I am in the process of restoring a 1964 C-1000 fire truck and would like to connect with other people who have a passion for the C series. I currently have the cab taken apart and prepping it for paint. The fire body has been sandblasted and primered with epoxy paint and will be painted along with the cab. The biggest challenge I have right now is finding the components to restore the window tracks. Any suggestions would be appreciated. This truck has a 534, an Allison MT-42 automatic transmission, air brakes, PTO driven winch and PTO driven auxiallary pump. The history of the truck can be seen at www.fire32.org.

 

Hi Mike,
I have a 1971 C-900 That started its life as a Ward LaFrance Pumper. I bought it at auction in 1997, took the fire apparatus and put a 16' Scott grain body on it. Sure is a good truck and does a lot of work for us. It's truck # was 511 as a fire truck and if you look close you can see a small 511 right ahead of the doors.

 

1973 Ford 600 DUMP TRUCK - $1650 (spokane,valley)

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Date: 2010-01-03, 8:50AM PST
Reply to: sale-ecj5b-1535228868@craigslist.org [Errors
thought maybe somebody would be interested in this,looks good

 

Thats awsome you were able to save a truck with so much family history! When I go to look at any old car thats beat up, broke, or just wore out I always think "When someone brought this home from the dealership it was thier pride and joy.". Good job. I also just got a c series, c7000 dump. haven't got it home yet but I did get to do some work on it and drive it around the lot at the p.o. landscape business saturday. Possably look at the mid fiftys fords for window tracks, these trucks were designed in the fiftys so maybe they share the same style of track? From what I'm finding (in my area at least) the mechanicals are fairly easy to find but the body trinkets are a pain to source. I'm looking for a pas. wind wing and a drivers door window for mine.

 

Thanks Jason. This truck definately means alot to me and I am looking forward to the day it is complete. If things go as planned, I hope to have paint on it this spring. This will likely be a lifelong project, as it will take alot of time and effort to restore everything, especiallyl the air operated valves on the pump. I am fortunate that I work in the fire apparatus industry, so I have access to parts and equipment.


The picture is of the truck just before it went into service in May 1965.



This is what happens when stupidity reigns. The two wrecked trucks were combined to make one and that is what I have now. This happened in July 1968.


This picture was taken in 1977 after the department made the change to yellow apparatus.

 

Hi Mike,

I've got an old 1965 C-850 with a 477 motor (real tired). She's an old farm beater with a dump box- was used to haul grain and then left - fuel tanks full of rust etc. Still can make it run and have hauled gravel etc (although pretty slow and getting gallons per mile in fuel consumption).
Have you heard anything on "easy" engine swaps for these rigs as I've heard parts for rebuild are essentially unavailable?

BTW- I have the shop manuals for these vehicles so let me know if there's something you might need a copy of and I'll see if I can help.

Geoff

 

Hey Geoff,

Boy, can I relate to the gallons per mile comment. I can watch the needle drop as I go down the road. I think the truck burns fuel even when it's not running.

As for the engine swap, I always figured since the 429 (I believe) was offered in the C series you could find one to drop in or maybe find a 460, which would probably be more readily available. These engines would not have the torque of the 477/534, but would certainly get you around just fine, and maybe a few miles further on a tank of gas. I had thought about swapping engines in mine, like dropping in a 3208 CAT with a newer Allinson behind it, but I want to keep everything as original as possible.

 

I have a '62 C600. Personally I think the C series should get more respect. Anything that went basically unchanged for 35 years had to have something going for it. Plus, if you have a '59 and you need a door or a windshield, you just get one of an '89. It's great!

 

Well I guess that should have been 33 years, '57 -' 90, since the earlier COE C-series of the 50's was obviously different.

 

There is something to be said about the strength of the cabs. Look at the picture of the wrecked trucks above; this collision occured at the bottom of a hill, sent both trucks across the intersection and was hard enough to buckle the fire body in front of the rear axle....yet the driver went home that night! And he was not wearing his seat belt. The center post of the windshield kept him from being ejected.

 

I don't know of any simple gas engine replacements, but the cat 3208 is basically a dieselized version of the Ford Super Duty, I've been told. My neighbor swapped his 534 for a 3208 and i think it was pretty straight forward.

 

I am here to tell you the 534 gasser and the 3208 Cat are not related at all. Completely different animals. However, it is true that it is usually very easy to swap a 534 for a 3208 (or the earlier Cat small V-8's like the 1140, 1150, and 1160). These small Cat V-8's were built for Ford in the first place, and were basically designed to be interchangeable with the 534's.

 

Thanks for the clarification, Louisville Joe.
Here's my stubby truck. 16 1/2' box on a 11' wheelbase. Pretty handy.
IMG_0589 pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots

 

Hello everyone,
I'm not exactly the owner but among my other duties is trying to keep a whole country full of Ford fire trucks running. ( there are more C900's per capita in Panama than any where else I know of outside the US of A) also F700, F600 and a lot of other Fords from the Fifties ,sixties and seventies. so all and any help is greatly appreciated.
At present trying to locate parts for 534 SD engine connected to Allison trans circa 1973 in a 750 gl pumper that is main truck for local Fire Dept.
It has been sitting for over 5 months on account of snapped valve(intake),and now that dry season( or fire season, as they say down here )has set in,is sorely missed.
I clarify that this is a a volunteer position thru the National EMS system. Greetings from paradise ............................Peter F

 

I have a C- series Ford jet fuel truck that we use to fuel our helicopter and I am trying to figure out what model, year and what size engine it has so I can get parts to keep it running. The only markings it has are on the nose it has three stars above a lightening bolt and in the door it has a data plate that reads C80EUF56321 and a bunch of other codes underneath it. I will take pics and post them soon. Any help would be greatly appreciated.