G,day from Sydney Australia. That was a really interesting and educational five part series. Excellent determination to overcome engineering obstacles with adaptive solutions. 🌏🇦🇺
I just purchased a 1972 American LeFrance in the south we call them water pushers? It just means it Carrie’s water and drown out what ever fire or laying down water for other fire fighters. These are great machines,the one we had won on reserve had only13,000 miles on it. I wanted to pass a question along to the gentleman in the video. I know why these trucks are built to take a beating! The first time you work on one of these trucks you will experience what it is like to work on the most complete machine I have ever seen! I mean this truck is almost 50 year old. It had set in a field for 12 years! Two batteries and a quick go over and she rolled right on out. If you ever drive a American LeFrance nothing else comes close.
That engine was new when my father was 11 years old. I bet at one time or another he saw that engine doing it's job in Hartford where he lived. Hope to see it myself one day.
Great truck and great restoration series. But I'd really appreciate losing the music track--motors and tools sound is vastly superior to clanging gee-tars! Thanks for the ride!
John, In this video you mention valve clearance. What is that number? Also at what angle of degree did you grind the valves at ? I have a 1922 Seagrave with the F series motor. Thinking I also need to seat the valves but I am unsure of the finer details. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos I am learning a lot.
.... if the tank is washed properly you can run the blow end of a shop vac into it and that will keep vapors from building, PLUS, dry the inside. OTOH, this tank would need acid washing, degreasing, etching wash, and an inside coating. Likely around $200 worth of chemicals on a tank this size and a week for the curing process. I have done it several times and it works well.... but only on a tank WITHOUT baffles.
Great series. If I'm not mistaken, you have to double-clutch, right? I have a '31 Pontiac and double-clutching is required with it. A super fun driving experience, to be sure. My father was a volunteer Fireman for 60 years in my hometown of Heber City, UT. The Fire Department there has an American LaFrance Engine similar to yours, but I don't know the year of it. Dad drove it in the annual Fair Days parade and young kids were allowed to ride on it, or Fair royalty, etc. Great fun!
I checked a photo of Dad driving the old Fire Engine and see where it is a Mack and appears to be a handful of years younger than your American LaFrance.
The fan might not be on backwards, sometimes on a pumper truck, the fan was set up to suck the hot air out of the engine compartment and out through the radiator. When set up at a pond, or other water source, supplying other trucks, the engine compartment would get way too hot.
... you guys get too complicated. Wash it internally then fill it with water. If you don't like water all over the place then after washing and draining stick the blow end of your shop vac in there. No vapor build up = no boom!
... engine water pump or fire pump? On the fire pump you might be amazed at what is still available from the MFGR. We recently got pump seals direct from Waterous. The engine pump might be rebuildable if it's just a shaft seal leak. There are guys out there converting those old things to a late style ceramic seal. Did both of those on our 29 ALF a few years ago. (ours has a Buick engine)
I see that you drive the American La France in a similar way to a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Once above a smart walking pace, get into top gear ASAP and stay there until a halt or a steep hill.
@@thomasewing2656 One very rarely uses over 1000 RPM in an early Ghost. It is a very long stroke engine and although maximum power is developed at 1500 RPM, it sounds a bit strained at that. The 1909 London to Edinburgh Ghost I occasionally drive, has an uprated engine from the original 48 BHP at 1500 to 82 BHP at 2000 RPM and a 4 speed overdrive gearbox but it also has the luxury of full flow oil filtration and an oil cooler. I would regularly take that to 1500 RPM but that is in effect a lightweight competition car.
No one wants to hear the mechanical noises, or the old engine running. Please mute the original soundtrack, and dub it completely with more cheap & loud music.
