1958 F.W.D.

On 4/18/2024 at 2:02 PM, other dog said:

There was nothing wrong with the alternator until someone was putting new batteries in the truck and forgot that it was positive ground. 

What kind of a dumbass would do that?

Tommy- for the alternator/generator and the starter, if you need anything and cannot find it and want to get what you have rebuilt, I highly recommend Vineland Auto Electric in Vineland New Jersey. They are HIGHLY regarded in the antique firetruck world for electrical components and systems. 

20 hours ago, other dog said:

Possibly. Brocky advised me to only use non- ethanol in it, like I use in all my small engines. I was advised to do that years ago with small engines by someone with much knowledge about such matters, and haven't had any issues yet. 

I'm thinking I'll get the 90 octane non ethanol from the Sheetz just up the road, put the lead additive in it, a can of Sea Foam periodically, and Sta-Bil in the fall.

Check with folks who know that engine- if the valves have hardened seats, the lead additive isn't necessary. 

On 4/12/2024 at 9:17 AM, other dog said:

I looked in the gas hole with a flashlight and I could see all these dark blobs "swimming" around on the bottom of the tank.

I wonder if it was crap from ethanol gasoline?

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/at00sbh3yv/executive

Had a bit of a shake here in the Eastern Pennsylvania/NJ/NY area. A 4.8 quake with an epicenter of Lebanon (Hunterdon County) New Jersey hit this morning and kinda rattled everyone- we just don't get those around here. I was in Collegeville Pa and didn't feel anything but the cops on the other side of the building came over to my side and said that their filing cabinets were all shaking and banging against one another. Then my kid calls and said that the house (in Hellertown Pa. only 30 miles from the epicenter) shook for at least 15 seconds. And he said it wasn't little "tri axle full of rock going past the house shaking" it was heavy shaking!

News reports a few minutes later said it was felt from Ct all the way to Va.

Here is a link to the radio traffic of the Baltimore City Fire Dept- they were initially dispatched for a "car in the water." This is 90 minutes of radio traffic that has been compressed to about 40 minutes.  From a Fire Service Standpoint- these guys all remained calm, cool and collect in the face of probably the biggest incident any of them will ever face in their careers. 

19 hours ago, Red Horse said:

  What I don't understand is, they managed to shut bridge down before impact but did not notify the crew that was on bridge patching potholes??  You can see their flashing yellow hazard lights as drifting ship was approaching.  3:55 just now Maryland gov is praising effort to shut down bridge access before impact.  Confirms what I'm saying .... what about repair crew????

Here is a link to the MDT Police Radio traffic, it's about 2 minutes long. You can clearly hear one officer has traffic stopped, and says "When someone relieves me. I will drive up and get the road crew off." But then it happened. Can you imagine how that officer feels now? 
 

On 2/24/2024 at 7:26 AM, 67RModel said:

 It would be completely worthless for anything other than what it is now. 

Many poor VFD's in rural areas received these as excess Government vehicles and turned them into water tankers. And have turned them over in ditches because everyone forgets water is heavier than fuel. 

First winter after I got the FWD Firetruck, we had one of those epic three foot plus blizzards. I took it out just to say that I did it. I **tried** to get it stuck. Wasn't happening!!! Did get it hung up on a plowed mound once but I locked the lockers and she climbed right out like it wasn't even there. 

9 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

All I can think of is Caddy Shack the movie

Dunno if these are same thing, gave me a chuckle years ago

 

Paul

VARMINT CONG!

Back in my younger life, I was trying to get hired onto the Philadelphia Fire Department, and bought a house in the City to establish residency which was a requirement. Life went on and that did not pan out. I sold the house and moved up to the Lehigh Valley where we are now. I always thought I would miss living in the City, but every time I go back (have to get my cheese steak fix or go visit Philly Fire Dept friends at their firehouses) I can't wait to get the EFF out of there. Dennis Smith, a  NYC Firefighter and Author that I like once said about New York: "I have been here too long to hate it, but I know it too well to love it."

