My fire engine when new.
My fire engine when new.
My fire engine as restored.
Model EC centrifugal pumper and hose car with 400-gallon booster tank and two-door semi cab. Waukesha model 140-GZB-15B motor #840831, 45/8" bore x 51/4" stroke, 554 cubic inches, 226 brake horsepower, block #140120-G dated 11-11-52, firing order 1-5-3-6-2-4. Hale type ZSF pump, 750 gpm @ 150 psi. Windshield panes 16-1/2" high x 28" wide. Two 22-gallon gasoline tanks under cab floor. 9.00 x 20 tires. Two inner-control spotlights. Federal WL siren with red flasher light on left front fender. Hosebed 300' of 11/2" hose on left, 1000' of 21/2" hose in center, 3 Indian tanks on right. Compartment without doors under hosebed for 150' of pre-connect 11/2" hose. Box type rear fenders with single compartment, double compartment doors. Diamondette step plates atop front & rear fenders. Top-mounted booster reel with chrome rollers and 150' of 3/4" booster hose, Hardie fog nozzle. Rockwood foam proportioner, stainless steel tank for 25 gallons foam and 10 gallons wet water.
May 12, 1952: Ahrens-Fox construction & tool list for Model EC #9160, South Amboy, NJ.
May 16, 1952: Ordered by South Amboy, NJ. Sale by Frank Griesser, Bogota, NJ. Price $12,478. Order cancelled.
June 2, 1952: Bid proposal to Borough of New Milford, NJ, for Fire Co. #1 (this fire company was founded in 1906 as Palisades Township #1; town and Fire Co. renamed New Milford in 1922). Delivery in 180 working days after receipt of contract.
July 28, 1952: Ordered by New Milford, NJ. Sale by Frank Griesser, Bogota, NJ. Chief Louis Emanuel. Contract signed by Mayor Mario LaBarbarra and Borough Clerk Frank J.J. Kehoe. Delivery due April 7, 1953.
December 28, 1952: Hale factory test of ZF pump #14168, which eventually went into Fox #9160.
April, 1953: Fire Chief Andrew McLaren of New Milford Fire Co. #1 was to fly to Cincinnati to pick up this rig, but cancelled the trip on learning that it was not finished yet.
Sept. 30, 1953: #64009 hose body assembly completed for #9160, New Milford, NJ, on Job #268.
Under construction at Ahrens-Fox factory, 1638 Central Avenue, Cincinnati 14, OH, in October, 1953:
left side
right side
November 1, 1953: Ahrens-Fox manufacturing operations sub-contracted to C.D. Beck & Co., bus manufacturers, North Main Ave. & Russell Rd., Sidney, OH. The mostly-finished #9160 was driven from the Ahrens-Fox plant, 1638 Central Ave., Cincinnati to Sidney for final assembly & painting, making it the last Ahrens-Fox pumper built by Ahrens-Fox personnel in their own factory.
November 12, 1953: Painted, striped, and lettered at Sidney, OH, and equipment mounted.
December 20, 1953: Tested at Port Jefferson, OH, by Joe Fearing of Ahrens-Fox. Temperature 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Rated 750 gpm @ 150 psi, 500 @ 200, 375 @ 250. Pumped 761 gpm @ 155 psi, 533 @ 200, 381 @ 250.
December 21, 1953: Photoed during light snow storm in front of Beck factory at Sidney, OH, then shipped to New Milford, NJ. Driven overland from C.D. Beck & Co. factory, Sidney, OH, by Frank X. Griesser, Ahrens-Fox eastern sales & service agent, Bogota, NJ.
In front of C.D. Beck & Co. bus factory, North Main Ave. & Russell Road, Sidney, OH, Dec. 21, 1953:
left side
right side
rear
In Ahrens-Fox advertisement, Fire Engineering magazine, February, 1954
December 23, 1953: This rig arrived at Frank Griesser's home, 416 Palisade Ave., Bogota, NJ, where he cleaned it and prepared it for delivery on the next day.
December 24, 1953: Delivered to New Milford, NJ. Price $14,794 plus trade-in of WWII Navy surplus Chevrolet truck (which New Milford bought in 1952 for $1200). Griesser drove to town line on New Bridge Rd., where Chief Andrew McLaren took over and drove it to firehouse, 249 Center St.
December 26, 1953: Griesser installed new Zenith 129-W-16 2" downdraft carburetor from ECU #9158 being built for West Hazleton, PA.
December 27, 1953: First New Milford practice drill with #9160, at Hackensack Water Works dam, Oradell, NJ.
January 4, 1954: Acceptance test at New Milford, conducted by Clarence H. Dougal of Fire Insurance Rating Organization, Newark, NJ. Pumped 771 gpm @ 151 psi, 525 @ 201, 381 @ 250. Insurance underwriters certified this rig for service.
January 12, 1954: Front & rear license plate brackets for #9160, no charge.
February 3, 1954: Door switch and light for pump compartment, new corner-scroll decal on cowl, four OPEN arrow decals for discharge gates, nut wrenches for front and rear axles and wheels, 41/2" spanner wrench.
February, 1954: Fire Engineering page 113-Photo of this rig in Ahrens-Fox ad.
Feb, 22, 1954: In service as Engine 1, 249 Center St., New Milford, NJ. Dedication parade at New Milford attended by fire buff Dick Adelman, who photoed both sides of rig (I used these photoed as a guide to restore it with original equipment in original locations). New Jersey municipal vehicle license plate XH 524 MG (black with orange letters). Radio call number Engine 3-2.
Wet-down parade, to place #9160 in service at Fire Company #1, New Milford, NJ, February 22, 1954 (phoots by Richard M. Adelman):
left-front
right-front
In front of New Milford Fire Company #1 fire station, February 22, 1954:
left side
Photo of this rig and their 1945 Mack L model pumper in front of 1906 New Milford #1 fire station, 249 Center St. Members in front of the rigs: Carl Bachmann, Mario Pistonami, A.E. Vollmer, William Rode, Bob Cassidy, Henry Rode, Chief Andrew McLaren, ex-Chief Louis Emmanuel, J. Henry Venter, William Delaney, Herbert Dickinson, Edward Lynar, John Williams, John Novak, Arthur Downing, Harold Tamayne, John Cimochowski, James O'Boyle, John Madsen, Edward Draves, H. William Damm, Samuel Kovara (later Chief), Stanley Balinski, James Casey (not same James Casey who was later publisher of Fire Engineering magazine?), Arthur Zeiliner, R. Buschke, Maynard Kooistra, Henry Madsen, and Wes Flanigan. Aboard the Fox: R. John Nemetz, J.T. Brewer, and James V. Plateroti. Aboard the Mack: Walter Best and Henry Bublitz. [Notice that, unlike in Ahrens-Fox's 1920s heyday, the ethnic names of the crew of this Fox were not predominantly German, but typically for working-class suburban New Jersey, a healthy mixture of Irish, Italian, and Polish].
March 26, 1954: Griesser received payment in full from New Milford, NJ.
March 31, 1954: New Hydrovac brake cylinder.
April 6, 1954: Muffler for #9160, 39" long, 6" diameter, 3" inlet, 21/4" outlet, price $25.
May 7, 1954: Fought its first fire, at Rubber Hose Co. (former Knierim Button Works) on Main Street, New Milford.
May 10, 1954: Dietz side-view mirrors, Elkhart cab grab-handles, 6 subway straps for tail-step riders.
May 14, 1954: New Trico windshield wipers.
May 17, 1954: New Leece-Neville alternator, $200.
August 23, 1954: Fought $100,000 fire at Oradell Ave. & Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell, NJ, which damaged Oradell Bakery, Bluefront Cleaners, and Boggins Novelty Store. Heavy volume of flames and smoke. This Fox and pumpers from 4 other towns drew so heavily on the hydrant that it severely lowered pressure in the water mains. Building owned by Joseph Karwacky of Plainfield (my home town) and Joseph Krieg of Oradell.
October 4, 1954: Pumped two days and nights non-stop at "all hands" fire in Klein's Knitting Mill, River Rd., New Milford.
February, 1955:Fought fire at Covi's Liquor Store, River Rd. & Henley Ave., where exploding liquor bottles posed serious threat to firefighters.
May, 1955: Used with pumpers from River Edge and Oradell at $75,000 fire in Fellowship Hall and First Congregational Church, River Edge, NJ.
February 6, 1958: Old "Audubon House" on River Rd., New Milford, NJ, which was to be razed to put up new County Trust bank, set ablaze for firefighters practice drill. 3 Ahrens-Fox EC models used: #9160 and 9161 of New Milford, and #9170 of River Edge.
June, 1958: New Milford FD won first place in Northern Valley Fire Chiefs Association parade, Closter, NJ.
Summer, 1958: Old "Heine House" razed as site of new Borough Hall. Set ablaze for firefighters practice drill, same 3 Foxes used as at Feb. 6 drill.
February 10, 1959: Fought fire at Maggiano's meat market, Main St. and Prospect Ave., New Milford.
March, 1959: Used at drill in several condemned houses set ablaze, Madison Ave. & The Boulevard.
June, 1959: New Milford FD won for best appearing uniformed group in Northern Valley Fire Chiefs Association parade, Demarest, NJ.
July 1, 1959: Fought fire at Jalbert's delicatessen, Madison Ave. at New Milford/Dumont town line.
July, 1959: Used at firefighters drill, 6-room house at 413 New Bridge Road and 5 smaller houses nearby set ablaze. Firefighters and apparatus from New Milford, Oradell, River Edge, Teaneck, and Bergenfield participated.
January 20, 1960: Fought house fire, The Boulevard & New Milford Ave., during which the woman living there suffered a heart attack. Less than an hour later, fought another house fire, 170 Grand St.
March, 1960: Used at firefighters drill, house set ablaze at New Bridge Rd. & The Boulevard.
June, 1960: New Milford FD won second place in Northern Valley Fire Chiefs Association parade, Dumont, NJ.
September, 1960: Old New Milford #1 firehouse at 249 Center St., built in 1906, torn down to build new firehouse on same site. This rig temporarily quartered at New Milford Public Works sewerage plant on south end of town, until new fire station completed.
December 13, 1960: Borrighero home at 330 Henley Ave., New Milford, caught fire at 4:05 a.m. from overheated fireplace, all ten residents promptly fled. By the time volunteer firefighters got this rig from the sewerage plant, drove it cross-town in 8 degree weather through 14" of newly-fallen snow (behind Road Dept. trucks clearing the streets for the apparatus), dug out the buried hydrants, and began pumping water, they could not save the house from total destruction. Fire not under control until 7:00 a.m., then had to pick up frozen hose and reload it in ice-covered hosebed.
January 12, 1961: At Brookchester Apartments, Reichelt Rd., New Milford, this rig contained a rapidly-spreading fire to just two apartments.
Labor Day, September, 1961: New firehouse for New Milford #1 opened at 249 Center St., this rig returned from sewerage plant.
September 27, 1961: First response from new station, this rig fought house fire, 900 River Rd. Two firefighters (ex-Chief Howell Morgan and John Roscovics of Fire Co. #1) rescued 4-year-old boy from his smoke-filled bedroom.
December 15, 1961: Fought fire in duplex house, Maple Ave., Oradell. On the way back, fought house fire, 358 Salem St., New Milford.
February 27, 1962: Fought $140,000 fire, Food Fair supermarket in Brookchester Shopping Center, caused by short in refrigerator motor.
March 12, 1962: Fought apartment fire, 851 Berkely. On the way back, fought house fire at 279 Graphic Blvd.
May 16, 1962: Fought apartment fire, 845 Berkely, severe damage due to delayed alarm.
June, 1962: New Milford FD won Grand Prize for best overall fire department in Northern Valley Fire Chiefs Association parade, Bergenfield, NJ.
June 25, 1962: Fought fire, River Rd. & Madison, damaged Central Savings & Housetown Hardware.
July 11, 1962: Fought second fire in Covi's liquor, River Rd. & Henley Ave. (first fire there was Feb., 1955).
Summer, 1962: Responding south-bound on The Boulevard to a fire in the Brookchester Apartments, this rig was struck head-on by an Opel at The Boulevard & Milford Ave. The Opel was totalled. On the Fox, damaged both headlights (replaced), grille panels (replaced), and front bumper brackets (not repaired). Front fenders and grille filled-in with body putty.
