Detroit MI Engine 32 - a photo on Flickriver

            Detroit MI   Engine 32
1976 Ward LaFrance
1250 GPM – 500 Tank
Shop #445   One of 4 purchased.

Nothing in my hobby life will ever replace my love and fascination with fire engines, even when they're not painted the correct color, like this one.  But this photo has something extra going for it.

Engine 32's Ward LaFrance was only 6 years old when I snapped this picture, but it's in pretty rough shape.  The firefighters of the DFD are a busy lot, but hundreds of runs and workers isn't what most likely got to this rig.  The 1970's were part of the era of cheap (quality and price) Japanese steel.  Although I don't know for certain if the steel was the culprit, or where it was made, other apparatus manufacturers had similar issues.  Only 6 years old and rusting away.

Now, back to the "extra" in this picture.  Even as a child I can remember that I liked looking at painted brick wall signs.  Neon was nice too, but a wall with a soft drink ad was special.  When we arrived at this firehouse I knew this was going to be an interesting photo.  Normally I would have taken a bit tighter frame of the Engine, but in this case I had to get Wolverine Moving and Storage into the photo.  Neon and a wall and that green thingy with the lights and a siren! Up on the wall the likeness of an Autocar truck pulling the trailer is (was) beautiful.  Now it never occurred to me to walk over and take a few frames of the wall, but eventually I reached the conclusion that my camera was capable of seeing more than shiny red trucks.  So this is my best shot of Wolverine - I hope this isn't purged from the sign groups.

Thirty-six years is a long time.  I was with a great bunch of people on this day.  So, to Dan, George, Leo and Jimmy, we miss you.  See you at the next station.

Taken in: United States / Michigan / Detroit (show map)

Taken on: July 2, 1982

Tags:

WLF

Pumper

Sign

Jefferson

Motor

City

Brick

1982

Michigan

Green

Truck

Wolverine

Moving

DFD

Ward

LaFrance

Lime

Storage

1976

Fire

Rust

Japan

Allied

Van

Lines

Wall

Hose « less

Sets appears in: • Detroit • Detroit Fire Department more » • Fire Apparatus - Michigan • Signs « less

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