Old Fire trucks found by accident!!

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
Well i was talking to some of the guys on the CHAT and i had told them about an incident at my PD when i chased some pot head kids into an abandoned warehouse well i ended loosing the kids but what i found was even better turns out this warehouse belongs to the city and boy oh boy did it almost bring a tear to my eye in this ware house where kids use it as a hang out spot i found several old fire trucks and an old ambulance and some pretty old lightbars. They are coverd in bird poop and pretty banged up. like i promised here are the pictures.

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03crownvic

Member
May 8, 2010
1,033
Louisiana
Those are a sad sight and it's unfortunate they are just sitting and wasting away. The Aerodynic is shot except for the speaker section and frame, which could be used for parts or a rebuild. The Twinsonic domes are still shiny, and have probably been inside their whole life. Too bad one is beyond salvaging but the other appears to be intact, along with the internals and frame. Are there any Q's or other sirens still on any of them? Were any of these still in service when they were parked or had they been replaced with new vehicles?


There is a local town near here that has two open cab ALF trucks sitting under a tin roofed shed at their wastewater treatment facility. One has a brass bell, a flush mounted Q, and a Federal 174 oscillating Super Beacon Ray, but they may not be there long if vandals keep entering through the numerous holes in the fence. They have been there for several years, and I've spoken to the fire chief and the mayor a couple of times about them but they said they aren't sure what they are going to do with them yet.


Those trucks in the pics also remind me of that West Texas "ghost" town we discussed in another thread that has some fire trucks just sitting around parked on the side of the road in different areas of town. What is it with some Texas fire departments just abandoning their vehicles?
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
Well i was thinking about buying these lightbars but im not very good with full size lightbars since i have never owned one but by what you guys are saying i dont think it would be worth buying them if you think they are not salvagable.
 
May 21, 2010
1,203
Wilkes-Barre, Pa
The domes on the Twinsonic are actaually Code 3 SD domes. You can tell by the notches on the side with no endcap and the inboard side of the dome is not flat sided as the Twin domes are.


I would say that are good for parts. As long as they have been under cover of that warehouse and the motors are still there and undamaged, it would be worth it for them.


It wouldn't be something I would pay more than about $25 each for. You can still find sweet deals on intact and working gear for sometimes not a ton more.


Who knows, maybe be one of those deals where they just say to take em. Looks like everything in there is destined for the junk heap anyway.
 

lotsofbars

Member
Jul 20, 2010
1,999
NYC, New York
You should make a project out of one or more of those vehicles, I especially think that old ALF would be a nice resto truck. Or the ambulance. See what you can do to talk the city into letting you have them for a discount, if not for free.


On a different note, look for sirens and switchboxes inside the vehicles!
 

PC Comms

Member
May 30, 2010
1,881
Beautiful southern Georgia!
Ryan, you're awfully quiet out there. Are you ok?? LOL
 

ryan

Member
May 20, 2010
2,996
Massillon, Ohio
Actually, I would buy the aerodynic from you for if you get it complete. let me know. as for the twinsonic its good for parts.


Yes, I know, I said I would by the aerodynic. get off my ass people...I need some parts to finish one here so I can sell it.
 

03crownvic

Member
May 8, 2010
1,033
Louisiana
motorolamaniac said:
The domes on the Twinsonic are actually Code 3 SD domes. You can tell by the notches on the side with no endcap and the inboard side of the dome is not flat sided as the Twin domes are.

Yep, they sure are SDs. Good eye!
 

MPD 818

Member
May 25, 2010
1,317
Murfreesboro TN
If there are any vintage electronic sirens in any of those vehicles and if you are able to get your hands on them, I call first dibs!
 
Aug 20, 2010
112
Texas USA
03crownvic said:
Those are a sad sight and it's unfortunate they are just sitting and wasting away. The Aerodynic is shot except for the speaker section and frame, which could be used for parts or a rebuild. The Twinsonic domes are still shiny, and have probably been inside their whole life. Too bad one is beyond salvaging but the other appears to be intact, along with the internals and frame. Are there any Q's or other sirens still on any of them? Were any of these still in service when they were parked or had they been replaced with new vehicles?
There is a local town near here that has two open cab ALF trucks sitting under a tin roofed shed at their wastewater treatment facility. One has a brass bell, a flush mounted Q, and a Federal 174 oscillating Super Beacon Ray, but they may not be there long if vandals keep entering through the numerous holes in the fence. They have been there for several years, and I've spoken to the fire chief and the mayor a couple of times about them but they said they aren't sure what they are going to do with them yet.


Those trucks in the pics also remind me of that West Texas "ghost" town we discussed in another thread that has some fire trucks just sitting around parked on the side of the road in different areas of town. What is it with some Texas fire departments just abandoning their vehicles?

You'd be suprised at how many "micro" VFD's are in Texas. One small farm community (not even a town) between Brenham and Somerville TX has a barn with an old, probably mil-surp Dodge Power Wagon that has been "homemade" into a brush truck. Saw it once...only has a mechanical siren for emergency warning.


The ghost town you mention (Toyah, in Reeves County..west Texas) doesn't really have any fire dept per se. They just stage the trucks...doubt they even run anymore and I'm suprised they haven't been stripped.


Plum Grove, TX stages their VFD "in the weather" which is not good for it. I guess since Cleveland, TX is so close they aren't too worried about it.


Those pics kinda made me sick...those old rigs deserve a better fate...
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
There are alot of small micro VFDs here in the area there is a small volunteer fire department in a small town called Blue Town just next to the Mexican border that only has one fire engine thats from the 1960s and its stationed at a small church the firefighters are anyone that is available for response in the town at the time really wierd stuff lol and the town is only one small mom and pop shop and a one elementary school and about 30 homes.
 

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