Hello from southeastern Pa.

[joemac]

Hi Gang, my name is Joe, but most call me Joemac. It's been my nickname since I first joined the fire department at age 16, since my last name starts with Mc, and there were already so many Joes.

As a small boy, I was fascinated, well, obsessed with fire apparatus.

One of my earliest memories is being intrigued with the golfleaf striping on the local rigs, which were based a few blocks from my house.

When I was six and a half, I was alerted to something outside the front door that prompted me to separate myself from the TV to investigate.

What I saw had be spellbound, in the truest sense of the word.

I quickly went out to gawk at the most beautiful vehicle I'd ever seen- the brand-new 1959 Mack C85 pumper that was parked in front of Souder's Food Market, directly across the street.

Bill Souder was earlier affiliated with the Fire Company and so they stopped on the way to the firehouse on its maiden voyage from Sidney, Ohio.

This was September of 1958.

The following month our first grade class went on a field trip to the firehouse for fire prevention week. I was beaming with pride, as I knew far more about the goings-on there than any of my classmates.

After his spiel about the new arrival, the tour guide asked if anyone wanted to guess what it cost.

I raised my hand and answered, "twenty-eight thousand dollars", to which some class mates scoffed and giggled.

Imagine the look on the faces when he said it was exactly right.

I was in good stead with Bill Souder and had gotten all the inside info.

That rig grabbed my soul and never let go.

Ten years later, I was riding on the tailboard or in the jumpseat of that beauty.

I got to know her on an intimate basis by washing and polishing every inch, as often as I was allowed.

I drew a picture of her and donated it to the firehouse that was eventually framed and hung in the office.

When they built a new house in the eighties, it was prominently displayed on the wall in the trophy room, even though I'd been long gone for years.

I never forgot that Mack.

Someone asked me about fifteen years ago, what my favorite vehicle of all time was. They probably thought it would be an old Porsche 356, or a later 911, since that was my current passion and what I worked on in my shop.

I said it was a fire engine, but not just any fire engine.

I've had a couple of photos of her in my cell phone since I've had it, and as the wall paper on my PC.

I recently started working on building a model of a CF for the old fire department, which I visit on the fourth of July for their annual parade.

It got me thinking and planning on building a 1/32 model of the '59 C, which they sold to Barto Fire Company years ago, who sold it off in about '94.

I'd love to find out where she is now, and the closest I've gotten is some photos posted to Flickr, one year ago today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91402685@N07/8369225794/in/photostream/lightbox/

I've heard through the grapevine that there are those back in the old town who are looking for another project to restore. I would be extremely happy to arrange for the old girl to go back to Oreland, where she belongs.

I'm awaiting someone's response from my messages.

Any help in tracking her present whereabouts and status would be greatly appreciated.

Who says you can't love an inanimate object?

[bulldog man]

To the Kennel JoeMac w/ the rest of Mack enthusiast. Glad to have you here w/ us . Get ya a drink of your choice sit back & enjoy yourself . We have a great group here & any & all questions you may have im sure somebody around here can answer them .

I Know what you mean about loving an intimate object because I live & breathe the truck I get my name from.

Esp my dads ole B Model that is my namesake & a friend of mine & fellow Mack man owns now .

& I Have quite a bit of Mack collectable's in my house .

Those are some nice pics you have there . 8)

1958 FWD Is also into Fire apparatus as well & has a very nice FWD Fire truck . they are a few more here that has the same interest in Fire apparatus as well .

[hicrop10]

where in se pa are you,i'm in philly.Mike durkin

[General Ike]

Joemac -

You're a man after my own heart.... A fan of old Mack fire trucks AND Porsches... I own Gettysburg FD's 1957 B85 Mack and I've owned and raced Porsches for years...

Funny both built in Pennsylvania... The Mack obviously in Allentown and my last Porsche race car built by Peter Dawe in Stroudsburg.

[j hancock]

Welcome!

[Joseph Moody Jr]

Welcome to Party, I am from Philly

[bullhusk]

Hi Gang, my name is Joe, but most call me Joemac. It's been my nickname since I first joined the fire department at age 16, since my last name starts with Mc, and there were already so many Joes.

As a small boy, I was fascinated, well, obsessed with fire apparatus.

One of my earliest memories is being intrigued with the golfleaf striping on the local rigs, which were based a few blocks from my house.

When I was six and a half, I was alerted to something outside the front door that prompted me to separate myself from the TV to investigate.

What I saw had be spellbound, in the truest sense of the word.

I quickly went out to gawk at the most beautiful vehicle I'd ever seen- the brand-new 1959 Mack C85 pumper that was parked in front of Souder's Food Market, directly across the street.

Bill Souder was earlier affiliated with the Fire Company and so they stopped on the way to the firehouse on its maiden voyage from Sidney, Ohio.

This was September of 1958.

The following month our first grade class went on a field trip to the firehouse for fire prevention week. I was beaming with pride, as I knew far more about the goings-on there than any of my classmates.

