I have come across a Mack R608F pumper, SN 1006. It was an old St. Louis City pumper and is still here locally. It's been outside for at least the past 10 years, maybe longer. After the FD, it wound up with the City Parks Department as a flush truck. The interior is in very good condition, but the exterior needs a full restoration. No structural corrosion on the cab, some cracks in the hood and some rot taking hold in the body cabinets. All of the other goodies are there. Chrome items are starting to rust pretty good, although the bed top rails are still in great shape. Tires are rotten. Everything looks pretty decent under the hood. Wiring is okay, even still has the little light on the firewall by the steering shaft.
Does anyone have any info on these? My Mack Fire Trucks book shows only 61 of the 608's made. Judging from the SN and the relative quantity of them in St. Louis, I assume St. Louis was the first department order. I'm going by FD HQ tomorrow to meet a guy who knows a bit about these specific units and where they were stationed. I remember these as reserve units here when I was growing up. I never realized they were 608's with the 707, I always assumed they were diesels.
I'm looking for just about anything on these, even any issues with the 707. The owner wants 3 for it, I was thinking it is a bit high, given its condition. Now if it was an FDNY R model sedan cab, that's a different story.
