Old firetruck

[Guest somewhereinusa]

Can anyone help identify this fire truck. I took this picture of a picture in an old fire station in LaPorte,IN. All the historical society could tell me is that is is of their first fire truck. The building that the picture was taken in was built in 1907. I have found pictures of fire trucks as early as 1901, but all were pretty conventional with front engines.This is the only one I have seen that looks like this. I did find a 1907 Panhard that looks similar, but I don't think that is what this is. I sure this was a truck chassis that someone made into a fire truck, I haven't been able to identify the chassis. The right hand steering and hard rubber tires probably help fix the date,also the lights, but everyone and his brother were building trucks back then. I has a crank so It assume it has a gas engine.

Thanks,

Dick

[Dave Mellor NJ]

It bears some resemblance to this Autocar. If you look on Pg 15 of the thread "Vintage delivery trucks on Main St. USA" you'll see two other examples.

[Guest firetruckworld]

Can anyone help identify this fire truck. I took this picture of a picture in an old fire station in LaPorte,IN. All the historical society could tell me is that is is of their first fire truck. The building that the picture was taken in was built in 1907. I have found pictures of fire trucks as early as 1901, but all were pretty conventional with front engines.This is the only one I have seen that looks like this. I did find a 1907 Panhard that looks similar, but I don't think that is what this is. I sure this was a truck chassis that someone made into a fire truck, I haven't been able to identify the chassis. The right hand steering and hard rubber tires probably help fix the date,also the lights, but everyone and his brother were building trucks back then. I has a crank so It assume it has a gas engine.

Thanks,

Dick

My guess may not be any better than yours, but I have a hunch it was built by Knox. I have several detailed photos of a 1910 Knox at www.firetruckworld/fire-engines/fire-apparatus-1910-to-1919/1910-knox-fire-engine-2 At that time in the fire fighting industry the motorized fire trucks were just recently being added to fire departments and the changes in design and capacities were very noticeable in the span of just a couple years. That said, I do see much simularity to the truck in your photo and my 1910 Knox photos. I also have some interesting photos of a 1902 motorized firet truck built by the Front Drive Motor Company with a 1800's Silby steam pump attached to it. I found this fire truck on Luzon Island of the Philippines.

I'm new to this forum so let me try to add a smaller version of a similar angle of from my 1910 Knox photos. Also if I have any luck, I will add a photo of the 1902 Front Drive Company truck. If you wish to see larger views of these fire trucks, you can see them at the link above

[Steve Hagy]

The Seagrave paint shop records show that this unit was assigned serial number 5196 and entered the shop April 20, 1911. Seagrave built quite a few of these buckboard style wagons but discontinued there production by 1915.