After his spiel about the new arrival, the tour guide asked if anyone wanted to guess what it cost.

I raised my hand and answered, "twenty-eight thousand dollars", to which some class mates scoffed and giggled.

Imagine the look on the faces when he said it was exactly right.

I was in good stead with Bill Souder and had gotten all the inside info.

That rig grabbed my soul and never let go.

Ten years later, I was riding on the tailboard or in the jumpseat of that beauty.

I got to know her on an intimate basis by washing and polishing every inch, as often as I was allowed.

I drew a picture of her and donated it to the firehouse that was eventually framed and hung in the office.

When they built a new house in the eighties, it was prominently displayed on the wall in the trophy room, even though I'd been long gone for years.

I never forgot that Mack.

Someone asked me about fifteen years ago, what my favorite vehicle of all time was. They probably thought it would be an old Porsche 356, or a later 911, since that was my current passion and what I worked on in my shop.

I said it was a fire engine, but not just any fire engine.

I've had a couple of photos of her in my cell phone since I've had it, and as the wall paper on my PC.

I recently started working on building a model of a CF for the old fire department, which I visit on the fourth of July for their annual parade.

It got me thinking and planning on building a 1/32 model of the '59 C, which they sold to Barto Fire Company years ago, who sold it off in about '94.

I'd love to find out where she is now, and the closest I've gotten is some photos posted to Flickr, one year ago today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91402685@N07/8369225794/in/photostream/lightbox/

I've heard through the grapevine that there are those back in the old town who are looking for another project to restore. I would be extremely happy to arrange for the old girl to go back to Oreland, where she belongs.

I'm awaiting someone's response from my messages.

Any help in tracking her present whereabouts and status would be greatly appreciated.

Who says you can't love an inanimate object?

Joemac, There was nothin better then a brand new RED Mack Firetruck!! Back in the day Mack sure did build the best truck any truck .... But a firetruck..whoa baby!!! that was a nice post !

BULLHUSK

[Mack458]

joemac, in August of 2009 I went to look at a B Model pumper for sale. Next to it was a C model from the Barto Fire Company. I can't remember the gentleman's name who had the trucks - Firemack may know who it is. Anyway this fella had retired and bought a few Mack fire apparatus and stored them in Bristol, Pa. I don't think he ever got to really enjoy them - the B model I was looking at had sat for seven years. The Tallman Fire Department in New York eventually bought the B Model back and wanted to restore it. They may have contact information for you on the last owner.

[farmer52]

Welcome to BMT

[joemac]

Well, thanks for the friendly welcome(s). I lurked a bit here before joining, after seeing that it seemed like a good bunch.

Mack458, yep, that is she. It depresses me to see all that dust, and to think how she was kept parade-ready back in Oreland, as is all of their apparatus, even today.

Barto apparently repainted the truck and added/replaced a few things, nothing that couldn't be returned to original. If I could do it, I'd buy her and restore her to show condition (assuming the owner would be willing to sell), but I've limited income and no place to store and work on her.

I'm about half-way between Harrisburg and Philly, near Morgantown, south of Reading.

Edited January 11, 2014 by joemac

[VALS327]

Hello Joe,

Welcome, the C model Mack is my favorite. Have you tried to contact the person who posted the photos on flcker. This has worked for me in the past when I was trying to find where a rig was. Good luck trying to locate and acquire the rig. Sound like you would be a good care taker for her with your memories. Look forward to hearing how things go with your hunt.

Don

[slpwlker]

Welcome to the jungle

[57 bcr]

Welcome, joemac !

[joemac]

Well, thanks for all the welcoming. I like this place.

Don, yes, I did leave the guy a comment who posted the photos on Flickr, last week.

As soon as I saw them, I left a comment asking if there was any additional info.

I wanted to actually send the guy a message, but I don't see any provision for it on Flickr.

Edited January 11, 2014 by joemac

[VALS327]

Hello,

I've been doing some poking around on the computer. The photographer Ron Roberts has a Face Book page named Robertsnot5150 Emergency Response videos. I am not a Face Book member but maybe you could make contact with him there

[joemac]

Thanks, I'm no longer a member.

Didn't like it, but I was able to view a couple of more recent pics that show her all cleaned up and sporting a Honda generator.

I would really like to find this rig and take some photos.

And reminisce

I almost got frostbite on my left hand riding the tailboard of that truck.

Couldn't get the glove on.

Had my helmet fly off once from the wind, guy on the back grabbed it out of the air.

Had to climb up onto the hosebed more than a few times, nowhere else to go, she's already movin'.

Oh, that truck.

Edited January 14, 2014 by joemac

[bulldogboy]

joemac:

I know where you're coming from. Years ago I drove a 1959 Mack "C" model aerial ladder. It was a nice truck, no outriggers, just two jacks to support the truck while the aerial was in use.

I remember those cold N.E. days and nights riding the tailboards of our "B" model pumpers. That's just the way it was early in my career. I would not trade those memories for anything.

bulldogboy

[2stacksuperdog]