remove that were not original.



Hope to have pics tonight.



Stay safe, Brothers.

[smketrfdny]

OK, sorry for not being too good with computers, but here are a few shots from yesterday:

[smketrfdny]

Ordering the sheet metal tomorrow. While waiting for the paperwork from the Mack Museum, anyone have a good place to get paint? I'm told it can be very expensive, so any sources would be appreciated. Many thanks.



Stay safe, Brothers.

[Marc]

Jimmy,



Try contacting the Shops.......Never know what they may have tucked away in storage over in L.I.C...........

[smketrfdny]

[quote name='Crossbronxxpress' timestamp='1318885714' post='460764']

Jimmy,



Try contacting the Shops.......Never know what they may have tucked away in storage over in L.I.C...........

[/quote]





I think nowadays thing are harder to give away, per se. I will take another look. However, I have put the things I needed out on other websites as well. Only thing is the $$ factor, but I am working on fixing that. Haven't heard anything yet from Larry O. Taylor, and I don't think I will. The Mack Museum is sending me all the specs on the rig, which will help my pal fabricate the new compartments. If ya feel like driving down on a Saturday I am not working, love to see ya stop by. Not too far, Exit 49 off the LIE and about 4-5 miles from the exit ramp. And I am waiting on the status of 2 former F.D.N.Y. rigs in a scrapyard outside Philly to hopefully get what I need. A website called elightbars.com (My God, they have websites for EVERYTHING!!!! LOL) has the exact same lightbar for $500. Pricey right now, but it is in mint condition. I will try to post more pics tonight.Mostly it has been working on the compartments, sanding and other things should be going on next.



Stay safe,Brothers.

[smketrfdny]

Ok, some of the pics are duplicates, but I got them off my phone somehow.....lolol



I do hope you enjoy.



Here is the rig shortly before I purchased it.







Here it is before we started 'surgery' lol.









Compartments over Chauffeur's side removed:







Chauffeur side front compartment:







Chauffeur's side compartment bottom removed:







My pal Rob welding some holes closed:







Officer's side rear compartment:







Officer's side front compartment:

[smketrfdny]

Officer's side front compartment, bottom removed and cancer in side wall (yes, those are spiderwebs, it did sit for awhile).







Chauffeurs side front compartment with more cancer removed. The job specified 'access plates' to get to the springs. I cannot sawz-all that perfect..lol









Officer's side cancer (and spiderwebs) removed:







Different pic of Officer's side. Notice the corrosion of the brace:







Officer's rear compartment. For some odd reason, this one was the toughest to work on. Kicked my a**. LOL









Hope you enjoyed. Will try to get more as I progress.



Stay safe, Brothers.

[B95MACKFIRE]

[quote name='smketrfdny' timestamp='1318895126' post='460802']

Officer's side front compartment, bottom removed and cancer in side wall (yes, those are spiderwebs, it did sit for awhile).







Chauffeurs side front compartment with more cancer removed. The job specified 'access plates' to get to the springs. I cannot sawz-all that perfect..lol









Officer's side cancer (and spiderwebs) removed:







Different pic of Officer's side. Notice the corrosion of the brace:







Officer's rear compartment. For some odd reason, this one was the toughest to work on. Kicked my a**. LOL









Hope you enjoyed. Will try to get more as I progress.



Stay safe, Brothers.

[/quote]

Ok brother I did not forget you ! nothing yet from the city shops we talked about BUT I was upstate yesterday, still nobody around but have now phone # for member there best for last while there I did some looking around and found the top [blue] cross bows [3] and the rear step cover all in like new shape ! Kept the faith !!!!!!!!!

[smketrfdny]

No problem, Brother. I know ya didn't. I am keeping the faith. No worries if it doesn't work out. Better to have more than one way to obtain things........

[smketrfdny]

Hasn't been touched since these last photos were taken, but should be some progress soon. I got my blueprints from the Mack Museum, had them blown up and laminated (to keep them grease and oil free....), and the next step is to fabricate new compartments, fenders and fenderwells. My only worry is how much the sheet metal will cost me (anyone have any ideas on cost? Not looking for exact, but a ballpark on how much I will need.) Nice that neighboring shops usually work together, since the machine/fabrication shop behind them will let him use their toys..



Just came back from Campbell Supply in S. Plainfield, N.J. for them. Picked up a little 6x6 A.S.A.P [url="http://asap911.com/medstat/"]http://asap911.com/medstat/[/url] out of Ohio. The "Medstat" looks like an all terrain vehicle for midgets, which I brought back for the Buff Show at Nassau Coliseum next week. May be there. Stop and say hi if I'm there. Not what it used to be from years ago, but thats life. Hell, maybe one year they can put my CF in there for the quality work and painting done by them... lol



Even though I have been busy, I still need parts if anyone has a keen eye for them <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Stay safe, Brothers.

[tntway]

here's a link for you to check out......



http://www.thefiretruckrescue.com/

[e290l103]

they bought Manahawkin's CF to part out??? that should be a crime...



[quote name='tntway' timestamp='1329593259' post='475207']

here's a link for you to check out......



[url="http://www.thefiretruckrescue.com/"]http://www.thefiretruckrescue.com/[/url]

[/quote]

[ffemt2638]

[quote name='FDNYTRUCKS.com' timestamp='1329593461' post='475208']

they bought Manahawkin's CF to part out??? that should be a crime...

[/quote]

I spent many hours on that truck. It is a crime to part that thing out. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bitch.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rant:' />

[smketrfdny]

[quote name='ffemt2638' timestamp='1329599289' post='475217']

I spent many hours on that truck. It is a crime to part that thing out. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bitch.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rant:' />

[/quote]



Then maybe you should have bought it..... <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Parking is a little tough,though..



Stay safe, Brothers.

[ffemt2638]

I would've bought that Stafford CF, but it would've cost a fortune to repower it due to the motor being blown up!!