Miniature Truck Eight Years in the Making
December 15, 1971
THE SUSANVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT designed and fabricated this little truck entirely with their own skills, time and money.
The little truck is a 2/5 scaled down model of its mother: 1964 model, American La France, 750-gallon pumper unit.
Its drive train consists of a 1,000 c.c. 4 cylinder Austin Healey Sprite engine and transmission with Morris Minor differential and brakes.
Its dimensions are 11 feet long, 41 inches high and 44 inches wide. The wheelbase is 67 inches on which the total vehicles weight of 1,175 pounds is supported.
This truck will actually put out fires too! It is equipped with a 5gpm pump and a 50-gallon water tank. There is 1,000 feet of 1 inch cotton jacket hose and 50 feet of 3/4 inch high pressure rubber hose; other accessories include all chrome fittings, an extension ladder, roof ladder, siren, bell and rotating red beacon.
The unit was constructed primarily to be used in parades and exhibits that the department participates in each year. However, it still serves as a pumper unit for extinguishing the barbeque. (Lovell photo).