August 11, 1962: Fought fire, Re-Nu Cleaners & upstairs apartments, Madison Ave., New Milford. #9161 responded from Firefighters picnic, Washington Township., NJ. Fire Co. 1 responded with #9160. Oradell and River Edge were also called (Tri-Boro alarm). Building destroyed; only cinder-block walls remained standing.
September 15, 1962: Fought apartment fire, 937 River Rd., New Milford. One firefighter & two police officers rescued 13-month-old boy from smoke-filled room.
Winter, 1962: This rig had not been running properly since collision in the summer. Although Ahrens-Fox mechanic Frank Griesser lived less than 10 miles away in Bogota, NJ, New Milford firefighters rebuilt motor themselves. I found the result of their work 20 years later: several valve lifters were in crooked and had literally snapped in two from the stress. Cylinder sleeves were not re-installed in proper alignment, so the head gaskets did not seat properly (a tongue on the gasket was to fit in a groove in the sleeve if aligned properly). The money they saved not paying Frank Griesser to rebuild the motor for them, I spent undoing the consequent damage.
February 2, 1963: Fought fire in 3 stores and 2 apartments, 170 River Edge Ave., New Milford.
April 7, 1963: Fire in home of a New Milford #1 volunteer firefighter, Gustav "Gus" Schmidt, 1103 The Boulevard, at 12:45 a.m. Schmidt handled the nozzle on the hose from this rig, to fight the fire in his own house! Brush fires at 3:27 and3:50 that same afternoon, and two car fires that evening.
April 16, 1963: The busiest day in the firefighting career of Ahrens-Fox #9160: fought 3 fires in a single afternoon! First was row of burning garages at rear of 213 Reichelt Rd. On the way back, discovered and fought large brush fire. Returning from that, found and fought another brush fire. By an odd coincidence (since I would later own this Fox), right about that same year that the Fox had its 3-fire day, or possibly the next year, I saw a multiple-fire day myself. I was just starting to walk home from the annual fund-raiser carnival at my school (where my favorite carnival ride was on a restored circa-1930 Hale pumper), when I noticed a boy about my age (I would have been about 8 or 9 then) tossing lit matches into hedges in front of houses on Evergreen Avenue in my home town of Plainfield, NJ. So I pulled the Gamewell fire alarm box in front of Evergreen School. Plainfield FD responded with one of their L model Mack pumpers, and operating from a nearby hydrant, extinguished 3 separate brush fires that the boy lit. I pointed out the boy to my friend in the Fire Dept., Captain Biddle (whose son Ed was a classmate of mine), so the young arsonist was caught. To top it off, en route back to fire headquarters on Central Ave., they fought a fire in a trash barrel (not set by the boy).
July 1, 1963: Fought fire that destroyed second floor of house at 288 Henley Ave., delaying by one hour the wedding of the home-owner's son.
September 8, 1963: Participated in Firemen's Field Day at Bergen Mall.
September 23, 1963: Fought attic fire, 281 Madison Ave., at 9:30 a.m. Widespread illness left too few firefighters to handle all hose lines needed to combat this blaze.
October 5, 1963: This rig was in Northern Valley Firemen's Association parade, New Milford, NJ. Had to break ranks to respond to minor fire in pile of logs, Berkely & Hoffman Streets. Before they could return to parade, New Milford #1 called to major fire in boiler room of Brookchester Apartments at 866 Berkely St.
March 19, 1964: House fire, 445 West Park Drive, New Milford. One of this rig's crew hospitalized overnight after injury from falling ceiling.
April 18, 1964: Fought fire in stored chemicals, Demarest Equipment plant, 424 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell, NJ.
May 30, 1964: Early-morning fire (2:45 a.m.) destroyed 225-year-old New Bridge Inn (since rebuilt), caused $100,000 damage, death of 76-year-old boarder Christian Bensen, and injury to 8 others. Fire fought by 120 firefighters from New Milford, River Edge, and Oradell. This rig had been cleaned-up for Memorial Day parade, so after 5 hours of fighting this stubborn fire, exhausted New Milford #1 firefighters had to clean both the Fox and themselves, and parade without any sleep.
September 13, 1964: Participated in Firemen's Field Day at Bergen Mall.
October 3, 1964: This rig fought the biggest fire of its career, Brookchester Shopping Center, New Milford, $1 million damage. Fire started when cigarette ignited freshly-varnished lanes at Brookchester Bowl-O-Drome bowling alley, then spread to a luncheonette, a dress shop (all destroyed; then spread to a beauty salon, a liquor store, and the mall lobby (all severely damaged). Despite heavy smoke damage, shopping center owner Joe Brunetti praised work of New Milford firefighters and apparatus.
May 8, 1965: Fought fire in boarded-up shell of Re-Nu Cleaners, Madison Ave., New Milford, which had burned Aug. 11, 1962. Tri-Boro call (New Milford, Oradell, and River Edge). 3 hours to extinguish, after which demolition equipment leveled the building.
July 7, 1965: Gene's French Cleaners, River Rd. near Richmond Ave., heavily damaged by fire. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.
August 29, 1965: Participated in Firemen's Field Day, Bergen Mall.
Summer, 1965: Former Ahrens-Fox salesman Frank Griesser, who sold #9160 to New Milford originally, now a Mack fire apparatus salesman, sold New Milford #1 a new C-85 Mack pumper. The new Mack was to replace their 1945 Mack pumper, which would then go into reserve. But before the new Mack was out in service, this Fox was involved in a second accident, at the same location as its 1962 collision, The Boulevard & Milford Ave. (oddly enough, after #9160 was traded-in, another New Milford rig would have a third collision at this intersection on May 4, 1975, injuring 6 firefighters). In this 1965 collision, the rear axle of #9160 was damaged. This Fox was then placed in reserve, and for the next 8 years, the 1945 and 1965 Macks were New Milford #1's active rigs. This Fox was retired to reserve duty, responding mostly on major alarms. At the time of its retirement, this rig had the straw-color New Jersey license plate with black letters, MG-K682.
After rebuilding following 1965 collision (Stephen Lenz photo):
right-front
March 28, 1967: Klein's Knitting Mill, River Rd. between Cleveland and Fulton Streets, gutted by fire. Records of Co. #1 show that Fox #9160 pumped at this fire, which is quite likely as 150 firefighters from 6 towns fought this blaze.
September, 1967: Firemen's Field Day at Bergen Mall. Not clear if this rig, now reserve, would have been there. April 13, 1968: Locked box on a freight train shot sparks that set numerous brush fires along tracks in southern N.Y. and northern N.J. In New Milford, the fire was so bad that it threatened the River Dell Hospital in Oradell and had to send a Tri-Boro Call, summoning all available apparatus from New Milford, Oradell, and River Edge. Although reserve, it is likely that #9160 would have been summoned to this, too.
September, 1968: Firemen's Field Day at Bergen Mall. Not clear if this rig, now reserve, would have been there.
October 4, 1968: Northern Valley Fire Chiefs Association parade, Demarest, NJ. New Milford FD participated, but no record of whether #9160 attended.
December 12, 1968: Tri-boro call summoned all available firefighters from Oradell, River Edge, and New Milford, to evacuate patients after sparks from a workman's welding torch (building a new wing of the hospital) caused an explosion that ignited River Dell Hospital in Oradell. Again, not clear if #9160 responded; it might have been used to transport extra manpower to the hospital without its pump being pressed into service.
October 7, 1972: Fire Prevention Week parade, New Milford, NJ. Men and apparatus from 14 towns participated.
November 27, 1972: Last big fire in New Milford before #9160 was traded-in 10 months later. It probably fought this one, but records do not show whether it did. Early-morning house fire on Rhine Court, heavy smoke and flames when Dumont police discovered it, and evacuated a man from an upstairs window. New Milford police patrolmen Barrett and Woods, and Co. #1 firefighter Joe Costello, rescued a woman, while her adult daughter jumped out a window. This rescue was only moderately successful, as Barrett and Costello were severely burned, Woods and the rescued woman later died in the hospital, and the daughter suffered a broken arm from her fall. Firefighter Costello was awarded a heroism award at the International Association of Fire Chiefs centennial convention in Baltimore the following October. I was at that convention, but by that time New Milford no longer had #9160 and I had no way of knowing that I would buy this rig just 51/2 years later.
August, 1973: Traded-in on new Mack CF pumper to Mack salesman Bill O'Hara, North Plainfield, NJ, 201-968-0167, a fire buff and member of North Plainfield Exempt Firemen's Association (a museum of hand-drawn fire engines). Frank Griesser of Woodcliff Lake, NJ, sold New Milford #1 the 1973 Mack, just as he had their `53 Fox and `65 Mack. But by the time the rig was delivered, Griesser had retired from Mack (he was 70 at the time, and could no longer escape Mack's mandatory retirement age of 65), and was selling fire engines for Imperial of Rancocas, NJ. So Griesser's successor, Bill O'Hara, delivered the CF Mack pumper and took the Fox in trade.
December, 1973: I saw this rig behind Mack Trucks, U.S. Highway 22, Hillside, NJ, phone (201) 964-1000. Had no camera with me to photo it.
March, 1974: Sold for $900 to Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society (GRFHS), 2 Herman St., Glen Ridge (Bloomfield), NJ 07028. Members of this organization, all Glen Ridge volunteer firefighters, were Father Michael Hansen, Marc Weglewski, Art Weren, and Bill Hett.
June, 1974: I spoke to one of the GRFHS members, Father Michael Hansen, 76 Broad St., Bloomfield, NJ 07003, phone (201) 429-9792. He told me that they planned to fix the "blocked-up" pump, re-letter hood with their name, and had already repainted rear hosebed wall. Will use in parades. Have no garage, so #9160 stored outdoors under a tarp.
July 11, 1974: Title #J722146 & registration issued to Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society. New Jersey commercial vehicle license plate XIK-19R (straw color with black letters). 18,020 miles on odometer.
August 10, 1974: At Iselin Fire Dept. 50th anniversary parade, Iselin, NJ.
The photo below was not discovered until 2003, long after this web page was created. It was evidently taken soon after Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society acquired #9160, after they relettered the hood and door, but before they repainted the wheel rims. Probably taken in August, 1974, at either Iselin or Greenwood Forest, NJ. The photographer is unknown, but this photo was in the collection of Bob Ward of Schwenksville, PA.
August 24, 1974: At 50th anniversary parade, Greenwood Forest, NJ.
October 27, 1974: I photoed this rig at Salute America Parade, Union, NJ.
At parade in Union, NJ, October 27, 1974 (Ed Hass photos):
left-front
right-front
Father Michael Hansen of GRFHA driving
right-rear
July 4, 1975: At Independence Day parade, Montclair Township, NJ.
August 9, 1975: At Whippany Fire Dept. 60th anniversary parade, Whippany, NJ.
September 20, 1975: One of 6 Ahrens-Foxes in centennial parade at Westfield, NJ.
October 4, 1975: One of 17 Ahrens-Foxes leading Fire Prevention Week parade at Morristown, NJ.
At Flying Foxes, Morristown, NJ, October 4, 1975--Fire Prevention Week parade (Ed Hass photos):
right-front
right-front
May 30, 1976: At American Bicentennial parade, Glen Ridge, NJ.
June 12, 1976: At American Bicentennial parade, Bloomfield, NJ.
July 2, 1976: Paraded at Millburn, NJ.
July 4, 1976: At bicentennial Independence Day parade, Montclair, NJ.
August 14, 1976: I photoed this rig at South River Fire Dept. 80th Anniversary parade, South River (near Sayreville), NJ. Passed junkyard that had ex-Sayreville, NJ 1946 Buffalo pumper.
At parade, South River, NJ, August 4, 1976 (Ed Hass photos):
left-front
right-front
Summer, 1977: Due to mechanical problems, this rig ended its brief parade career for Glen Ridge and was parked under a tarp in the back yard of Glen Ridge firefighter Bill Hett, at 67 Osborne St., Glen Ridge, NJ.
March 11, 1979: Letter from William Hett, 67 Osborne St., Glen Ridge, NJ 07028, phone (201) 748-5726-The members of the Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society would like to sell their 1953 Ahrens-Fox pumper. Do you know of anyone that may be interested in the purchase of this piece of, now antique, fire apparatus? Equipment on it consists of two lengths of hard suction hose, approximately 150 feet of booster hose, and a 24 foot wooden extension ladder. Sale price is negotiable.
