Unusual Mack C-85

[GA_Dave]

Way back in the late 1980's, I took this photo of a Mack C-85 in Cedar Grove, FL. Back in those days, I did not gather very much information when I took photos, but what I did write down was that it was a C-85 with a 750 GPM pump. Now that I have retired and have the time, I am going back through my old photos and attempting to fill in the blanks.

One of the first unusual things is that this one has single headlights, typical of the Macks delivered to FDNY from 1958-1960. None of those FDNY pumpers had rear fender compartments, which this one has, however, they don't appear to be Mack compartments, so they could have been added later. In the 1958 FDNY group, the C-85 pumpers had a cluster of 3" gauges on the pump panel; in the 1959 group, they had 6" master intake and discharge gauges, like this one. All of the pumpers in both groups had a single spotlight mounted through the center of the roof, just above the windshield. The Cedar Grove rig has one on each A-post. The pump is a Hale. Mack switched from Hale to Waterous pumps in 1960. The booster reel on FDNY pumpers was mounted transversely and played out over the rear of the rig, which the Cedar Grove pumper does not, although it could have been changed, perhaps when the compartments were added.

I am trying to determine the year of manufacture of the Cedar Grove pumper and I am also trying to determine if it was once a FDNY rig. Aside from FDNY, I am unaware of any C-Model Macks that had the single headlights. In addition, the practice of buying former FDNY apparatus for other FD's didn't really begin until after these rigs had been retired. As far as I know, most of the FDNY Mack C rigs were cut up for scrap.

If anyone has any additional info, please don't be shy!