Originally powered by a Continental straight 8-cylinder gasoline motor and featured a Northern model 34BY rotary gear 650 gpm pump and 250 gallon booster tank. Restoration began in early 2019 and is nearing completion. It later was sold to a member of the Jersey City Fire Department for personal use and lastly acquired by WLF owner John Burzichelli in non-operating condition in December of 2018.
From there it went to Jersey City NJ Fire Department for use in parades and funerals. This Ward spent its entire active fire service life with the Ocean Gate Volunteer Fire Department #1 in New Jersey. The WLF front end style changed in early 1934. In total only 21 of this style WLF were manufactured between 1930 to late 1933. This style front end was offered by WLF from 1930 to late 1933. Ward Lafrance entered the custom fire truck manufacturing business in earnest with this triple combination model pumper in April of 1930. Responsive Design: Easy Viewing on All Mediaĭelivered to Ocean Gate NJ Volunteer Fire Department on August 12 th, 1931.Photo Gallery: Submit Your Ward Photos to the Collection.
Bulletin Board: Meet Other Ward Fans and Share Information.Online Purchasing: We Now Accept Credit Cards and Paypal.Collectors Housing: Tell Us the Story of Your Ward.Ambassadors Club: Enjoy the Benefits of Membership.We a have all resources for anyone who owns a Ward or is simply interested in keeping the spirit of Ward LaFrance alive. The efforts are fully underway-and the action will start at Drafts for Crafts on March 16.For the first time since Ward LaFrance™ ceased operation in 1979, the original engineering drawings, parts lists, and assembly indexes of every truck ever built are together in one place. “To some extent, the 1943 Ford Fire Truck is easier because the basic vehicle is a civilian model truck that was in production from 1942 to 1947, so original and replacement parts are well represented.” “All restoration projects present their own unique challenges,” Czekanski said. It has been on the waiting list since 2009.”Ĭzekanski has already acquired many parts for the Truck’s restoration from all over the country. That had a certain appeal, and it was accepted into the collection for future restoration. “After researching WWII fire trucks, we saw that this was a Home Front artifact.
“This truck came to us as a donation offer,” Czekanski said. Once restored, it will be displayed on the Museum’s main campus to help visitors interpret the broad range of occupations and tasks on the Home Front needed to win the war. Museum Senior Curator and Restoration Manager Tom Czekanski, who is leading the restoration effort, said the LaFrance was the most common fire truck used on the Home Front during the war and was intended to put out structural fires. The flathead V-8 was one of the first V-8 engines produced for the mass market, and is still popular today for use in hot rods. The Truck’s engine is a Ford flathead V-8, specifically a 239-cubic-inch displacement engine. Owen purchased the Truck from Dallas-Selfville Volunteer Fire Department in Trafford, Alabama, in 1985. This is a general-purpose model built for the US Army that could have been used at an airfield, a military post, or a defense plant. The fire truck, donated to the Museum in April 2009 by Steve Owen of Pell City, Alabama, will be restored as an Army fire engine and repainted wartime green.