The truck is not yet complete, but much of its aesthetic renovation is now done.
A fire truck that first found its way into fire service in Linwood Township has returned home to stay.
The truck, a 1931 four-wheel drive engine and pumper was purchased from the Minneapolis Fire Department in 1959. A local group of residents recently restored the truck to its former glory.
Rich Gabrick, one of the crew working on the truck, summarized some of its history and the restoration process.
“It served this community well from 1959 to 1976, when a new engine replaced it,” he said. “The old (truck) was sold and had various homes until it was relocated for sale in 2014.”
Ken Minske, the township’s most recent former fire chief, located the unit in western Minnesota and made a pitch to the Linwood Town Board, pointing out its historical value to the department and the township. The board approved purchase of the truck for of $9,800 at the July 8, 2014, Town Board meeting. Money for the purchase came from the township’s general fund. One of the conditions of the sale of the truck back to Linwood was that it remains with the department.
Several fire reserve members attended the same meeting and volunteered their labor to complete the restoration. Volunteers include Ron Erickson, Tim Curry, and Fire Reserve members Buck Broadbent, Joe Dolphy, Bill Durheim, Gabrick, Ed Hulsman, Minske, and Tom Pilla.
Collectively, they represent 263 years of service in the Linwood Fire Department and Reserves. Broadbent and Hulsman were volunteer firefighters when the truck came to the township in 1959. Broadbent has 52 years of service; Dolphy and Gabrick each have 40; Hulsman, 33 years; Pilla, 31 years; Durheim, 29 years; Minske, 28 years; and Curry, 10 years. Erickson is the only one who is not a firefighter, but he came as a volunteer to the project with experience as a locomotive electrician and restorer, fitting right into the group.
Restoration of the truck began in October 2014, with a complete tear-down of all parts of the truck. Volunteers met every Tuesday, except during hunting season. The truck was “surprisingly easy to take apart,” Gabrick said, because it had been stored inside away from winter salt.
The engine, transmission, and pump were all removed from the frame. Written notes were not much help in keeping track of parts, so the parts ended up arranged on tables or shelves. Pictures were taken at each step to guide the rebuilding, which is still in progress. Donations have paid for needed materials and paint.
Sandblasting and priming the chassis was the biggest expense at $5,000. Rosenbauer donated paint and materials to paint the chassis and has continued helping with the project. Chroming parts also cost about $5,000, and rebuilding the clutch cost about $2,200. Gabrick estimates it will take about $6,000 to $7,000 to finish everything else.
The frame and parts were then transported back to Dolphy’s Automotive, where the bulk of the restoration work is taking place. Dolphy, also a fire reservist, has donated his shop facilities and countless hours of time and support to the project, according to Gabrick. However, Dolphy was quick to point out that besides the time volunteers met in the shop, many projects were taken home by volunteers to complete. So much more time has been contributed than just the joint work sessions. About 75 percent of the work is complete.
Much of the woodwork on the truck was heavily damaged. Dolphy said that Erickson and Hulsman built new tool boxes for the truck. Using original hardware, Erickson built completely new extension ladders from red oak timber from his own land and contributions from Broadbent, Hulsman and Ed Kramer.
The group is putting the truck back together now. The restoration will not include a tank, because it is not possible to replace the pump. More of the oak will be used to finish the bed of the truck. Hulsman and Erickson refer to themselves as the WWOL: the Wood Workers of Linwood.
This band of brothers loves the work they are doing, but their camaraderie is paramount to their continued success. In their comments, they expressed their collective pride in the entire project and the respect they have for each others’ skills.
While the truck will not return to active service, plans are to have it running, perhaps eventually appearing in local parades. The truck will be on display Saturday, Sept. 12, near the booya tent during Linwood Family Fun Day.