For Sale: 1919 American LaFrance Speedster in Saint Louis, Missouri

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