1949 Bickle-Seagrave

RESTORATION

November 2009 - June 2014

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The truck prior to restoration, ca. 2002 Pump Panel, showing general wear and tear. Pump testing, prior to the truck being taken apart (2008). Notice the dent to the fender.
Driver side door, showing marks of West Coast Mirrors leaving an impact on the door itself Officer side of the pump, with the pump panel removed, this is the outlet side of the pump Outlet side of the pump. The pump required major repairs to the plumbing, it had severely leaked when it was last ran, and the booster stage was disabled while it was on Thetis Island.
Officer side of the truck, work being done to remove the rear of the box to be taken off the truck. Overall paint degrading affected the truck while in storage. This elbow joint of the pump was supposedly corroded due to water damage In the bottom rear cabinet of the fire body, which revealed this relic from the past: a block of wood that held several sizes of nozzles
The rear of the truck, with the hose bed and booster tank removed The cab and chassis (with pump still attached to the drivetrain) The fire body, removed from the chassis. The deteioration of the fire body was a primary source of decay to the truck while it was in storage.
The fire body being towed away to Cowichan Collision, courtesy of Tiger Towing International Harvester's Blue Diamond Engine (BLD 269 Straight 6 block) Cab removed from chassis, showing the engine and transmission
The booster tank/hose bed, with a cut in the tank to expose the baffles in the tank. At this point in the restoration, it was simply too much work to restore the entire tank capacity (440 imp gallons), DFFHS opted for a 200 gallon plasti-tank instead for water. The fire body, freshly sandblasted by Busky's Sandblasting The cab of the truck, freshly repainted by Cowichan Collision
The engine being primered. In this shot, this was it: just the frame rails were left. The fun part started after this. The frame rails, with the fire body and pump added on. There are no wheels attached to the frame in this picture
The booster tank/hose bed, repainted by Cowichan Collision The cab and pump, rebuilt, with the box recently reinstalled to the truck The booster tank/hose bed, with a cut in the tank to expose the baffles in the tank. At this point in the restoration, it was simply too much work to restore the entire tank capacity (440 imp gallons), DFFHS opted for a 200 gallon plasti-tank instead for water.
The booster reel installed, with an electric motor later installed, which came off Duncan No. 5 (the 1975 Thibault) Front end of the truck, mostly being put back together, prior to windshield installation The pump panel being rebuilt
Officer side of the front end of the truck, original IHC mirrors installed, nearing completion The rear of the truck, practically finished. No. 1 at Chemainus, June 2014, maiden voyage