ebay auction item # 320319154052
auction ended sold for $5900.00 w/ 17 bids
located in Perkasie, PA
labeled as: 1943 Chevrolet military firetruck (Army 4x4)
described as:
"1943 Chevy airfield crash truck. NO rust, very good interior, wooden steering wheel, good seat, glass, tires, etc. Spent most of it's life in a museum. Currently not running. Easy restoration"
my friend (
http://www.maui.net/~r11/firetruck-id/index.html ), who is heavily into Mil Fire trucks made the following comments re this truck:
"The truck is not a CRASH truck. All WW II Army Engineer Aircraft Crash Fire
Trucks, regardless of size of truck or pump, have at least one commonality.
That is their pumps produce low water output (GPM) at very high pressure
(PSI). The pump on the eBay truck is high GPM at low PSI.
I am not sure that this truck even started life as a fire truck. As Red
Skelton's Clem Kadiddlehoffer used to say "it just don't look right to me".
The sure way to know is to get the USA Registration Number (USAREG#) or what
I call the HVIN from the hood. If it starts with a 50 the truck started
life as a fire truck. If it starts with a 3 it is a Model G4100 or g7100
series 1-1/2 ton 4x4 military Chevrolet that could have had any of a number
of body types. Fire Truck CLASSES 110, 135, 300, 325 and 525 were on the
same cab and chassis, but with the 50 number.
So, what is the truck, three possibilities:
1. The truck was not a fire truck in origin, but a Cargo Body onto which a
water tank was installed and a Darley F Series pump installed poorly on the
front bumper.
2. A CLASS 325 fire truck from which the fire truck body was removed and the
tank installed which I question.
3. A CLASS 525 fire truck from which the fire truck body was removed and the
tank installed which I question.
Why do I question 2 & 3? Look at the attachment CLASS 325 4x4 D that is a
Darley built truck (black and white photo enclosed). Notice the pump installation which is the way the pumps
were installed in WW II. The hole in the bumper was for the suction hose
and the bumper was straighten not bent on the ends like the eBay truck.
Also notice the water piping coming from the water tank to the pump on the
eBay truck compare it with the Darley built truck.
I believe the Darley pump is a F-500 (500 GPM at 120 PSI). The clutch
assembly (front center of the pump case) does not appear to be complete (see
attachment Darley F Series Pump).
To confirm this vehicle and its CLASS as a fire truck we would need:
1. from the builders plate on the pump, the pump's GPM, make and model #
2. the number and location of booster hose reels. (see my website for
this).
In summary, I believe this truck likely was a Cargo truck someone built into
essentially a water tender (nurse tanker) and not a fire truck in its
beginnings.
"
Mike
*******
hope everyones Turkey Day was great..
