GA_Dave

Engine 381, Panama, NY 1991 AutoCar/Darley 1500/1500

Engine 54-4, Eureka Fire Company, Stewartstown, PA 1991 AutoCar/Allegheny 1750/750 4x4

As I recall, the tank ended about where the door latch handle on the rear compartment is. The rear half of that compartment went all the way through to the other side of the body, except where the dump pipe passed through. From the rear, the back wall went up to above that compartment, then indented to the tank and went vertical again up to the hose bed. The dump valve was located in the center of the lower wall. It has been about 30 years since I took that shot, so my recollection may be a bit fuzzy.

Tanker 201, Brocton, NY 1992 Ford LTL-9000/1971 Brenner/1982 BFD refurb 0/4000

Engine 41, Washington FD, Washington Court House, OH 1965 Ford NT-850/Marion Body Company 750/1300

Rescue 19, Good Will Fire Company #1, Spry, PA 1987 AutoCar/Steeldraulics Products, Inc. (SPI)

Tanker 2, Villas, NJ 1986 Ford LTL-9000/Young 1250/2000

Tanker 1, Orchard Hill, GA 1967 Ford N-600/Georgia Forestry 140/950

Engine 1, Stonersville, PA 1982 AutoCar/Pierce 1250/2500

Engine 253, Mayville, NY 1968 Ford N-950/American Fire Apparatus 750/1250

Tanker 14, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA 1987 International Paystar/KME A/S-32P-18 500/2000 6x6

Engine 19-2, Hockessin, DE 1967 AutoCar/Hahn 1000/500

You assume it was an expensive chassis and I don't know that it was not, but I also don't know that it was. Being a repeat local customer, they may have gotten a deal on it. I don't recall seeing an AutoCar of this design before, but then pics of one similar has been posted since your comment, so maybe it isn't all that "custom". I don't believe the Xpeditor is available with 4 wheel drive, at least I have never seen one. Committee's are often how fire apparatus are spec'd. I have seen many excellent rigs designed by those committees and I have seen some awful, dis-functional ones as well. I have seen Chiefs do the same without a committee!

Proximity to the AutoCar factory (less than 10 miles), perhaps department members worked there. Hockessin operated several AutoCar chassis apparatus back in the day.

Tanker 1, Asheville, NC 2000 International Paystar/AFD Shops 750/3500 6x6

Rescue 19, Hockessin, DE 1975 AutoCar/Hamerly 250/250/25F 4x4

Engine 2, Ellicottville, NY 1990 AutoCar/F.M.C. 1000/750 4x4

Tanker 4, Matthews, NC 1992 International Paystar/4-Guys 1250/1500 4x4

In the case of Chicago, Buffalo, New York City and many others, they are wreckers.

Tanker 1136, Union City, PA 1988 AutoCar/4-Guys 1000/2750

7-5-9, Chicago FD, Chicago, IL 1984 International Paystar/Challenger Wrecker

Tanker 206, Fuller Hose Company, North East, PA 1986 AutoCar/4-Guys 1000/2500

Rescue 1, Valdosta Airport, Valdosta, GA 1976 International Paystar 5000/Fire-X 500/500/100F/100DC 4x4

Most likely. That's dairy country. Brenner tanks frequently serve a second life in fire departments in that area after many years of hauling milk. Being stainless, they often outlive the original chassis. My old FD up there (1982-1986) bought a 1971 International/Brenner 0/4000 from a raw milk transporter in 1982, adding baffles and dump and fill valves, racks for hard suctions, compartments below the tank on each side and replacing the dome with a flat cover so it would fit in the firehouse. We repainted the cab and chassis and added lights and siren. When done, we had $16,000 in the whole project. Since than, it has been transferred to a 1992 Ford LTL and again to a 1998 Pete. It's still in service.