Vehicle Description
Most of us know American LaFranceas one of the most storied names
in fire apparatus manufacture. Yet early in their long and
illustrious history, A.L.F. built a tiny number of civilian road
cars, rumored to be engineered with the help of their neighboring
Simplex. Known as the "Chief's Car," these powerful, luxurious, and
expensive automobiles were more likely to be found in the carriage
house of a wealthy businessman than in a firehouse. Precisely how
many were built is not known, and this was obviously just a side
project for American La France, perhaps done for high-ranking
executives. Today, experts believe that just two original Chief's
Cars exist, yet, despite such obscurity, they have inspired a great
many enthusiasts to create unique personal interpretations of the
fire-truck-meets-sports-car theme. Utilizing the mighty T-head
engines and robust chassis of American LaFrance fire trucks, and
relieved of the burden of weight these 'speedsters' are massively
powerful, thrilling to drive, and as unique as the individuals who
create them.
This 1919 American LaFrance Speedster is simply the finest example
we have ever come across. In its original configuration as a Type
45 Pumper, this truck (order number 31676, registration number
2850) was built to order for the York, Pennsylvania Fire
Department. An accompanying specification book shows it was
equipped with a 900-gallon Pumper and Hose car body and christened
for duty as "Engine 2" - and it still wears that badge today. As
with any pumper, power and maneuverability are key, and the Type 45
certainly delivered plenty of the former thanks to a massive 855
cubic inches T-head inline-six - a glorious engine that makes
speedster conversion so irresistible.
Little is known of this truck's career and subsequent retirement,
but a note on file suggests that a prior owner acquired it in 1967
and performed the initial conversion work by removing all the
unnecessary dead weight of the pump, body, and equipment, and
shortening the chassis by 23 inches. It seems they drove the
LaFrance quite a bit, with the same note mentioning trips to
Springfield, Illinois, Boston, Winchester, Virginia, and Olean, New
York.
Apparently falling into a period of disuse, the LaFrance was
rediscovered by a respected brass-era automobile dealer and
restorer on the East Coast. After minor recommissioning, he offered
it as a complete, running, driving, viable restoration project.
Still believed to be in its late 1960s configuration at the time,
it looked a bit scruffy, a bit crude, but with massive potential.
Thankfully, the next owner recognized that potential and snapped it
up. The new owner undertook an extensive restoration project,
rebuilding '2850' from the ground-up, performing a great deal of
the work himself. The result is a stunning example of the LaFrance
Speedster theme, finished to a high standard and evocatively
detailed from stem to stern.
Central to 2850's new identity is an exquisitely fabricated and
proportioned boat tail rear body, combined with a wraparound
cowling. The bodywork and steering column were lowered by
approximately 4-inches to achieve a much more sleek, rakish look.
Rear fenders and the rear apron panel are sculpted to mirror the
boat tail body, and the front fenders extended by two feet -
necessitating shortened running boards. Long and low, the long
hood/short deck proportions are wonderfully judged to mask the Type
45's size. Fabulous touches include period-correct diving bell
taillamps, integrated golf door with suitably meaty polished
hinges, polished nickel radiator and headlamps, color-keyed
LaFrance steel wheels with meaty balloon tires, and so much more.
While visually stunning, it is also built to drive, so there is
hydraulic power steering, raked shift and brake levers, an
adjustable seat, turn signals, and a full array of instruments in
an engine-turned dash. The owner/restorer reports it to be
fantastic to drive and has thus far proven remarkably
dependable.
On the subject of going places - this LaFrance has no trouble
getting there in a hurry thanks to that massive inline six. With a
5 �-inch bore and 6-inch stroke, it displaces 855 cubic inches - or
about 14 liters. It delivers earth-twisting torque via a 3-speed
gearbox driving dual rear chain-drive sprockets, and it can do
60mph at just over 1,000rpm, pulling like a freight train the
entire way. The brightly polished, downturned stub exhausts make
its arrival known long before the brilliant red paintwork, gold
stripes, and airbrushed pin-up girls catch your eye!
Superbly restored and with undeniable presence and quality, this
mighty 1919 American LaFrance Speedster is an exhilarating, purely
analog beast that will surely deliver a bugs-in-the-teeth driving
experience like no other.
Offers welcome, trades considered