March 22, 1979: I called Bill Hett, he said they wanted $1500 for it. As I had been negotiating the purchase of 1930 Model V #7016 from Mel Clark, and Albert Wait had advised me that the rig was too far gone to restore without tremendous expense, I had $1500 in the bank and was looking for a Fox to buy. I had already found a storage place in case I had bought #7016: a 14' high x 20' wide x 30' deep garage at J.D. Loizeaux Lumber Co., 911 South Ave., Plainfield, NJ.
March 23, 1979: Cashier's check #000021 from First National State Bank-Edison, for $1,500, from account of Edward Hass, payable to William Hett, Glen Ridge, NJ, to "Purchase 1953 Ahrens-Fox Fire Engine #9160 from Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society."
March 24, 1979: Sold for $1,500 to Ed Hass, 17 Laramie Rd., Plainfield, NJ 07060, phone (201) 754-0172 (webmaster of this web site). Was stored under swimming-pool cover in back yard of GRFHS member Bill Hett, 19 Osborne St., Glen Ridge, NJ. Mileage 18,660. Glen Ridge Firemen's Historical Society officially disbanded immediately following my purchase of this rig, even though they also had a hand-drawn hose reel which they kept.
March 26, 1979: New Jersey historic vehicle license plate QQ-N741, $25, plus $75 sales tax on new title. Title #8090936.
April 3, 1979: Insured as historic vehicle with J.C. Taylor, Inc., Upper Darby, PA.
May 5, 1979: Attempted to drive this rig from Glen Ridge to Plainfield, but would not start due to dead battery. One of Bill Hett's neighbors had long complained of this rig being in his back yard, an "eyesore," so after I bought it, Bill & his wife painted a full-size portrait of it on their side garage wall so the neighbor would still have to look at it.
Preparing to take home from Glen Ridge, NJ, May 5, 1979 (Ed Hass photos):
In Bill Hett's back yard, left-front
Painting of #9160 on Bill Hett's garage wall
May 9, 1979: Two new 6-volt batteries, $97.99, Employees Tire Warehouse, South Plainfield, NJ.
May 12, 1979: Installed new batteries. Walt Adams (Middlesex, NJ) attempted to drive this rig, but brakes failed and he struck his own car with the Fox. Had a mechanic in Glen Ridge fix the brakes.
Leaving Glen Ridge, NJ, for drive home to Plainfield, NJ, May 12, 1979 (Ed Hass photos):
Driver George Gyurisin; former owners Marc Wegleski, Art Weren, and Bill Hett; new owner Ed Hass and his brother John Hass; in front of #9160
In front of new home, storage garage at Loizeaux Lumber Company, Plainfield, NJ
May 15, 1979: Driven from Glen Ridge to its new home in Plainfield, NJ. Stored at Loizeaux Lumber Co. garage, Plainfield, NJ. My brother John, his wife Rosemary, George Gyurisin of Hope Lawn, NJ, and I took it from Glen Ridge as GRFHS members Bill Hett, Mark Weglewski, and Art Weren watched our departure. Due to broken fuel pump, could use only one of the two 22-gallon fuel tanks. New Milford fire chief Bob McGrath. Historian/fire buff at Engine 1 is Stanley L. Brown, 240 Cleveland St., New Milford, NJ 07646, phone (201) 265-5913.
May 25, 1979: New 4-1/2" suction strainer $79.99, strainer mounting base $20.98, two extinguisher holders $49.96, 41/2" spanner wrench $3.80, 2-1/2" spanner wrench $2.98, all from Frank Griesser, 131 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Griesser also adjusted carburetor, fixed pump-shifter control, installed mounting brackets for extinguishers, base for strainer, for $33.25. Total $190.96.
May 29, 1979: New 51" crowbar $18.38, 6" fire ax $21.00, and CO2 and chemical fire extinguishers $50.00, all from Absolute Fire Protection Co., 2800 Hamilton Blvd., South Plainfield, NJ.
June 2, 1979: Special tools, $4.79. Photoed in front of Loizeaux Lumber Co. garage.
June 8, 1979: New Trico windshield wiper blade, $10.15, from Queen City Auto Parts, Plainfield, NJ.
June 9, 1979: Frank Griesser made minor mechanical repairs, no charge. Photoed this rig inside Loizeaux Lumber garage.
June 18, 1979: CB radio purchased and installed for communications between the Fox and its support vehicle(s) while traveling to or from parades & musters, $26.61.
June 20, 1979: Touch-up primer $2.14 and touch-up paint $1.49.
June 22, 1979: Despite second Arab oil embargo, obtained enough gasoline for the next day's 120-mile round-trip to muster at Valhalla, NY.
June 23, 1979: Chris Lemos, my brother John and his wife Rosemary, and I took this rig to the Fairchester Hose Haulers muster at Kensico Dam, Valhalla., NY, our first event with the rig since I bought it. At the flea market area, bought a 50' length of 21/2" hose and a nozzle, so we could attempt to pump. Greenville Fire Co. #1 of Scarsdale pumped into my rig from their 1930 GW-60-4 #5051, found leaky packing gland. Frank Griesser took pump packing from trunk of his Cadillac, and right there at the muster repacked the pump. Whitey Swartz (1929 GW-75-4 #5037) and Tom Sullivan (1925 N-S-4 #1630) also helped, and we got water from draft. Won trophy "Best Appearing Apparatus, Original Condition, Privately Owned, 1950-1955."
First public event since Ed Hass bought it
Fairchester Hose Haulers antique fire engine muster
Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, NY
June 23, 1979
Former Ahrens-Fox salesman/mechanic Frank X. Griesser, who sold this rig to New Milford orignally, and owner Ed Hass in front of #9160 as it throws its first stream of water in at least 6 years (Whitey Swartz photo).
August 11, 1979: Pump packing gland still leaking, adjusted no charge by Vinnie Scalera, Middlesex, NJ, fire apparatus mechanic who worked with Frank Griesser at Glasofer Mack Trucks, Edison, NJ.
August 25, 1979: At parade & muster, Lincoln Park, NJ. Pressure burst the brand-new single-jacket hose bought at Valhalla.
September 1, 1979: Paraded at Basking Ridge, NJ, with Dr. Haines' 8-piece Dixieland band playing in hosebed. Afterward, visited with Daryl Goodrich, then of Basking Ridge, took my brother, sister-in-law, and me to see his 1916 K-3 #622 at his parents' home in Grovers Mill, NJ, while we left #9160 in his driveway at Basking Ridge.
September 3, 1979: In Labor Day parade at South Plainfield, NJ, in morning, then in afternoon was at antique car show at Green Brook Nursing Home, Green Brook, NJ. That evening, pumped from draft at Watchung Lake, Watchung, NJ.
September 23, 1979: At antique fire engine muster, Philadelphia, PA. Had difficulty drafting from Delaware River, official time 1 minute 3 seconds.
September 30, 1979: One of 5 Foxes leading annual Fire Prevention Week parade, Morristown, NJ. Posed beside Newark Fire Museum's 1930 N-S-4 #3395.
Fire Prevention Week parade, Morristown, NJ, September 30, 1979 (Ed Hass photos):
with Newark (NJ) Fire Department Historical Association's 1930 Ahrens-Fox N-S-4 #3395 (ex-Lyndhurst, NJ)
left-front
right-rear
October, 1979: Photoed in front of garage at Loizeaux Lumber, Plainfield, NJ.
At storage garage, Loizeaux Lumber Company, Plainfield, NJ, October, 1979 (Ed Hass photos):
right-front
rear
front
November, 1979: One 12' pike pole, $50 from Henry Piekarski, Garwood, NJ (from a 1930 Seagrave service ladder he was parting out). Used table saw at Loizeaux Lumber (where #9160 was stored) to cut off extra 2 feet to match original 10' pole on this rig. One 5-gallon portable Indian tank, no charge, from Loizeaux Lumber Co., Plainfield, NJ (#9160 originally carried 3 of them).
April 20, 1980: Posed for photos in front of New Milford #1 firehouse, 249 Center St., from which it used to respond. Traded 2 bottles of scotch for air horn from #9160, but they would not sell or trade other equipment they still had: bell, roof ladder, Motorola radio. Met Sam Kovara, who was chief of New Milford #1 in 1955. En route home, stopped at Ed Proli's home, Closter, NJ, photoed his 1948 model HT pumpers #3477 and 3479.
#9160 retutrns for a visit to Fire Station 1, New Milford, NJ, April 20, 1980 (Ed Hass photos):
ex-Fire Chief Sam Kovara in front of #9160 on his wedding anniversary
left-front
right-front
Stop en route home at Ed Proli's house, Closter, NJ, posed with his 1947 Ahrens-Fox HT #3477 and 1948 Ahrens-Fox HT #3479.
May 24, 1980: At Pennsylvania Pump Primers muster, Harrisburg, PA. Drafted from Susquehanna River, then stored overnight inside old Paxton #6 firehouse near muster site. Next day, on the way home, stopped at Roadside America, Shartlesville, PA, model replica of typical 1930s small town. Posed this rig in front of building.
May 26, 1980: In Memorial Day parade, Piscataway, NJ, with New Market's 1947 EC #9107. North Stelton's VC #9145 was to be with these two but had mechanical trouble so didn't attend. After parade, #9160 drafted from Watchung Lake, Watchung, NJ, water in 17 seconds.
At Pennsylvania Pump Primers muster
Harrisburg, PA
May 24, 1980
(Bill Hass photos except as noted)
left-front
Rosemary (Mrs. John), Mariiane (Mrs. Bill), Ed, and John Hass in front of #9160
Inside Paxton firehouse at Harrisburg
Official muster portrait by Carl Moyer
Photo on back cover of Pennsylvania Fireman magazine, September, 1980
Stop en route home, at Roadside America miniature village, Shartlesville, PA, May 25, 1980
Stop en route home to be in parade at Piscataway, NJ, May 25, 1980
#9160 with another Ahrens-Fox Model EC, #9107 of New Market, NJ, at Piscataway, NJ. parade, May 25, 1980
June 1, 1980: At Newark Fire Museum parade, Newark, NJ. Participation trophy.
At Newark Fire Museum annual parade, Newark, NJ, June 1, 1980 (Ed Hass photos):
right-front
right
June, 1980: Photoed in front of garage, Loizeaux Lumber Co.
June 28, 1980: One of 22 Ahrens-Foxes at Fairchester Hose Haulers muster, Kensico Dam, Valhalla, NY. Won Best Appearing Apparatus 1950-1955 for 2nd year in a row. Purchased 12" Mack bell and mounting bracket for $50 from Vince Guccione, Mount Vernon, NY, installed on the Fox until proper bell could be found.
July 13, 1980: One of 3 Ahrens-Foxes at Union Historical Fire Society muster, Flourtown, PA. Won Longest Distance to Muster.
At antique fire engine muster, Flourtown, PA, July 13, 1980
Summer, 1980: This rig featured in "Owner's Pride" column on back cover of SPAAMFAA's Enjine!Enjine! magazine. August, 1980: I moved to 19 Geraud Ave., North Plainfield, NJ 07060, phone (201) 561-4687, but the Fox stayed in storage at Loizeaux Lumber Co., 911 South Ave., Plainfield, NJ.
Owner's Pride, Enjine!Enjine! magazine, Summer, 1980
August 24, 1980: One of 9 Ahrens-Foxes leading parade at Baldwin, NY. Brakes locked-up from summer heat at Hempstead before arriving at parade staging area, but freed them in time to join parade and Ahrens-Fox static display afterward.
At Flying Foxes, Hempstead, NY, August 24, 1980
September 1, 1980: At antique car show, Green Brook Nursing Home, Green Brook, NJ.
At antique car show, Green Brook, NJ, Sept. 1, 1980 (Ed Hass photos):
left-front
right-front
September 6, 1980: One of 8 Ahrens-Foxes at Milford, CT, muster. Longest Distance Out of State Own Power; Longest Distance Own Power Privately-Owned Ahrens-Fox, Best Appearing Apparatus 1950-1955. Purchased Federal Model WL siren, $25 from Bob Cauger, North Attleboro, MA. On practice, drafted water with unofficial time of 13 seconds (fastest time this rig has ever had).
