Vehicle Description
Formore than140 years, American LaFrance stood as one of the most
prestigious names in firefighting apparatus.In 1873, the LaFrance
Manufacturing Company was established in Elmira, New York, by a
group of investors led byTrucksonLaFrance. Initially, the company
produced hand-powered fire apparatus, although by 1900 they had
delivered roughly 500 steampumpers. With the turn of the century,
the LaFrance Fire Engine Company and the American Fire Engine
Company were merged into the International Fire Engine Company.
When the new company failed in 1903, The American-LaFrance Fire
Engine Company, Ltd., emerged from the ashes, so to speak. The
firmdelivered its first motorized fire engine in 1907.Then in 1911,
the company began using the rigs' gasoline engines to drive the
pumps. The American La Francecompany held multiple patents for
efficient, high-volume pumps, and its product line grew to include
pumpers, ladder trucks and tankers. During the 1920s,the company
dominated the Americanfire apparatus marketand
fieldedequipmentcapable of supporting the smallestcommunity fire
departmentorthe largest cityfire company. This American LaFrance
1924 Type 55 is a mid-size city fire engine, combining two
functions: a 1,000 GPM two-stage geared pump and a large hose bed.
Trucks like this were designed to be used with city water system
hydrants, or, in rare cases, drafting from a pond or cistern. It
shared a 120-horsepower engine with the type 53 Pumper, which
differed primarily by having a lower capacity 850 GPM pump.
According to published records,this pumper, numbered 4479, was
delivered to Portland, Oregon, on December 29, 1923, along with an
identical unit numbered 4478. Extensive documentation on file shows
it remained in loyal service to the City of Portland for several
decades, finally coming off the books in 1959. To extend its life,
at some point, likely in the 1940s, number 4479 was re-powered with
a massive Hall-Scott straight-six engine bored out to 1,100cid,
providing a welcome boost in performance. It seems this was a
popular retrofit for PFD, as other LaFrance trucks in their fleet
were updated with the mighty Hall-Scott engines. At the same
time,it wasfurthermodernized with hydraulic front brakes, a vacuum
brake booster, a generator, and an electric starter. Once removed
from active service, the Type 55 Pumper was generally well
preserved, eventually coming into the ownership of a well-known
fire engine enthusiast and historian, who treated 4479 toa
high-quality restoration, including a repaint in its PFD original
livery. The work was completed in 2020 in preparation for the
Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire
Apparatus in America (SPAAMFFA) national convention held in
Portland the following July. Since then, it has been
well-maintained and it currently presents in excellent condition.
The extensive chrome and nickel brightwork are fantastic, and the
truck has a marvelous presence with a pleasing character and a host
of period-correct accessories, fittings, and details. Unlike some
larger pieces of equipment, thispumper/hose caris the ideal size
for a private collection. While still an imposing and impressive
machine, it is a manageable size for the average collector, with
ample power and improved drivability thanks to the updated done in
period. Having been properly cared for its entire life, this
charming American LaFrance stands ready and waiting for parade duty
and local shows. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7478-1924-american-lafrance-t-55-fire-engine/
