"The Story and Once Continuing Saga of owning a Big Red "White Elephant", or "Why did I ever Buy this Thing!?"
Links to other sites on the Web
National SPAAMFAA, Antique Fire Engine Club
Auction Items I have For Sale on Ebay Auction
Ebay Auction Firefighting Collectibles
Santa Cruz Vampires Motorcycle & Scooter Club
Hi! Thanks for dropping in! This was my first attempt
at a web site. I
am a Firefighter II with the California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection.
I had an
on-going
project of large proportions: the restoration of a
1937 Seagrave Fire Engine.
It was delivered to the City of San Diego and it
served there till the late fifties until it was
traded in to Hirsh Seagrave in L.A. . It served Shell
Beach Fire District (now Pismo Beach Station 2) until
1972. It is currently owned by the Pajaro Valley Volunteer Fireman's Association in Watsonville, California, who purchased it from me during summer 1999.
It is Serial #85805, Model #6-LW-220T. It is the 1935
"Sweet heart" grill style, designed in
1935.
This
particular engine was the third to the last built
with the old "F" model tee-head engine, making it
some what rare. When compared to a "normal" V-12
motor Seagrave of this design, it has a hood about a
foot and a half longer.
The Engine served as
San
Diego
Engine #3, and as assigned shop number 188. Later in
life it was numbered 26 on its right front fender,
and I believe it was a reserve engine.
The engine was delivered along with an identical "sister" engine, Seagrave #85806, that was San Diego Engine #7, shop number 189. I have never been able to find out what happened to that engine, though Seagrave shows parts were ordered for it as late as 1965.
I had copies of the original "Build" sheets from Seagrave, as well as the original parts book and operators manual that amazingly followed it through 2 fire department careers and 2 private owners before I bought it.
If you are in need of that certain part for your fire engine, let me know and I'll try and hunt it down for you. If I dont have it, I might know someone that does.
I also owned at one time a 1966 BMW R50/2 Motorcycle so I am always looking for those "forgotten" barn bikes that are in need of a good home, so email me if you know of one: somewhere out there someone has my BMW R12 under a hay loft! My latest bike is a 1979 BMW R65 I purchased with 700 original miles! A great find!