At Engine 260 antique fire engine muster
Eisenhoweer Park, Milford, CT
September 6, 1980
right
left-front
September 7, 1980: En route home from Milford muster, had severe vapor lock, then blew (original 1953) left front tire near Newark, NJ. Towed to a Triangle Towing yard.
September 8, 1980: New 9.00 x 20 left front tire $192.56 and tube for same $23.17.
September 13, 1980: Right front tire was also original from 1953, so replaced tire & tube, $300.
September, 1980: Photo of this rig drafting at 1980 Harrisburg, PA, muster, back cover of Pennsylvania Fireman magazine, caption "Pumping the Susquehanna Dry?"
September, 1980: Photoed at Loizeaux Lumber garage, with the 7 trophies it won since I bought it, resting on front bumper.
September 28, 1980: At Union Historical Fire Society muster, Philadelphia, PA. Successfully drafted from Delaware River at 17-foot lift!
December, 1980: Lost use of garage at Loizeaux Lumber, my brother and I drove it 50 miles in a blizzard (no roof or heater) to new storage location, in Daryl Goodrich's garage at Beattystown (near Hackettstown), NJ. Also in garage were 6 Model A Fords, several early commercial trucks on solid tires (including a Packard and a Rehberger), several Indian motorcycles, 1916 Ahrens-Fox K-3 #622, and a 1946 Maxim 750-gpm pumper ex-Turn of River, Stamford, CT.
March 25, 1981: Auxiliary cooler rebuilt by K's Radiator, Plainfield, NJ, no charge. New pump packing from Frank Griesser, no charge, installed ourselves.
May 31, 1981: At Union Historical Fire Society muster, Allentown, PA. Fire-stream battle between this rig and Nelson Barber's 1917 M-K-2 #828, both had powerful streams.
May 31, 1981: Photo of this rig, front page of Tri-County Times, Plainfield, NJ.
Front Page of Tri-County Times, Plainfield, NJ, May 13, 1981
June 7, 1981: At Newark Fire Museum parade, Newark, NJ. Participation trophy.
June 27, 1981: At Fairchester Hose Haulers muster, Kensico Dam, Valhalla, NY. Rules prohibited winning Best Appearing Privately Owned 1950-1955 for third year in a row. Purchased 6 fire helmets for $30 to hang from boot & coat rails, as New Milford used when in service.
1981 events (Ed Hass photos):
Muster, Allentown, PA, May 31, 1981
Fire Museum annual parade, Newark, NJ, June 7, 1981
Fairchester Hose Haulers muster, Valhalla, NY, June 27, 1981
Antique car show, Tinton Falls, NJ, July 18, 1981
Summer, 1981: Humorous article, "I Got Mine!" about my misadventures with this Fox, in Visiting Fireman magazine.
July 3, 1981: Purchased 6 helmet hanger straps for $18.27.
July 18, 1981: One of 2 Foxes at antique car show, Tinton Falls, NJ (other was Bob Maddox's 1923 K-S-4 #1144).
August 27, 1981: My brother, sister-in-law, and I left New Jersey on #9160 to settle in California. Drove to home of Dave Buskey, Harrisburg, PA (1923 N-S-4 #1605) first day, Dave Willkens, McDonald, PA (19438 VC SPEC #9103) second day (Aug. 28), and Bill Darrow, Xenia, OH (1741, 3378, 3470, 3472, etc.) third day (Aug. 29). Left #9160 in storage at Bill Darrow's farm, 530 Fairgrounds Rd., Xenia, OH 45385, shipped all my personal belongings in a crate from Dayton, and headed west via Greyhound bus for 3 days.
September 1, 1981: I arrived in CA, new address 600 E. Weddell Drive, Space 59, Sunnyvale, CA 94086.
July 30, 1982: Jack Nealon and I arrived in Xenia, OH, to take #9160 to Ahrens-Fox Co. 130th anniversary celebration and take the rig to CA. New brake shoes were then being installed. Traded Mack bell and bracket to Bill Darrow, for correct style bell (from a Seagrave), mounted in original location on firewall using bell bracket that John Gambs gave me from FC #9047.
July 31, 1982: Brake fluid was leaking, so left rig to be fixed and attended muster without this Fox (would have made 25 Foxes attending instead of 24). Dayton Tire Co. put new rubber seals in front & rear wheel cylinders, replaced one wheel cylinder, bled & adjusted brakes, $100.
August 2, 1982: Replaced all 4 rear tires (9.00 x 20), new wheel lug bolt, $805.22 total.
August 3, 1982: 4:00 p.m. Jack Nealon (Santa Clara, CA; caretaker for 1927 M-X-2 #1312), Mike Dalton (Xenia, OH), and I left Xenia, OH, aboard #9160 and Jack's motor home, headed for California. Odometer reading 23060. Refueled at 5:20 p.m. (two 22-gallon tanks), odometer 23119 miles. Rear exhaust bracket broke 7:00 p.m., and had to wrap wet rags around fuel lines due to vapor locks. Refueled again 7:30 p.m., odometer 23217 miles. 98 miles on 22 gallons, or 4.5 miles per gallon.
August 3, 1982: 8:00 p.m., odometer 23230, Leece-Neville rectifier shorted-out at Terre Haute, IN. After 4 hours unsuccessfully trying to repair it, disconnected it, which also disconnected generator. Bought extra pair of batteries. For rest of trip, kept one pair on motor home's battery charging while running #9160 on other pair, switching batteries as needed.
August 4, 1982: 3:00 a.m., refueled at St. Louis, MO. Odometer 23450, 220 miles on 244 gallons (5 miles per gallon). Made camp near Warrenton, Mo at 4:00 a.m., odometer 23475-only made 25 miles in 1 hour, counting fueling time and loss of speed on hills. Left camp about 12:00 noon.
August 4, 1982: Refueled at 4:00 p.m., odometer 23585 miles. 110 miles in 4 hours, 6 miles per gallon (135 miles on 22 gallons). Soon after, camped out, temperature 95 degrees so decided to camp in day and drive at night.
August 4, 1982: Refueled at Odessa, MO, odometer 23639. Jack Nealon's motor home broke alternator bolt, camped out at supermarket parking lot until it could be fixed in morning. Odessa police officer inquired what we were doing there, started out to chase us off but soon befriended us because he was a retired operator of one of Kansas City's 1927 M-S-4 pumpers.
August 5, 1982: Bought and installed new set of spark plugs, $20.11 from J&E Auto Parts, Odessa, MO. Later, while Jack Nealon was having his motor home repaired, Mike Dalton & I headed for the night's schedule camping stop at Limon, CO. But at 2:30 p.m., the Fox boiled over, odometer 23725. Only got 41 miles in the next 2 hours, with frequent stops from boiling over. Jack Nealon caught up with us at this point. Thermostat removed & cleaned, back on road at 7:00 p.m.
August 6, 1982: 2:30 p.m., bought new battery at Junction City, KS. Mileage 23873. Left at 3:18 a.m. Refueled at 11:00 a.m., odometer 23921. Boiled over at 12:00 noon at WaKeeney, KS, odometer 23965 miles. New radiator cap at Oakley, KS, to help with overheating (it didn't help!). Camped at Limon, CO.
August 7, 1982: Left camp at 10:30 a.m., odometer 24190 miles. Stopped north of Denver to remove broken pieces of valve cover gasket and reseal with silicone instant gasket in a tube. At Cheyenne, WY, 6:00 p.m., end of journey. Motor leaking oil, battery weak, constant overheating. Towed to home of antique car collector Everett Palmer of Cheyenne until it could be trucked to CA. Mike Palmer flew back to Xenia, OH, and Jack Nealon and I continued to CA in his motor home for another 2 days, arriving home Aug. 9.
August 11, 1982: Loaded on flatbed truck of antique fire engine collector Ray Bury, Loveland, CO.
August 13, 1982: My brother John and I met Ray Bury at Virginia City, NV, muster. #9160 was on the flatbed on its way to CA.
August 16, 1982: #9160 arrived in San Jose, CA, on Ray Bury's flatbed, hauling charge $1,035 ($1 per mile). Temporarily stored behind building of my employer, Corvus Systems, O'Toole Ave., San Jose, CA.
August 21, 1982: Flat-towed by pickup truck into storage at Bill Guernsey's RV yard, Alviso (San Jose), CA. Kept outside under tarp, partly protected by roof overhang.
August 29, 1982: Ned Nicholas of Los Altos, my brother, and I began tearing down motor, found both front & rear cylinder heads cracked internally, water in crankcase, two badly-burned pistons, broken front and warped rear head gaskets, clogged water jackets.
August 30, 1982: Ordered from Waukesha, 6 new pistons with rings and pins, 6 new rod bearing sets, complete set of engine gaskets.
September 7, 1982: New brake wheel cylinder, $31.42 from Bayshore Friction Materials, San Jose, CA.
September 10, 1982: Two used, rebuilt cylinder heads (front & rear) from old army truck, purchased from Repco Industries, Lynwood, CA.
September 13, 1982: Six new 45/8" engine pistons $463.44, 6 piston pins $63.90, 12 rod bearings $58.92, 6 sets of piston rings $99.60, complete engine gasket set $188.71, all from Waukesha Motor Co., Waukesha, WI, ordered through Keith Franz, Slinger, WI. Total $874.57.
November 12, 1982: The 2 new cylinder heads from Repco arrived, $852.
December, 1982: I moved to 966 Ponderosa Ave., Apt. 56, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, phone (408) 735-7188.
March, 1983: I photoed this rig at Guernsey's RV storage yard. Hood, cylinder heads, manifolds, oil pan, and right-front wheel off.
Spring, 1983: Write-up of cross-country drive with this Fox, in The Silver Sphere.
September, 1983: Photoed at Guernsey's RV Storage. Hood and wheel back on, left-front grille panel off.
February 4, 1984: Seats re-upholstered, $366.25 by Harold's Auto Upholstery, Mountain View, CA. Also purchased 1-1/2" cellar pipe, $30 from Edgar Richards.
February 5, 1984: NJ Historic Vehicle license plate straightened and repainted by Anthony Polio, $40.
March 6, 1984: Chrome plating, $155, Faith Plating, San Jose, CA.
March 10, 1984: Paint, $44.54.
March 21, 1984: Chrome plating, $200, Faith Plating, San Jose, CA.
March 23, 1984: New Ahrens-Fox grille insignia, $25 from Phil Baumgarten, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
April 12, 1984: Chrome plating, $240, Faith Plating, San Jose, CA.
April 27, 1984: Chrome plating, $280, Faith Plating, San Jose, CA.
May 16, 1984: Chrome plating, $40, Faith Plating, San Jose, CA.
May, 1984: Photoed parts re-plated so far: Driver's floor board, gear-shift cover plate, hood ornament, light ring, pump suction & discharge blinder caps, hood ornament, bell, grille insignia holder, Reg. No. plates, suction strainer, cab grab handles, turn-signal housings, cellar-pipe nozzle tip, chrome trim strip, booster reel crank. Also polished copper-and-brass playpipe, restored license plates, repainted spanner wrenches.
June 6, 1984: Refinished 24' extension ladder $375 and pike pole $100, by Menacho, Mountain View, CA (refinishers of wood furniture).
February 2, 1985: Purchased soft suction hose & Indian tank, $60, from Danny Barlogio, Oakland, CA.
May 12, 1985: New piston rings, to replace new ones that broke during assembly, $30 from Keith Franz, Slinger, WI.
May 18, 1985: This rig towed from Guernsey's RV storage, Alviso, CA, to George Loehde's antique auto restoration shop, 1800-C Richard Ave., Santa Clara, CA, to have motor rebuilt and returned to operating condition.
June 19, 1985: New Leece-Neville rectifier, $267.50 from Vic Cesena auto electric, Santa Clara, CA.
September 12, 1985: Purchased 14' roof ladder, $125 from Larry Kloess, Mobile, AL.
September, 1985: I photoed at George Loehde's. Hood, grille panels, bumper, top-right grille chrome trim, ladders off.
