MUSEUM PIECE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE IN NEWARK

Story and Photos by Ron Jeffers

There was an extra special treat this year among all of the antique apparatus that attended the Newark Fire Department Historical Association's 42nd Annual Antique Fire Apparatus Parade and Muster, on June 7. The N.F.D.'s white-colored 1936 Ford flood light truck, that had been on display inside of the museum for some 25-years, was back on the road and running under its own power!

The vehicle was removed from the museum over a year ago, as surplus, and it was placed in a storage facility. Battalion Chief John Sicignano, in charge of this year’s event, had a dream to see the old veteran show up for the muster and participate in the parade.

In March, Rockaway Borough Firefighter Andy Mackey was approached by his son, Richard, a Newark firefighter in charge of the museum's 1957 Mack pumper, and Chief Sicignano, with the flood light truck project. Andy is a union plumber by trade, and he rebuilds and repairs antique engines as a hobby.

When Andy first saw the truck, one tire was flat, there was no battery, the Ford flat-head engine was seized and the fuel tank was severely gummed. These items had to be addressed first. The body appeared to be in good shape, with some minor damage. The interior was in fair condition, but the wiper motors and blades were missing. Most of the original lights are still in place.

Andrew gave the chief a list of parts needed to begin the project. On May 18, Andy was given the go-ahead to work on the truck with one special request -- could he get it running for the June 7 muster? Andy said it was “a long shot,” but he would try.

On May 20, Andy and his son began the work. They discovered six new tires mounted on the rig, which were a donation. The pair removed eight spark plugs out of the engine and loaded all of the cylinders with a 20-second spray of WD-40. In the days that followed, work included adding new spark plugs, a battery, and they acquired a case of SAE 30 oil. They removed the engine compartment hood and went to work on the fuel system. The fuel tank was sent out to be boiled and cleaned.

The engine uses a coil and battery ignition set up instead of the more common magneto, which created some difficulties, as well as distributor cap problems.

While working on the distributor cap assembly and its wire harness from the engine compartment, Andy discovered that the Ford people had installed a dual point unit in this engine. One point was clean and the other was dirty. After cleaning the second set of points, Andy finally had a consistent spark. The cap assembly was replaced, the carburetor primed and the engine turned over. Additional work was done on the distributor caps and Andy primed the engine with some carburetor cleaner. A temporary fuel tank was rigged in the passenger compartment, and the fuel pump was primed. A little gas was put in the carb and the engine fired up on the second turn. Andy called his son on the phone and let him hear the engine. “It's alive!” Richard shouted.

Later, Andy started the engine again and drove the truck out of the storage building. He tested the brakes and hit the siren.

“There is nothing like the sound of a mechanical siren winding up and down,” Andy said.

The master mechanic put some water in the radiator and drove it back to its parking spot. This marked the first time that the truck had moved under its own power in many years. Andy spent seven hours working on the truck on that eventful day.

On the morning of the muster, Andy and Richard did some additional work on the rig, started it up, and backed it out of its temporary home. The rig was driven to Ladder 1's quarters where some water was added to the radiator, and the Ford was washed down for the muster, as Richard pulled up with the 1957 Mack.

People in attendance at the muster did a double-take when they saw the old Flood Light 1 pull up under its own steam. It was parked in front of the park where the muster committee and vendors were located for all to enjoy. Then, Andy had the honor of leading the parade down Broad Street with Richard following in the Mack, before the front-line N.F.D. units and the antique apparatus.

Andy says the fuel tank needs to be re-installed, an inspection is needed of the board electronics, plus the power generator for the lighting system needs a good cleaning. Chief Sicignano hopes to get the rig re-painted in the future with gold leaf lettering and pinstriping added in its original style. The truck body was assembled by Wendel Body Company of Newark, and the flood light installation was done by John Clendenin Lighting of New York City.

Andy Mackey has also been busy rebuilding an American LaFrance Junior V-12 engine for his own fire department's 1948 quad. Rockaway firefighters hope to have the rig parade-ready by next year. In the mean time, Chief Sicignano and his committee in Newark are already making plans for a bigger and better event next June.