And yeah the Alzheimers/Dimentia thing sucks. We lost my mom in January 2020 just before the china virus hit. She had been suffering from dimentia and then full blown alzheimers. I wont go through the whole thing but it was 7 years of my Dad taking care of her and me and my wife stepping in once in a while to give him a break. In mid-December 2019 things got really bad and her brain started to forget how to tell her body to do things and she developed aspiration pneumonia and got admitted to the hospital. Christmas Day 2019 I went to visit her with my Aunt (her sister) and it was the first time she didn't know who we were. It was a kick in the stomach. She died a few weeks later on January 11, and not to sound like an a$$hole (I am sure many would agree with me) it was a relief and though my Dad would never admit it he was relieved. 

The aerial was a special product called "Bulldog 1" made specially for Mack by Ladder Towers, Inc. who is currently owned by the Spartan/REV group of Ephrata, Pa. You can try to give them a call or send an email to see what they have as far as manuals but I would not hold your breath. Not many of these were made for Mack. 

The clutch is most likely a 16" twin disc Spicer. Yes parts are available, you just have to hunt a little. Any reputable clutch shop should be able to rebuild it. As for the hub, you have to keep your eyes out at the truck flea markets. 

On 10/16/2023 at 6:08 PM, CF-Firefighter said:

 In theory, one 1.75 inch line would last close to 10 min flowing if 1000 gallons. Half that if 500 to know for sure. 

I can tell you from looking at the pic as originally delivered compared to now, that the tank is not the original 500 gallon tank and is now larger. And I bet that the truck has no rust because when they modified the body to accommodate the larger tank, they probably did some cancer surgery at the same time. 

19 hours ago, CF-Firefighter said:

She was advertised with a 1000 gallon poly tank, but the Mack build sheet shows a 500.

That's not the original tank, which would have been steel. Poly tanks were relatively unheard of back then and certainly not installed OEM by Mack. 

On 10/6/2023 at 7:37 PM, other dog said:

I already had visions of rolling into the Hellertown Truck Stop in that unit.

Sorry the parking lot is full that day, you'll have to go to the Pilot or the T/A at Exit 7 in New Jersey. 

On 10/2/2023 at 4:41 PM, other dog said:

Yes, then you could have stopped at the Iowa 80 museum too!

I had to get to Winfall to Uber all these hot chicks around, some guy there refused to give them rides. 

If you want to check out a small but very nice fire truck collection in Estes Park, check out the Reliance Fire Museum www.reliancefiremuseum.org

Estes Park located on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain National Park that has some fantastic views. 

I was at the museum in August but very briefly picking up a transmission, wish I had some more time to look around. 

18 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

That's amazing, yet not surprising 

12 hours ago, RowdyRebel said:

I'd rather enjoy the time I've got on this Earth, even if it might be a little shorter.

Don't get me wrong, I would never discourage anyone from wanting a bike or to ride. I have many friends who do, including Firefighters. Many are surprised that I am not into bikes for as big a gearhead as I am. Two accidents that I went to as a Firefighter when I was 19 really left a sour taste in my mouth. Won't get into details but they were pretty gory. You do you, it's just not for me. I have my fun in other ways. 

Have been a volunteer and career firefighter/EMT for 33 years. I have seen enough that I have absolutely zero desire to ever ride. 

I am pretty sure I have been to more fatal motorcycle accidents than I have non-fatal ones. 

On 9/15/2023 at 7:21 PM, mrsmackpaul said:

I have sent them a message and I also sent a message to the email address Brocky provided 

 

When and if I hear back I'll let you all know 

 

Paul 

Many of them are punch-type cards, some of which had microfiche negatives attached. As stated, not sure if they are indexed or if the museum even has the capability of reading the punch card information. All in all, the cabinets probably contain several hundred thousand cards. 

I can absolutely confirm that the Museum did acquire records from Mack Australia a few years back in the form of 10 or 15 cabinets, containing hundreds of thousands of record cards. (Helped move them to the second floor records room.) Don't know if they are indexed or not or whether the museum has the capability to read them or not. 

1 hour ago, h67st said:

That Ahrens Fox is really cool! What is the chrome ball on top of the pump?

Here is a different AF with a better view of the piston pump.