At George Loehde's shop, Santa Clara, CA (Ed Hass photos):
Sept., 1985, left
Sept., 1985, right-front
June, 1986, right-front
June, 1989, left-front
Oct. 17, 1989, left-front
Nov. 28, 1989, George Loehde in front of #9160 with motor running
January 18, 1986 to November 29, 1989: Motor and transmission rebuilt by George Loehde, Santa Clara, CA, $5,548.20. June, 1986: I photoed at George Loehde's. Hood, bumper, right-front fender, right-front wheel, both grille panels off, motor dismantled to bare block but still in rig,
September 17, 1986: Miscellaneous small Waukesha engine parts, $27.48 from Keith Franz, Slinger, WI.
May 9, 1987: Refinished 14' roof ladder, $200 by Menacho, Mountain View, CA (furniture restorers).
April 17, 1988: Purchased one Indian tank, $20, at antiques fair in Folsom, CA.
May 5, 1988: New Waukesha main and rod bearings (for .020 crankshaft) and cam bushings, $651.81 from Auto, Coach, & Engine Co., Burr Hill, VA.
June 2, 1988: Miscellaneous Waukesha motor parts, $735.52.
June 15, 1988: Bought Young radiator from 1947 VC #9099 ex-Hopwood, PA, $456.40 including shipping, from Ron's Garage, Eighty-Four, PA, through Dave Willkens, McDonald, PA.
July 22, 1988: Ahrens-Fox suction (4" to 21/2") and discharge (21/2" double male and double female) adapters, $125 from John Gambs, Lafayette, IN. All from 1935 VC ex-Hamilton, OH.
August 10, 1988: More Waukesha engine parts from Auto, Coach & Engine Co., Burr Hill, VA, $58.70.
October 26, 1988: Heat-resistant Packard Grey engine paint, $30 from Bill Hirsch, Newark, NJ.
November 7, 1988: Original radiator re-cored and top & bottom tanks repaired, $700, by The Radiator Doctor, Monterey Highway, San Jose, CA. Used original radiator of #9160, because it was in better shape than radiator from #9099, which I have kept as a spare. Work completed January, 1989.
June, 1989: Photoed at George Loehde's. Engine block back in chassis. Hood, fenders, grille, bumper, front wheels, ladders off.
August 7, 1989: Two 6-volt batteries, $171.09 from Vic Cesena, Santa Clara, CA.
August 10, 1989: One Dayco 28473 v-belt $16, two Dayco 28590 v-belts $39.90, one Fram C-250 oil filter $15.23, all from Universal Fleet Supply, San Jose, CA. 12 Champion H10 spark plugs $21.96, from Weaver Auto Parts, San Jose, CA.
August 11, 1989: Bare engine block, with pistons and crankshaft installed, put back in rig. Manifolds, heads, etc., to be installed with motor in-place.
August 12, 1989: Four new carriage-type hood bolts, $10.09 from Orchard Supply Hardware, Sunnyvale, CA.
August 15, 1989: Miscellaneous engine parts from Auto, Coach, & Engine Co., Burr Hill, VA, $359.
September 5, 1989: New water pump ordered from Auto, Coach, & Engine Co., Burr Hill, VA, quoted price $1,368.40. Old water pump too rusted to fix (Gears solidly rusted to each other, to shaft, and to casing).
September 12, 1989: New water pump arrived, $1344.59 actual price.
October 14, 1989: I cleaned and repainted starter and generator.
October 17, 1989: Motor fully reassembled. Hood and grille back on. Grille panels, bumper, fenders, front wheels, ladders still off.
October 28, 1989: Magneto rebuilt, $160, by Bent's Engine Service, San Jose, CA.
November 15, 1989: Motor started for first time in over 7 years, driven inside George Loehde's shop. November 28, 1989: Driven for first time, about 10 miles from George Loehde's repair shop in Santa Clara, CA (paid Loehde $927.72 balance owed on total $5548.20 repair bill), to storage garage at Windmill Ranch, 3445 Sierra Road, San Jose, CA (where several other fire engines belonging to SPAAMFAA members are stored). Fuel lines gummed-up with old gasoline, and brakes barely working. Had to stop en route several times to clean-out fuel filters. Bell back on; fenders, bumper, grille panels, and ladders still off.
November 27, 1989: Both fuel tanks removed, repaired and re-lined, $179 by George's Radiator, Sunnyvale, CA.
November 28, 1989: New mounting straps for gas tanks, $20. Paid $487.98 to George Loehde for unpaid parts bill. Cleaned-out fuel filters and fuel lines. Hung equipment back on rig (ladders, suctions, pike pole, axe, etc.).
December 2, 1989: Gas tanks reinstalled. Had George Loehde make new T-bolt to hold one tank in place.
December 3, 1989: SPAAMFAA members lost use of garage on Sierra Road, all fire engines (including #9160) moved to rear of Poor Scotty's discount store, 560 South First St., San Jose, CA. This building was originally a horse-drawn carriage factory, was twice damaged by fire, the second time it lost its entire second floor and was repaired as a one-story building. Fenders & bumper still off, ladders back on.
December 9, 1989: Brakes rebuilt.
December 14, 1989: Fire extinguishers recharged, $22.50 by Ace Fire Equipment, Palo Alto, CA. Master cylinder rebuilt for $45 by Brake Supply Co., San Jose, CA. Chrome plating by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA, $405, to re-plate grille trim, hose adapters/reducers, axe sheath, hood latches, hood ornament.
December 18, 1989: New brake line for right front wheel, and new master cylinder cap, $26.53 from Superior Clutch, San Jose, CA. Photoed rig at Poor Scotty's, still no grille panels, fenders, or bumper.
December 20, 1989: Hydrovac rebuilt, $168.92, by Brake Supply Co., San Jose, CA. Brake repairs completed late in the evening.
January 5, 1990: Chrome plating, $450, by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA, for grille frame & trim, hood latches, cowl-mount light housing, hose Y, suction blinder cap.
January 7, 1990: Cleaned & painted motor.
January 9, 1990: Grille screens off old Mack Model R dump truck, $26.81 from Specialty Truck Parts, San Jose, CA. Same pattern as original, cut down to size. Grille panels, chrome trim, grille emblem & holder, and hood ornament re-installed.
February 24, 1990: I attempted to drive this rig to California SPAAMFAA annual meeting, Menlo Park, CA, with fire buff Bill Hall, Portland, OR, aboard. All re-assembled except front fenders and bumper. Blew-out seal on left rear wheel cylinder, rear-ended Hyundai stopped at traffic light. This rig towed to Garden State International Trucks, San Jose, CA.
March 2, 1990: New front brake wheel cylinders and left-front brake line, $125.28 from Superior Clutch, San Jose, CA.
March 8, 1990: Superior Clutch rebuilt all 4 brake shoes, provided new wheel cylinders with inner & outer seals for both rear wheels, $414.04 total. Photoed rig at Garden State International Trucks, crease in left-front grille including chrome trim strip.
March 12, 1990: Cellar pipe re-plated, $40, by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
March 23, 1990: Brake drums turned, new brake parts from Superior Clutch installed, $1,030.74 by Garden State International Trucks, San Jose, CA. I drove this rig one block to Coast Counties Peterbilt Trucks, for rewiring and body work.
Brake Rebuild at Coast Counties Trucxks, San Jose, CA, March 23, 1990 (Ed Hass photos):
left-front
right-front
right-rear
left pump-panel
3 sizes of valve-wheels from pump
March 27 to April 16, 1990: New battery cables. Removed dashboard, steering column, pump panel, running boards, floor boards. Rebuilt dash & pump gauges. Replaced some wiring. $1,200 by Coast Counties Peterbilt Trucks, San Jose, CA.
April 17, 1990: Chrome plating, $328 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA-steering column, 7 small valve ID tags, siren front housing & ID plate, headlight trim ring. Also spotlight housing, control arm, trim ring, and nameplate. Will be ready by May 17.
April 18, 1990: Parts to Faith Plating, San Jose, CA: window frame & knob, driver's foot board, two front-fender step plates, $460, will be ready by May 18.
April 23, 1990: Cracks in rear siren casing welded, $100 by S&S Welding, San Jose, CA.
April 28, 1990: Dismantled and cleaned front fenders, both pump panels, and dashboard for sand-blasting, primer, and paint. Also cleaned chrome parts for replating.
April 30, 1990: Chrome plating, $350 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA. Miscellaneous parts sand-blasted and primered, $225 by Mr. Strip-It, San Jose, CA. All of these were the parts I prepared on April 28. Received from Ken Soderbeck, Jackson, MI, 4 OPEN arrow decals for discharge gates, $5. Ordered 5 pairs of corner scrolls, $4 per pair.
Parts removed for repainting, April 28, 1990 (Ed Hass photos):
pump-panel sheetmetal, lef
pump-panel sheetmetal, right
cutouts for instruments in dash panel
rebuilt motor, right side, awaiting rewiring
left side of pump, pump-panel sheetmetal removed
right side of pump, pump-panel sheetmetal removed
May 1, 1990: Photoed at Coast Counties Trucks. Both pump panels off, dashboard out.
May 12, 1990: Received 5 pairs of corner scrolls from Ken Soderbeck, ordered April 30, $20.
May 21, 1990: Electrical repairs, $300. Picked-up April 30 batch of sand-blasted parts, dropped-off hosebed divider and glove-box door for sand-blasting and primer, $75 by Mr. Strip-It, San Jose, CA.
May 22, 1990: Air horn compressor kit, $227.67 from Specialty Truck Parts, San Jose, CA.
May 24, 1990: Bumper bracket straightened from 1962 collision damage, $20 by Sunnyvale Welding, Sunnyvale, CA.
May 25, 1990: Picked-up April 17 & April 28 batches of chrome plating, $50 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA. Dropped-off clutch pedal & front bumper step plates for plating.
April 18 batch not ready yet. Also dropped-off at Mr. Strip-It for sand-blast and primer: front bumper & spacers, front-fender aprons & support rods, 2 fire extinguisher clamps, pump oil-tank access door, interior pump panels, seat frame with adjusting rod & 2 brackets, both running boards (primer underside only).
May 29, 1990: 2 bumper spacers, 2 bumper brackets, 2 hood-latch mounts, to Mr. Strip-It for sandblasting & primer. Dropped-off rebuilt siren and red cowl flasher light at Coast Counties Trucks, San Jose, to reinstall on #9160. Paid Coast Counties $1500 so far, but they have only done $1103 worth of work, much of that was from the over $1,000 in insurance settlement for damage in Feb. 24 accident.
May 31, 1990: Applied for $4,000 loan to finish restoration.
June 5, 1990: Loan approved. Allowed me to finish much of the restoration work quickly, but pay it off over 3 years.
June 7, 1990: Picked-up April 18 ($460) and May 25 ($50) replating jobs from Faith Plating, San Jose, CA. Paid $600 balance owed for electric and body repairs at Coast Counties Trucks, San Jose, CA.
June 16, 1990: Double female suction adapter, $50.
June 23, 1990: One quart Centari 4737AM red paint, $23.60 from Center Paint Co., San Jose, CA. Parts sand-blasted and primered, $397.50, by Mr. Strip-It, San Jose, CA.
Late-June, 1990: #9160 towed from Coast Counties Trucks, back to Poor Scotty's store, 560 South First St., San Jose, CA, for me to complete restoration.
June 30, 1990: Silver paint to repaint running boards, $36.64.
July 27, 1990: Chrome trim strips re-plated, $60 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
August 4, 1990: 1000' feet of 2-1/2" hose $500and 300' of 1-1/2" hose $240 from Chuck Waugaman, Watsonville, CA.
August 16, 1990: Gas, brake, & clutch pedals, and starter, installed, $450. Photoed at Coast Counties Trucks. Pump panels, front fenders, bumper off. Front fenders in primer, with inside surface painted.
August 21, 1990: Repairs to return to running condition, $544.05.
August 25, 1990: One quart Centari 4737AM red paint, $23.60 from Center Paint Co., San Jose, CA.
October 20, 1990: One quart Centari 4737AM red paint, $23.60 from Center Paint Co., San Jose, CA.
October 27, 1990:One gallon Centari 4737AM red paint, $81.40 from Center Paint Co., San Jose, CA.
October 28, 1990: Photoed at Poor Scotty's, repainted transmission, cab floor board supports, dashboard frame, seat frames, gas tanks, and filler necks, pedal support arms, cab rear wall.
