General Ike

Drove an ambulance on one of those chassis with a CAT for a few years. Smoked like hell.

That trailer with tractor driven wheels is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

What will you guys do about the top speed of that rig. Typically they're governed for 60-65. Most highway traffic cruises at 70-75 these days. Are you considering a modification to allow it to stay with traffic or will you just relax at 60-65.

Oxygen Sensor?

You're from Pikeville... Beautiful country. I cruise through Martin every now and again. I've got a handful of contract employees at the hospital there. There were a 1/2 dozen or so nearly identical rigs sitting in the Huddle House parking lot in Harlan last year. Orange and black.... Wonder if they're gone. Looked as if they had been parked for a while. Can you or anyone else explain why the dump bodies on coal rigs are so large compared to other dumps. Is coal lighter and thus you can carry more?

I'm a born and raised Yankee who married southern. I'll tell you that my best friend growing up and to this day moved from Australia going into kindergarten and his wonderful cooking norther Irish mother and British father tried to get me to eat Vegemite every time I slept over. Wouldn't touch the stuff. I probably need to try it now that I've got kids and encourage them to try everything on the table at least once. My assistant is from the UK and eats marmite toast every morning. Thanks for the warning about it. Now onto the southern stuff.... I've been indoctrinated. Pinto beans with bacon and onions over a piece of real (not that sugary crap) corn bread is unreal. My sausage gravy (was taught by a sweet old lady from Evarts, KY how to make it right) is out of this world, fried okra, fried pickles, and real fried chicken... Holy crap I'm getting hungry. I'll try the Vegemite. I'm sure id rather eat a shit sandwich though. Hoping I'm pleasantly surprised. I land in Nashville in 15 minutes and will be in Cookeville TN by 8. Hoping the kitchen is still serving at Crawdaddys. I got a hankering!!!!!

Although I love my B85, I would love to have B95FSW1144 back in the stable. It still exists but is unobtainable at present. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife's parents and grandparents are from Harlan County (Evarts, Lynch and Cawood). We spent last Thanksgiving there. It is one of my favorite places on earth to visit, but the poverty that is evident throughout those hills is heartbreaking. The media portrays the hungry and the poor as city dwellers and rarely do they get off their butts to go see how the rest of America struggles unless its Diane Sawyer who went to Harlan to tell America that the kids there drink too much Mountain Dew. It was pathetic, look it up on YouTube I'm sure its available. Anyway... This donation will make a huge difference. Round of applause for Howard.

Mike... I'm a healthcare exec by trade.... Just PM'd you some thoughts to help make sure the bill is correct.

Powercall siren is a nice touch too.

There is something about that rig that stands out to me as odd.... The front axle looks too wide and the rails seem to come too far forward under the radiator for the bumper to mount to..... Am I wrong.... Is it sitting on an R chassis? Something looks off.

Its such an awesome rig... Photo courtesy of Penn Twp (Cumberland 50) webpage

A gentleman, yes. Can't say much for his presidency. He put the knife in the Shaw's back and left it there. Much of our problems in the Middle East today had their genesis under his tenure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Neighboring state. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The view from my hotel room Monday and Tuesday.... Anyone put a finger on where this is? You can literally sit back with a 6 pack and cringe as steering wheel holders.... one after another scrape the inside lane post that protects the building... Another hint.... A Shaffer van burned up yesterday on one of the off ramps.

Ahh so many PA fire memories. I've been at a handful of big jobs with several of those CF's when they were in service. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went to Gettysburg College and as posted previously I was a member of GFD and now own their 1957 B85F 1242 "The General Ike". Frankly, you were better off to do the trip the way you did and not during reenactment week.... It's just a zoo. Better to see a smaller reenactment somewhere else or one in Gettysburg that takes place not during the first week of July. Fantastic way to spend time with your son. My oldest (about to turn 8) has the same fascination with the Revolution as Medium has with the Civil War. Took him to Boston (Lexington & Concord) three years ago and to DC (Mount Vernon) two years ago and he l loved it.

Ironically, the VM Motori 3.0l diesel V6 that is now available in Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500's was originally slated to be available in GM products. When GM and Fiat "unpartnered", and our government screwed the debt holders of Chrysler by essentially handing what was left of the company to Fiat... Voilà the engine went from being a GM product on US shores to being a Chrysler product. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have fun with it... I've got tens of thousands in to my B85F.... It's worth what its worth to you as others have said... For me, owning a rig that I have memories of responding to some pretty big jobs in is priceless... The sensory aspect of it is huge... The wind, sound of the motor, smell of the old seats, etc... Not to hijack the thread but we are talking about fire trucks..... There are two that even though its been 20 years since I went to a job in one of them... I remember every aspect of the experience... First is my rig mentioned above... No roof, 6V53T repower... The sound and experience is unreal... Second a 1977 Seagrave 100ft rearmount with a canopy cab... I remember going to a job at Gettysburg Hospital in the dead of winter... Old man Bob Plank driving and I was in the drivers side jump seat facing backwards....I forget who was in the other jump seat and in the officers seat... but Bob never lifted going through the square in town and barely lifted making the left onto Washington Street... 8V71 screaming, the ladder flys and cables rocking back and forth freezing as we left the station and burning hot (dog box got hot) by the time we got to the hospital.... The engine pulled out almost a minute before us and went Baltimore Street, Bob took us Washington Street and we smoked them into the parking lot. I really feel bad for firemen who have never had the opportunity to go to a job on a classic rig. The new rigs are great and full of awesome technology but the old ones are unforgettable... Thank you for reading my walk down memory lane... Now back to our regularly scheduled antique fire truck purchase....

Right side up...

Loaded.... IDK... But it wouldn't surprise me. Electric motors provide 100% of their torque from 0 rpm. Its why the Tesla electric luxury sedan is one of the fastest accelerating vehicles on the planet.

While I don't live within the City of Orlando (Winter Park borders it in several places) I do see these rigs on a regular basis. They make some strange noises but appear to be doing the job well.

The ALF Century behind it would be cool to see too....

Bad ass brush truck!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Full disclosure... My B85F was previously Gettysburg PA's pumper that stood by at Ike's farm when his chopper would land. It was the only fire truck ever dedicated by a standing US President prior to 9-11-01. It has always been known as the General Ike... Hence my handle on here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk