CaptainCrutch

I’ve put a few photos here: https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/55277-l-fire-engine-restoration/ I don’t want to tell the story because it’s not quite over yet if you understand what I mean. I can add that it was the company’s second ever motorized apparatus, and was in service from delivery in August 1953 to October 1984.

Great story, and a lucky find! Keep us posted on your progress. Sounds like you’ve got a good plan of attack, granted that’s the same idea I’m using now with my LS95, and the right reason to put your heart into this. If you ever need anything specific I’m sure some guys on here will be able to help you out. Just a word of advice from experience, make sure before you really try starting it you clean out the fuel tanks, the fuel filters, the fuel lines and the carb.

Update: I’ve tried searching around and I can’t find any good pictures on the internet of the decal but I have found that it’s on a lot of old L fire trucks. If worse comes to worse I know of a company in Hagerstown with an L that has those decals so I can try to convince them to let me snap a few pictures and take measurements. Still any help is much appreciated.

Could you provide general dimensions? It looks like the same one used in CFs.

So we’re working on getting everything together to be able to get it painted once it’s back together and we noticed that the decal on the front fenders are missing. If anyone could get me a good picture or diagram of one that would be amazing. They were there when it was still in service and it looks like the truck was repainted in the 80s or 90s without the fender decals. It looks like this but I don’t have any high quality images of it but it looks to be a somewhat standard thing as I’ve found the design on several other engines one of which is the lower picture. The more I keep looking at pictures the more it feels weird not having them there.

But I love the ridiculousness because it allows me to justify the idea of taking an old b and transplanting it onto a pickup truck instead of finding another Mack chassis for it. That’s a project for the future but I still love the idea of it still being able to haul a ton with it.

Was the truck on when you were pumping the brakes? Only thing I can think of at the moment that might have anything to do with them not working.

I would request a service manual from the Mack Museum. It should include information like that and will help you with similar stuff in the future. If you give them the VIN they’ll also be able to send you information regarding your truck specifically and in some cases they’ll send you build photos.

I just want to make sure you didn’t see mine. We were taking it to Frederick in September.

I know it’s a long shot but my 1953 LS95 worked with a 1954 LS85 Sedan Cab and last I heard about it she was sold for scrap back in 2014. If anyone knows for certain if she still exists that would be awesome. I wish I knew it was her when I saw it up for sale the first time. I’ve checked the Vin # and it matches. Here’s the ad if that would help anyone: https://www.govdeals.com/?fa=Main.Item&itemid=1410&acctid=1581 I would love to know if she’s still around or really is gone for good. Here’s the only picture I have of the 2 together.

Same thing just about anywhere really. Went to Autozone for radiator hose and the lady kept pestering me what it was for so she could look it up. There were no Mack fire engines in her database. Surprisingly it’s the local places that end up acting like it’s a normal day when you tell them what you have.

I’ve got a few build photos from and a few shots from when she was still in service. Her sister is the 1954 3 Door LS85 on that brochure. Last time anyone’s seen her was back in 2014 when she was for sale on GovDeals and all our searching for her has led us to being told she was scrapped. It’s a shame such a beautiful engine is gone, but atleast one of the duo still remains and will be roaring through the streets of Maryland again soon.

In 1973 2 new Mack CFs were built and delivered to Independent Hose Company #1 in Frederick, MD. My great grandfather drove those engines. The one we own now was engine 11, her sister was 12. There are stories of the legendary driving such as almost being flipped over by an oblivious cop so the engine driving done the street on 2 wheels. My grandfather also drove it and before it was retired my father also drove it, seeing as he was one of the only ones who could drive a double clutch manual. She went to the academy for a while to train the new guys but she was ultimately nearing the end of her service life. When it came up for auction my grandfather jumped on it. Her sister was sold much sooner to a California station that no longer exists, where she was shipped to Africa for a short period and pumped clean water non stop for a few days before coming back to the US. Nobody knows where engine 12 is but anyone who cares knows where engine 11 is, safe and sound being passed on as a family heirloom. September 29, 2018 Early 1985 Nearing end of service at IHC.

My LS95 had the same problem, also a 707, maybe it’s differnet but with ours we found out we bent a few push rods due to some bad fuel. I’d check your fuel filter to make sure they’re not gunked up with bad gas. If it’s not fixed soon the problem will compound on itself.

That’s right, i believe a 12 to 24 volt transformer because it has dual ignition coils but I’m still certain it was added on after the fact when she had a bunch of mods made to her to lengthen her service life into the 80s.

If I remember correctly it has something to do with the alternator and was added on after the fact. I’m not 100% sure though.

Thanks for giving guys like us a place to express our love for these magnificent mechanical beasts. I grew up around fire companies and my family always had 2 old Mack firetrucks. Gradually I learned about the rest of what Mack’s are and now I’m in love with them.