Repainting hidden parts to protect from rust, October 28, 1990 (Ed Hass photos):
cab interior, left
cab interior, right
transmission casing, right
transmission casing, front
transmission casing, left
rear red-flasher light, rusty, before restoring
repainted front fenders and bumper
repainted front-end of chassis
repainted front springs with stenciled lettering
November 18, 1990: All apparatus in Poor Scotty's store, 560 South First Sr., San Jose, moved to new home two doors down, at 520 South First St.
November 20, 1990: Front end repaired and repainted, $900 by The Professionals auto body shop, San Jose, CA. Top chrome trim strip of grille repaired and re-plated, $80 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
More repainting, Nov., 1990 (Ed Hass photos):
front fenders ready to reassemble and reinstall
repainted dashboard with instruments ready to reinstall
repainted/reasembled front bodywork
repainted/restriped rear wheel
December 1, 1990: Starter rebuilt, $183, by Bent's Engine Service, San Jose, CA.
January 5, 1991: Front grille reassembled, new paint, put back chrome trim strips, grille panels, hood ornament, grille emblem and holder.
January 7, 1991: Front fenders and dash repainted, $1,900 by The Professionals Auto Body. Photoed, with pump panels and fender aprons in primer, at The Professionals side yard.
February 4, 1991: Hood repaired and primered, $110.
February 5, 1991: Two gallons Centari 4737AM red paint, $163.03.
February 8, 1991: Hood painted, $490 by The Professionals Auto Body.
February 12, 1991: Remounted chrome step-plates on front fenders and bumper. Repainted front of frame and front springs.
February 14, 1991: 28' of hood webbing, $80.29 from Coast Counties Trucks, San Jose, CA.
March, 1991: Instrument cluster and glove-box door back in dashboard.
May 9, 1991: Pump panels and light brackets painted, $300 by The Professionals Auto Body. Headlight rings re-plated, $65 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
June 8, 1991: Repainted front wheels & springs. June 10, 1991: Repainted rear wheels.
June 14, 1991: Photoed with re-assembled front end: repainted hood, grille, and front wheels. Pump panels, front fenders, and bumper still off.
July 4, 1991: At the Redwood City, CA, Independence Day parade, met Marc Goldman of San Jose, owner/restorer of 1942 Army Jeep. He introduced me to Sunnyvale fire buff Derek Lyon, San Jose truck driver/Ford collector Ralph Leidy, and San Jose machinist Carla Satra (whom I had already met independently a few months earlier). I introduced them all to Sunnyvale toy collector Lewis Grimes (whom I had known about 7 or 8 years) and San Francisco fire apparatus restorer Jack Nealon. We eventually all formed Silicon Valley Engine & Hose Co. #1 (SVEH) to restore, maintain, and display our various historic vehicles. For example, Carla and her friend Trish Gibbons own a 1953 Dodge M-37 Army radio truck, 1955 Jaguar XK-140 sports car, 1947 Dodge flatbed truck, and two Land Rovers, and Lewis Grimes owns a 1966 Ford Mustang.
August 22, 1991: Photoed inside 520 South First St., San Jose.
August 31, 1991: Towed to Federico's Auto Body, Mathilda Ave., Sunnyvale, CA.New sheet metal welded in to replace body rust-through below pump panels, cab doors, and around fenders. Entire rig stripped, sand blasted, primered and painted. $5,000. Rechromed booster reel ends, boot & coat rails, hand rails for running board and tailstep riders, and hosebed side hand rails, $2,035 by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
September, 1991: All fire apparatus in 520 South First St. moved to new home, former F.G. Wool fruit cannery, 2296 Senter Rd., San Jose, CA.
September 21, 1991: Marc Goldman rewired dashboard at Federico's Auto Body.
September 22, 1991: Marc Goldman rewired firewall at Federico's Auto Body.
October 10, 1991: Photoed at Federico's Auto Body. Sandblasted. All paint & primer removed from cab doors, pump area, hosebed walls.
October 12, 1991: Photoed at Federico's Auto Body. Lights, boot rails, equipment, booster reel, wood hosebed floor slats, etc., removed, nothing on but what actually needs to be painted. Dismantled all lights to have their housings rechromed.
October 21, 1991: Photoed at Federico's Auto Body. Hosebed walls, rear fenders, cab doors in primer.
October 23, 1991: Second coat of primer applied at Federico's Auto Body, Sunnyvale, CA.
October 25, 1991: Door Jambs painted.
October 28, 1991: Entire rig repainted over weekend.
November 2, 1991: Ralph Leidy drove this rig from Federico's Auto Body, to go to storage garage at former Wool Fruit Cannery, Quinn Ave. near Senter Rd., San Jose, CA. Marc Goldman, Derek Lyon, and I were along for the ride. Front fenders and bumper off, all chrome trim, lights, and equipment off, but windshield back on. Obtained one-day moving permit from State of Calif (not street-legal in stripped-down condition). Got as far as Central Expressway in Sunnyvale, would not run, had to be towed on 43-foot flatbed of Great America Towing, San Jose, CA.
November 9, 1991: Running boards back on.
November 28, 1991: Pump panels, bumper, ladder brackets, extinguishers, strainer back on.
November 29, 1991: Painted top of booster tank.
November 30, 1991: Axe, pike pole, cellar pipe back on.
December 1, 1991: Ladders and rear hosebed chrome strip back on. Hosebed partitions painted but not installed.
December 31, 1991: New batteries installed. Rollers and support racks for booster reel back on, booster reel painted but not installed. Also, suction-hose trays and chrome clamps back on, suction couplings back on suction hoses, ends painted. Unsuccessfully attempted to assemble rechromed boot & coat rails. The thickness of the plating made the rails too thick to pass through the eyes of the rail holders.
December 31, 1991: Pump panel complete and gauges working.
January 4, 1992: Honed-out boot & coat rail holders until rails could pass through them, in friend Carla Satra's machine shop (in her garage), Mount Hamilton Rd., San Jose, CA, then installed the rails.
January 5, 1992: Left boot and coat rails on.
January 11-12, 1992: Installed booster reel. Removed windshield to re-chrome frame and replace aged, cracked, and discolored glass. Suction hoses back on.
January 19, 1992: Installed right boot and coat rails and rear hosebed cross-bar (the bar that tail-board riders hold).
January 25-26, 1992: Installed rear cross bar for holding on while riding tailstep. Removed worn-out rubber matting from rear fender compartments. Made new cab door panels; upholstery fabric to cover them is on order.
February 1-2, 1992: Repainted inside of rear fender compartments.
February 8-9, 1992: Drilled and tapped rusted holes for attaching left pump panel. Began installing valves and plumbing for pump end of auxiliary cooler. Boots, coats, and helmets back on. Dash going back together, including new wiring. Left front fender back on, with headlight and siren.
February 14-16, 1992: More chrome plating ready from Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA, and installed. Top pump compartment door handles, tailstep side-rails and holders, hosebed step plates, tail light and turn signal housings, cab decorative plate, suction hose female coupling, brass dashboard tags. Door glass mounted in rechromed frame by A-1 Glass, Sunnyvale, CA. Painted hose adapter mounting brackets and spanner wrenches.
February 23-24, 1992: Installed new rubber mats in rear fender compartments, mounted headlight and siren in left front fender, and attached fender to this rig. Installed air compressor switch and air horn button.
February 27, 1992: New upholstery for cab door panels. Bought 100' of 14-gauge wire for rewiring the rig (most old wiring is too frayed to use).
March 16, 1992: Windshield frame rust removed, re-plated, by Faith T&B Plating, San Jose, CA.
March, 1992: Photographed, body reassembly nearly complete.
April 5, 1992: New magneto switch. Previously had to ground-out magneto to stop motor running. Rewired tail lights.
April 30, 1992: Rust-eaten windshield frame welded by Carla Satra, San Jose, CA.
May 5, 1992: Repaired windshield frame to Faith T&B Plating for new chrome.
May 17, 1992: Attached right front fender. Shorted-out air horn wire, burning two other wires with it. No serious damage.
June 2, 1992: Installed more wiring. Lots of wire in this rig!
June 15-16, 1992: New main ignition power wire to battery-coil side. New windshield glass installed by A-1 Glass, Sunnyvale, CA. New tail-light lenses, turn signals, and rim for spare tire from Specialty Truck Parts, San Jose, CA.
June 20-21, 1992: Bought more Dupont Centari 4737AM red paint, installed windshield wipers. Painted spare wheel rim, booster tank access cover, and tail-light brackets.
June 26, 1992: Spare tire mounted on rim by Richard's Tire, Mountain View, CA.
July 5-7, 1992: Installed and labeled new wiring, reassembled spotlight, installed chrome trim on all 4 fenders.
July 12, 1992: Some dash wiring, seat repair, installed air horns, tail lights, and turn signals. Running boards bolted on (mounted loosely before).
August 8, 1992: Dashboard wiring completed, dash installed, both gas tanks and fuel tank switch connected. Wired voltage regulator. Drove for first time this year, Sunnyvale to San Jose, leaks oil but otherwise runs very well. Oil change.
August 13, 1992: Loaded hose in hosebed. Took #9160 out for driving practice, then to car wash to clean up for first public event, filled gas tanks, put in oil and water. Photographed in front of quarters of Engine 11, San Jose, CA, with magnetic signs designating this rig as Engine 11.
August 14, 1992: Participated in Alissa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation firefighters burn relay, 10 rigs started at 8 a.m. from San Jose city hall. Relay stopped at firehouses in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Lockheed Missiles & Space (Sunnyvale), Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Redwood City (responded code 3 through back of firehouse and out the front), San Carlos, Belmont. At Belmont, #9160 developed engine trouble (knocking and hissing), limped along to Foster City, where engine died entirely. Had the Fox towed to a garage in Foster City, rejoined burn relay aboard other rigs at San Mateo. Remaining stops in relay were Burlingame, Millbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Colma, Daly City, and San Francisco. Then back home to storage garage in San Jose. At least 3 other rigs also broke down in the relay, one hauled away by flatbed but the other two repaired and completed relay. Garage to which the Fox was towed wanted $5,000 to rebuild motor.
August 15, 1992: Hauled home from Foster City aboard 43-foot flatbed trailer of Great America Towing, San Jose, CA. This hauler is a former Bulldozer Hauler for California Division of Forestry & Firefighting before Great America Towing bought it. Started damaged motor, has a rod knock and also loud exhaust noise from broken exhaust manifold.
November, 1992: Dropped oil pan, began dropping connecting rod caps. Found that #1 cylinder had spun a bearing, bearing was badly chewed up, some scoring/pitting in #1 crankshaft journal.
December 5, 1992: Truck mechanic Jeff Holthouse of Milpitas, CA, dropped transmission and pulled out motor. Took damaged crankshaft to Wagner & Sons, Livermore, CA, they can build up crankshaft then grind to size, but can't guarantee that repair will hold, and costs almost as much as buying another crankshaft.
March 15, 1993: New crankshaft, rod & main bearings, and gaskets from Auto, Coach, and Engine Co., Burr Hill, VA. Standard size, not the .020" we ground off the old crankshaft.
June, 1993: At Living History Days, San Jose Historical Museum, San Jose, CA.
July 4, 1993: At Independence Day parade, Redwood City, CA. After parade, with Ed Rominger's 1937 Ford/Van Pelt pumper and Al Schwoerer's 1936 Ford/American-LaFrance pumper, escorted Southern Pacific 2472 steam locomotive (1921 Baldwin) out of town. Locomotive blew steam whistle and clanged bell, accompanied by bells, sirens, and air horn of the 3 fire trucks.
August, 1993: SVEH members Derek Lyon, Jack Nealon, and I had this rig at Tom Flanagan's Hangar Party, Chowchilla, CA. Flanagan owns 1923 M-S-4 #1095 ex-Long Beach, CA, and about 200 antique cars, plus several antique airplanes. Had about 100 other antique planes (mostly biplanes) fly in from all over northern California, and about 50 antique cars showed up, also a couple of other fire engines. His airplane hangar filled with tables of food for his hundreds of guests. Photographed John Ahrens of Merced, CA, a descendant of the fire engine building Ahrens family of Cincinnati, in front of #9160.
