Dodge Mini Pumper

[Chariots of Fire]

Trucks like this became popular here in the northeast where water supplies are difficult to come by in rural areas.  The thought behind these rigs was to lay out 1000 feet of large diameter hose (4" or 5"), have a big pump at the source of water and relay the water through the hose to the mini.  The mini was pass it on if needed to the next mini or to where ever the water was needed.  An early attempt at scratch building and long before the introduction of the ALPS printer!

The step in the rear folds down at the ends, allowing a firefighter to stand and use his foot to control the bar at the step.  This engaged a small electric motor that was connected via gearing to the large gear on the side of the hose reel, allowing the hose to be picked up quickly after use.  The vertical tubes kept the heavy couplings from hanging up on the sides of the body.  I used folded masking tape to make the hose.

[leafsprings]

Nice job! A clear case of "form follows function".  The spokes look very 70's.

[Spottedlaurel]

Nice work. It looks just 'right', and interesting to read how it works.

[PappyD340]

Very nice!

[Jim B]

Great looking mini-pumper.  Well done.

[NOBLNG]

Well done!?

[espo]

Great theme and finishes. I like the pumper equipment you created.  

[GLMFAA1]

Great piece from the innovative 70's. I don't think the idea got any further than Pennsylvania. Probably on the west coast. Lots of the mini stuff was built by the smaller manufacturers like Hammerly. The Dodge was used a lot in fire apparatus applications. Early chariot, nice to see.

Paul Kort mini pumper using the Revell midnight cowboy cab

Unknown builder from FAMBA meet. Big rig with big reels

Ted Calvin's CDR foam rapid response vehicle

My version of mini pumper using MPC Dodge and Chevy pumper kits

 

greg

 

 

 

greg

[Kromolly]

Very nice.  It's fun to see the functional utility vehicles.  Nice fabrication work.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I had never even heard of these type of trucks. Excellent work as usual!

[Chariots of Fire]

Necessity breeds function sometimes.  It all started in the northeast following an international financier's trip to the UK and seeing large diameter hose in use for the first time.  He brought the idea to the US and applied it to his own use.  He built his own fire department as a mutual aid department and training center to small towns that needed help.  So the idea of large diameter hose and a means to lay an above ground water supply took shape.  His name was Donald Holbrook and he wrote a book called "The Unlikely Firemaster".  This was back in the early 1960's and before the time of what we now know as EMS.

[happy grumpy]

Very cool build. Great idea behind it.

[hct728(Bob)]

Wow, that hose reel is so big it’s  like it’s in a different scale, LOL! A really unique build of a unique unit, amazing how innovative firefighters have to be when met with these challenging conditions.
 

Love how your work is not only well done and complete, but authentic as well!