Restoration of American LaFrance L-1955
Donation protected
Restoration of American LaFrance L-1955
L-1955 is a 1944 American LaFrance Type M-5-100' Deluxe JO ("J" junior aerial, "O" open cab) with a 150 gallon water tank & booster pump delivered to Pontiac, MI on 01-29-1944. When delivered it was powered with a V-12 engine but was replaced at some time in the 1970's and replaced with a GMC V-6 engine. Between 1938 & 1946 American LaFrance built 110 JO & JOX ("J" junior aerial, "O" open cab, "X" exposed ground ladders). Two were delivered to Columbia, twelve went to Canada, seven were ordered by the U.S. military, seven delivered to the U.S. Treasury Dept. and sent to Australia on a lend-lease program leaving the remaining 82 to be scattered around the United States. As of 2014 eight of the trucks have been confirmed sent to the scrap yard, nine are currently in museums, one is in the Netherlands, the rest are still waiting to be discovered/ owned by collectors or rotting in fields.
L-1955 Served Pontiac, Michigan until being purchased in 1972 by Rochester, Michigan (Ladder 1-retired in 1983). After service in Rochester the title truck changed hands a few times before I purchased it in 2004. Before I got ahold of the truck it was allowed to sit outside in an open storage yard exposed to the destruction of Michigan's weather conditions for two years taking its toll on this old workhorse.
I am trying to restore this truck to its former glory and pride which has been slow and on hold for the last 9 years. That is until I was able to find this site and figured I'd give it a try. Once restored this truck will attend several fire apparatus / emergency vehicle shows & parades each year.
A list of items on the to do list include the following
New tires- 2 front, 4 rear
New rims for tires- 2 front, 4 rear
New muffler
New battery
Electric ignition conversion- to replace points
New ladder cables & installation
Refinish wooden ground ladders
Refinish wood pike poles
Replace/repair dash gauges
Repair hydrovac brake system
New hydraulic fluid for ladder operation- 30 gallons
Replace throttle control in cab
Reupholster seats
Touchup repair cracked/peeled paint or repaint entire truck depending on funding
Repair rusted front nose jack
Fix wiring for running lights/ brake lights/ turn signals/ sirenlite
Restore sirenlite
Repair window wiper system
Find missing rubber seals/gaskets for the two headlights and one red light on the front of the truck
Refinish/ replace worn American LaFrance nose badge.
Progress can be followed on the following sites
http://americanlafrancel1955.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/1944AmericanLaFranceJOPontiacL1955
Work that has been completed
New spark plug wires
New spark plugs
New ignition coil
New distributor cap & rotor
New fuel filter
New ignition points & condenser
Oil change
Allow 2-3 weeks for printing and shipping if you order a T=shirt. Sizes go up to 5XL at this time. T-shirts will only ship to the U.S. & Canada.
Back of shirt
Front left chest on shirt
L-1955 is a 1944 American LaFrance Type M-5-100' Deluxe JO ("J" junior aerial, "O" open cab) with a 150 gallon water tank & booster pump delivered to Pontiac, MI on 01-29-1944. When delivered it was powered with a V-12 engine but was replaced at some time in the 1970's and replaced with a GMC V-6 engine. Between 1938 & 1946 American LaFrance built 110 JO & JOX ("J" junior aerial, "O" open cab, "X" exposed ground ladders). Two were delivered to Columbia, twelve went to Canada, seven were ordered by the U.S. military, seven delivered to the U.S. Treasury Dept. and sent to Australia on a lend-lease program leaving the remaining 82 to be scattered around the United States. As of 2014 eight of the trucks have been confirmed sent to the scrap yard, nine are currently in museums, one is in the Netherlands, the rest are still waiting to be discovered/ owned by collectors or rotting in fields.
L-1955 Served Pontiac, Michigan until being purchased in 1972 by Rochester, Michigan (Ladder 1-retired in 1983). After service in Rochester the title truck changed hands a few times before I purchased it in 2004. Before I got ahold of the truck it was allowed to sit outside in an open storage yard exposed to the destruction of Michigan's weather conditions for two years taking its toll on this old workhorse.
I am trying to restore this truck to its former glory and pride which has been slow and on hold for the last 9 years. That is until I was able to find this site and figured I'd give it a try. Once restored this truck will attend several fire apparatus / emergency vehicle shows & parades each year.
A list of items on the to do list include the following
New tires- 2 front, 4 rear
New rims for tires- 2 front, 4 rear
New muffler
New battery
Electric ignition conversion- to replace points
New ladder cables & installation
Refinish wooden ground ladders
Refinish wood pike poles
Replace/repair dash gauges
Repair hydrovac brake system
New hydraulic fluid for ladder operation- 30 gallons
Replace throttle control in cab
Reupholster seats
Touchup repair cracked/peeled paint or repaint entire truck depending on funding
Repair rusted front nose jack
Fix wiring for running lights/ brake lights/ turn signals/ sirenlite
Restore sirenlite
Repair window wiper system
Find missing rubber seals/gaskets for the two headlights and one red light on the front of the truck
Refinish/ replace worn American LaFrance nose badge.
Progress can be followed on the following sites
http://americanlafrancel1955.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/1944AmericanLaFranceJOPontiacL1955
Work that has been completed
New spark plug wires
New spark plugs
New ignition coil
New distributor cap & rotor
New fuel filter
New ignition points & condenser
Oil change
Allow 2-3 weeks for printing and shipping if you order a T=shirt. Sizes go up to 5XL at this time. T-shirts will only ship to the U.S. & Canada.
Back of shirt
Front left chest on shirt
Organizer
Joe Gallo
Organizer
Blissfield, MI