August, 1993: Participated in Santa Clara to San Francisco burn relay with SVEH members Derek Lyon, Lewis Grimes, Marc Goldman, Dan Bottoms, and me aboard. Motorcycle police officer escorting procession struck by motorist, and later a firefighter fell off a rig, so relay was scrubbed before completion to San Francisco.
August 29, 1993: Only fire engine in Concours d'Elegance antique car show, Delmar High School, San Jose, CA.
1993: At re-dedication of restored railroad station, Santa Clara, CA.
1993: At antique car show, San Jose Historical Museum, San Jose, CA.
1993: At Fire Prevention Week display, San Jose Historical Museum, San Jose, CA.
October, 1993: At California SPAAMNFAA swap meet, Bob Garrigan's Ranch, Danville, CA.
October, 1993: At Fire Prevention Week display, San Mateo, CA.
October, 1993: At Fire Prevention Week display, Palo Alto, CA.
October, 1993: Pumped at draft from Percolation Pond, Campbell, CA.
November, 1993: At California SPAAMFAA meeting, in garage where this & other rigs are stored, Senter Rd. & Quinn Ave., San Jose, CA. Len Williams also brought his 1928 N-S-4 #3353 there.
November, 1993: At antique car show, Relic Auto Parts, University Ave., San Jose, CA.
November, 1993: At memorial service for recently-assassinated Angelo Tomassi, owner of Great America Towing (which has twice hauled this rig for me). Over 600 tow trucks, concrete mixers, buses, and antique cars were in the procession up Highway 101 to Menlo Park, across the Dumbarton Bridge, and back down Highway 880 to San Jose. The procession was so long that when the first vehicles in the procession were exiting the 5-mile bridge, the last vehicles were still entering the bridge!
November, 1993: Only fire engine in Veterans Day parade, San Jose, CA.
December, 1993: While I was working in Aachen, Germany, SVEH members Marc Goldman, Lewis Grimes, Derek Lyon, and Chris Lucas took this rig to the Christmas parade in San Jose, CA. This was televised live, and the parade announcer said of my rig that it has a very loud siren (could be heard from blocks away before and after passing announcer's stand).
Christmas 1993: Photographed apparatus lineup of Silicon Valley Engine & Hose #1 (SVEH), including 1953 Ahrens-Fox pumper #9160, 1919 and 1955 Wirt & Knox hose reels, 1944 Garbarino hose reel, Gamewell fire alarm box, fire hydrant, portable booster reel.
January-March, 1994: Was at Russett Diesel, Fremont, CA, which repairs fire engines for most municipal and industrial fire departments in the San Francisco Bay area. Touched-up paint, fixed motor oil leak, replaced exhaust pipe and muffler, repacked pump and repaired/replaced leaky valves. Put on pin striping and corner scrolls.
Rear paint-touchup and striping.
May 21, 1994: Participated in parade & muster at Santa Rosa, CA.
May 22, 1994: Only fire engine participating at Friendship Days antique car show, Foothill College, Los Altos, CA. Afterward, went to percolation pond at Campbell, CA, attempted to pump but could not get a draft (pump still too dry, despite new packing).
May 28-29, 1994: Participated in California Firemen's Muster Association (CFMA) muster, Atascadero, CA. Caravaned the approximately 200 miles to the muster from San Jose, along with Danny Barlogio's 1944 Seagrave and Len Williams' 1965 IH/Coast, both ex-Sunnyvale, CA. All 3 rigs went to Atascadero Lake to pump at draft. Danny Barlogio pumped into the Fox to soak the new packing and fill the pump, after which it successfully pumped 3 streams art draft.
June 4-5, 1994: Participated in SPAAMFAA muster at Livermore, CA.
Lineup of apparatus at Livermore, 6-4-1994.
Photo at SPAAMFAA pump-in, Pleasanton, CA.
June 25-26, 1994: Participated, with Len Williams' 1928 N-S-4 #3353, in Living History Days, at San Jose Historical Museum, San Jose, CA. This event has a variety of historical machinery on display and accompanied by exhibitors in period costumes (mostly Victorian era).
July 4, 1994: Participated as part of SPAAMFAA contingent in annual July 4 parade at Redwood City, CA. After parade, pumped from hydrant at Port of Redwood City, delivered one 2-1/2" and one 1-1/2" stream, and supplied water to booster tank of pickup-mounted brush-fire pump.
July 16-17, 1994: Participated in CFMA muster, Atwater, CA. En route home, split the flare fitting on the main fuel line to the carburetor. Limped into a truck stop, where they cut off the old flare end, made a new flare, and reinstalled, charged $7.00 for the repair. Afterward, ran fine except on steep Altamont grade near Livermore, where it bucked severely until slowed down to about 15 MPH up the hill.
August 12, 1994: This rig participated in Alissa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation California Firefighters Burn Relay from Santa Clara to San Francisco, CA, with me driving and SVEH members Derek Lyon and Chris Lucas along. Third year this rig was in it, but first time we made it all the way to San Francisco (in 1992, spun a bearing; in 1993, relay itself scrubbed after two injury accidents involving participants).
Lineup of apparatus participating in Burn Relay, at Foster City, CA.
August 19, 1994: California Historic Vehicle license plate 414E (white with red letters), $72.
September 14, 1994: Original-style hood lettering, NEW MILFORD FIRE DEPT., and maltese-cross door emblem painted on #9160 by Chester Rivera, 1022 Asbury St., San Jose, CA 95126, phone (408) 258-1089.
September 17, 1994: Only fire engine in San Jose Concours d'Elegance car show, Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose, CA. The museum itself has a Ford tilt-cab/American-LaFrance pumper.
October 2, 1994: One of 19 fire engines (but the only Fox) at Fire Prevention Week display, San Jose Historical Museum, Kelly Park, San Jose, CA.
October 9, 1994: At Fire Prevention Week display, Great America amusement park, Santa Clara, CA.
October 15, 1994: At opening ceremony for Highway 85, Campbell, CA. Parade of antique automobiles.
October 21, 1994: At California SPAAMFAA swap meet, Bob Garrigan's Ranch, Danville, CA.
November 4, 1994: Received 4 new corner scrolls from Ken Soderbeck, Jackson, MI, to replace two damaged ones on #9160 and leave me some spares.
December 4, 1994: At Christmas parade, San Jose, CA.
December 10, 1994: At Holiday parade, Seaside, CA. 1st place trophy, Best Antique Automobile.
February, 1995: At SPAAMFAA annual meeting, San Jose Fire Dept. Training Center, San Jose, CA.
Photo of #9160 at San Jose Fire Dept. training tower.
May 21, 1995: At Friendship Day antique car show, Foothill College, Los Altos, CA. Brakes leaked through Hydrovac, had to temporarily repair to get to show. Jack Nealon and I made more permanent repair the following week. Jack also tightened the hand brake.
Ed Hass in fron of #9160 at Foothill College.
June 3, 1995: At SPAAMFAA pump-in behind firehouse, Livermore, CA. Brake repair held well, had to stop quickly for a red light on an uphill and brakes held. Discovered that exhaust pipe had pulled loose where vertical manifold extension bends into horizontal tail pipe. Had trouble drafting, but after filling pump off hydrant, it drafted on its own. Lost suction when Derek Lyon removed suction line from hydrant, introducing air into pump, and could not draft again. Later that afternoon, participated in second alarm at multiple-alarm demonstration that Len Williams organized at an industrial park in Livermore. The Fox boosted the 50-pound hydrant pressure to 120 psi into one 50' hand-held 21/2" line, and a second 21/2" line into a deluge set along with a 21/2" line from Ed Rominger's 1937 Ford/Van Pelt. Left the Fox parked at firehouse overnight.
Lineup of apparatus at Livermore.
June 4, 1995: At Fire-Life Safety Day, downtown Livermore, CA. Repaired loose exhaust pipe connection. SPAAMFAA had planned a pumping demonstration, but when the members were polled for who had an operating pump and WANTED to pump, only this Fox and Ed Rominger's Van Pelt would have pumped, so the demonstration was cancelled. En route home, exhaust noise grew suddenly louder, but on getting home, found that my repair held so must have pulled loose elsewhere. Also en route home, ran out of gasoline in right gas tank about 3/4 up the steep Sunol grade (8% grade), blocked slow lane while switching to left tank, returned home without further incident.
June 24-25, 1995: At Living History Days, San Jose Historical Museum, Kelley Park, San Jose, CA.
June 28, 1995: Attempted to have leaky master cylinder repaired for participation in July 4 parade at Redwood City. The first shop rebuilds master cylinders if you take them out and deliver them, but does not remove and install them. They recommended Birkey Automotive at Monterey Highway & Tully Rd. in San Jose. 44-year-old owner Joe Birkey took out the master cylinder, sent it out for rebuilding but it was too far gone to repair. He stripped off all easily-removable equipment and locked it in his office for safe keeping. June 30, 1995: Joe Birkey searched for a replacement Wagner-Lockheed master cylinder, found same make and model but it has different bolt-hole pattern so won't bolt up to mounting bracket. He didn't buy the new cylinder. July 1, 1995: Dropped in at Birkey Automotive. Joe Birkey reported that he did not get a new master cylinder nor retrieve the old master cylinder, and as the shops he deals with are closed (this being a Saturday), he can make no further progress on the Fox's brakes until Monday, July 3. He assured me that it would be done before the July 4 parade. He said he was going to tidy up the shop for about an hour, then go home and rest.
July 3, 1995: Joe Birkey did not show up at his shop as promised, so I retrieved the old master cylinder from the shop to which he had taken it, then took the cylinder to Express Truck Parts of San Jose to match it. As Joe Birkey had said, despite it being same make and model, the new master cylinder had a different bolt pattern. Derek Lyon and I took the mounting bracket, and old and new master cylinder, to our machinist friend Carla Satra. She made the needed modifications for the new master cylinder to bolt to the old bracket. Then Marc Goldman, Leis Grimes, Derek Lyon, and I installed the entire setup into the Fox in the parking lot of Birkey Automotive. Finally finished at 10:00 pm, with the parade at Redwood City just 12 hours away!
July 4, 1995: The Fox successfully participated in the annual Independence Day parade at Redwood City, CA. After the parade, tried drafting from portable folding tank that Calif. SPAAMFAA setup in downtown, got a draft but kept losing it from air leaks. Later pumped from hydrant at Port of Redwood City, had a 2-1/2", 1-1/2", and booster line running simultaneously.
July 5, 1995: Joe Birkey still didn't show up at his shop, and I still didn't retrieve the equipment for my rig from his office.
July 6, 1995: Joe Birkey's father called me. After I left Joe last Saturday (July 1), he did indeed go home to rest, lay down on his couch and died. He was not found until today. No wonder he didn't show up at his shop!
July 7, 1995: Met Joe Birkey's father at his shop, retrieved my fire equipment from his office before it becomes entangled with lawyers trying to settle Joe's estate! July 8, 1995: Spent my 40th birthday playing with my fire engine. Danny Barlogio (1958 ALF pumper) came down from Oakland, CA. We tightened packing nut, replaced worn rubber gaskets in hoses and pump blinder caps. He also welded exhaust pipe in place, as it keeps slipping loose. Danny also provided a new pump compound gauge I can use until I can get the original repaired, and provided a 55-gallon barrel with suction and discharge fittings for drafting practice.
July 20, 1995: Both extinguishers from this rig recharged at Ace Fire Equipment, Palo Alto, CA.
July 29, 1995: The Fox won 2nd place for best antique car, and Marc Goldman's 1942 Ford army jeep won 2nd for best classic car, at Santa Clara County Fair parade, San Jose, CA. Afterward, Marc Goldman, Lewis Grimes, Jay King, Jay's two grandsons, my niece and I successfully drafted with the Fox out of the 55-gallon barrel that Danny Barlogio provided. But whenever water level dropped below the refill pipe, air got into the suction line and lost vacuum.
August 2, 1995: New tire tube in right rear outer tire, which has had a slow leak for several years. $42 at Rich's Tires, Mountain View, CA. Being close to where I work, I took the Fox to work and left it in the company parking lot all day while I worked. Showed it off to various co-workers.
August 5-6, 1995: Participated in California Firemen's Muster Association parade & muster at Suisun City, CA. On the way up, the frame cross-member under the transmission lost a bolt on the left side and was dragging on the ground, had to remove bolt on right side and remove the brace. Will put back on before next event. SPAAMFAA well-represented at this event: Kaufman of Arroyo Grande (cab-over GMC), Gil Aymeric's Ford T chemical car, Danny Barlogio's 58 ALF, Len Williams' 65 Coast, Wendell Joost's 35 Mack tillered service ladder, Bob Garrigan's 52 Kenworth/Van Pelt. Members Jack Nealon and Chris Cavette also present. Could not organize a team of 6 in time to participate with the Fox in motorized pumper competition, but did go drafting, along with Danny Barlogio's `58 ALF and Len Williams' `65 IH/Coast. The Fox could not hold a draft, found that copper pipe between suction and primer leaks just enough to keep from getting a tight vacuum, so will need to re-solder the pipe joint. Marc Goldman was awarded a parade banner for his 1942 Army Jeep, and I an identical banner for my `53 Fox, for participating in their parade. Also acquired 4-1/2" to 2-1/2" suction adapter for $45, an original item of this rig's equipment that was still missing. After leaving muster site, pulled into gas station to refuel. After filling both tanks, and before even getting back in to restart the rig, smoke started coming out from under the dash. Burnt wires to both gas-tank sensor switches, and the wire from battery switch to starter. Replace starter wire, but not gas tank wires. Got the rig home safely without further incident. Stopped in Rio Vista en route home, with the Fox and the Jeep, for tour of Western RR Museum. Rode their trolley for as far as they have extended electrification (about 2 miles), they have several more miles of track not wired yet, runs along an ORIGINAL trolley line not used in many years. They have a yellow Reo fire engine, with a Berkeley pump that is powered by its own small Hercules motor, an ex-California Division of Forestry (CDF) rig. Saw a second fire engine from the trolley, about 1930s vintage, but too far away to identify make. The Fox and Jeep made almost as big a hit with them as their trolley and trains did with us. In the small-world department, the proprietor of the museum bookstore is an old friend of my friend Marc Goldman, and went to school with fellow-SPAAMFAA member Wendell Joost of Guerneville, CA (1935 Mack ladder truck ex-San Francisco, which was at the Suisun City muster this weekend), and Wendell's father once owned a trolley line!
August 16, 1995: Reinstalled front frame cross-member that came off en route to the Suisun City muster.
August 19, 1995: This rig has 18 main wires on the terminal block on the fire wall. Yesterday and today I installed in-line fuses on all but two of these wires. The two still lacking fuses are both part of the red flasher lights circuit. These two wires lack enough slack to cut and splice them, so I will have to remove them to splice fuses in. Still, this should prevent future wiring fires (we have had 4 to date). After installing the fuses, I tested the rig, it started and ran fine, all lights work, siren works, etc.
August 20, 1995: At militaria show, Napredak Hall, San Jose, CA, in morning, them at Quickturn (my employer) company picnic at Huddart Park, Woodside, CA.
Aug. 23, 1995: Removed leaky pipe from pump, and had S&S Welding of San Jose silver-solder the break and all pipe joints.
Aug. 24, 1995: Reinstalled the suction-side piping in the pump. Also installed new rubber hose.
Aug. 25, 1995: Left San Jose for CFMA State Championship muster at Atascadero, CA. En route, lost nut that holds wire from power to electric fuel pump, suddenly no gas flowing. Quickly repaired and again on our way. Arrived Atascadero 11:30 Friday night.
Aug. 26, 1995: Participated in parade at Atascadero. Later Danny Barlogio went to Atascadero Lake with his `58 ALF pumper and his Hale pump trailer, and joined him with this Fox. At first, had slight trouble drafting, then discovered that copper fuel line to carburetor was leaking. Replaced with flexible rubber fuel line and new brass fittings. While making this repair, flowed water from Danny's pump trailer through the Fox's pump to get packing wet. After repair, had no trouble drafting, even shut down twice and started over to be sure that it could draft without any further repair. Burst copper pipe to auxiliary cooler, near left front springs; need to replace before next pumping event.
Aug. 27, 1995: Going up steep hill at Atascadero, the burned-out fuel gauge wire got hot again and started smoking anew. Had never disconnected it after it burned-out at Suisun City, so cut the wire so as not to have further trouble. Will eventually rewire gas gauge. The fuses I installed evidently did their job, as the wiring did not burn beyond this now twice-burnt wire. Mileage leaving Atascadero was 28391. En route home, the chuck that holds the keyway for the hand-crank that rewinds the booster reel, fell out along a stretch of road with no shoulder to retrieve it. I will contact Hannay, who made the original reel, and see if they can still supply a new keyway chuck for this. Gas mileage was not very good: 102 miles on 22 gallons of gas before we had to switch tanks at 28493 miles (4.6 m.p.g.), but we had some steep hills as we detoured via Seaside to retrieve some items from Marc Goldman's mother. Refilled right tank at Castroville, mileage 28527, but made it home on left tank, mileage on return to San Jose was 28582.
Sept. 5, 1995: Acquired from Bill Darrow, Xenia, OH, correct Ahrens-Fox pike pole hook for this rig. He makes these reproduction hooks. Current hook is from a 1930 Seagrave, which I put on in 1980.
Oct. 7, 1995: One of over 20 antique fire engines on display for Fire Prevention Week at Great America amusement park, Santa Clara, CA. Other Ahrens-Fox present: 1928 N-S-4 #3353, ex-Ocean City, NJ, owned by Len Williams, Sunnyvale, CA.
Nov. 3, 1995: Last week, I made a new metal strip between the two windshield halves, as the original was lost when I was restoring this rig. Today, I received it back from Faith Plating in Santa Clara, CA, who chrome-plated it for me for $25.00. This piece left a slot at the top of the windshield, but Gil Aymeric made a new T-shaped piece to cover this slot so dirt and rain cannot get in. Faith Plating also chromed this T piece for me, and I installed both pieces. I also went to Vic Cesena's auto parts, looked at a carburetor identical to the one on this rig, and discovered that one piece of throttle linkage on my carburetor was reinstalled 90-degrees out of position (should point straight up, but points to the right), which explains why the manual throttle control on the dash cannot hook up properly. I need to loosen this linkage (hard to get at) and turn it to the correct position.
Nov. 11, 1995: In Veteran's Day parade, San Jose, CA. I was driving, 12-year-old niece Barbara in passenger seat. Other apparatus in parade included Santa Clara's new rescue truck and restored 1958 ALF pumper; South Bay Jazz Society's 1956 IH./Coast. Marc Goldman's `42 Army Jeep there with a contingent of MVCC antique military vehicles.
Dec. 2, 1995: I reconnected the air horns, but found another air leak near the air tank, not fixed yet.
Dec. 3, 1995:Missed Holiday parade in San Jose, because they misplaced the paperwork on our entry and refused to add us back in at the last minute.
Dec. 19, 1995: Used this rig to transport about 20 children and 5 or 6 adults Christmas carolling around the Casa de Amigos mobile home park where I live in Sunnyvale, CA. Covered half the park tonight, we will do the other half Thursday night. With over 900 homes in this park, it is too big to cover the entire park in one night of carolling.
Dec. 20, 1995: Had this rig at the office Christmas party for Quickturn Design Systems, where I work in Mountain View, CA.
Dec. 21, 1995: Second half of the Christmas carolling around Casa de Amigos mobile home park on this rig, continuing from Tuesday night.
December, 1995: At Christmas parade, Seaside, CA.
April 28, 1996 (Sunday): One of four antique fire engines at the Dream Machines antique car show, at the airport in Half Moon Bay, CA. The others were Gil Aymeric's 1923 Ford T/Obenchain-Boyer chemical & hose, and two rigs for sale by Gorilla Tree Service (an IH/American-LaFrance pumper and the tractor of an ALF aerial). Also on display were steam engines (including a Buffalo-Springfield road roller, a Port Huron traction engine, and a working steam lumber mill), one-cylinder gas engines, and antique airplanes from a Curtiss "Jenny" to WW II military to a DC-3, and even a jet-powered racing car. Silicon Valley Engine & Hose #1 also brought Marc Goldman's 1942 Ford Army Jeep and Derek Lyon's 1960 Land Rover. Ed Hass, his niece Barbara, Derek Lyon, Marc Goldman, and Lewis Grimes camped out overnight in Marc Goldman's motor home Saturday.
May 19, 1996: At Friendship Day antique car show, Foothill College, Los Altos, CA, along with Marc Goldman's 1942 Ford Army Jeep and Derek Lyon's 1960 Land Rover. Only other fire engine present was 1930 Ford Model AA of Los Altos Fire Dept.
Fox and Jeep at Foothill College.
June 2, 1996: At Fire-Life Safety Day, Livermore, CA. California chapter of SPAAMFAA participated as a group, including Marc Jones' 1942 Army pumper and 1941 Dodge army ambulance (both painted olive drab), Bob Garrigan's 1952 Kenworth/Van Pelt pumper, Ed Rominger's 1937 Ford/Van Pelt pumper, Guy Thompson's 1964 Toyota pumper (ex-Sagamiko, Japan), Dell Lindstrom's 1951 Mack pumper (ex-Salinas Rural Fire Dept.), Al Schwoerer's 1936 Ford/American-LaFrance pumper. Also participating were several modern rigs of both Livermore Fire Dept. and Lawrence-Livermore Labs Fire Dept., plus a modern pumper and a tanker of Alameda County Fire Dept.
July 4, 1996: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA.
October 5, 1996: At Fire Prevention Week fire apparatus display, Great America amusement park, Santa Clara, CA.
December, 1996: At Christmas parade, Seaside, CA.
June, 1997: At Santa Clara County fairgrounds, Tully Road, San Jose, CA. Had a lot of trouble with the battery, had to jump-start several times.
July 4, 1997: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA.
December, 1997: At Christmas parade, Seaside, CA.
May 9, 1998: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Moffett Naval Air Field, Mountain View, CA.
May 16, 1998: At Los Altos Pet Parade, Los Altos, CA.
July 4, 1998: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA.
October 4, 1998: At Fire Prevention Week display, Great America Theme Park, Santa Clara, CA.
July 4, 1999: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA.
July 4, 2000: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA.
July 4, 2001: At California SPAAMFAA pump-in, Redwood City, CA. New 12-volt car battery in place of the old dual 6-volt truck batteries in series.
August, 2002: Ed Hass moved to new home, 9315 East Lake Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95758.
April 1, 2002: Moved this fire engine from San Jose to Elk Grove, CA. Loaded aboard a low-boy flatbed by Great America Towing of San Jose to get it past the Sunol Grade (7% hill) and Altamont Pass (8% hill), since this rig has a hard time clibing steep hills. Unloaded at Tracy, CA, and Ed Hass drove it the rest of the way to its new home at Elk Grove, CA.
May, 2002: Won second-place ribbon for best antique fire engine (beating-out Elk Grove's suberbly-restored 1925 Seagrave Suburbanite) at Western Festival in Elk Grove. Had to jump-start that morning, but ran great the rest of the day.
July 12, 2002: New heavy-duty car battery ($100). Ed Hass and his wife (Maria Mijares) spent the morning cleaning and polishing this pumper.
July 13, 2002: At California Firemen's Muster Association (CGMA) antique fire engine muster, Granite Park, Sacramento, CA.
Ed's next-door neighbors posed in front of the pumper at this event.
Organized a team from South Placer County, CA, to compete aboard this rig. The timed evolution is to:
Temperature that day was 104 degrees Fahrenheit, so it was very hot driving this rig.
Despite the burst hose soaking this truck, it never lost its shine.
July 23, 2002: Maria's sister and family visited, rode them aboard this fire engine. New battery running much more reliably than just about any previous batteries. Old battery had 500 cranking amps, this new one has nearly 800! Lightly bumped right-rear fender, which knocked off the chrome trim strip but otherwise no damage, and easily repaired.
August 17, 2002: Participated in antique fire engine display at Yolo County Fairgrounds, and antique truck show at Hays Truck Museum/Hedrick AG Center. Both events were held on the same day, in Woodland, CA.
July 19, 2003: Participated in California Firemen's Muster Association (CFMA) muster at Yolo County Fairgrounds, in Woodland, CA.
October 5, 2003: Participated in Elk Grove Harvest Festival in Elk Grove, CA.
This page was last updated on October 26, 2003.
