Ford C-600 / Oren 750 gpm Pumper

[ghoodii]

The Roanoke Welding and Equipment Company was founded in 1917 in Roanoke, Virginia by Oren Lemon. Oren Fire Apparatus manufacturing developed as an offshoot of the company in 1934. These trucks were so well received, that by the early 1940's, fire engines became the company's principal product.

The model represents the standard Oren pumper built on the Ford C cab chassis typical of the 60's and 70's used by many fire departments throughout the country.

I started with the Round II re-release of the Ford C-600 Pepsi Delivery Truck, shortening the chassis about 1". Everything behind the cab is scratch built using ,040 sheet and Evergreen strips and shapes.

Parts used from the AMT American La France include: Wheels, tow eyes, air horns, siren, cab grab handles, ladders, pike poles, booster reel ends, beacons used on rear of truck and large nozzle mounted on the tailboard.

"Don Mills" parts include: Chrome "D" handle slam lock door handles, a set of pump panel gauges, pewter cast cord reels, generator, hydrant wrench and brush rakes (stuffed in the end of the hard sleeve)

Federal "Twin Sonic" light bar is from the MPC Chevy Blazer snap-tite. Brass tubing was used to make the mounting brackets.

Cab marker lights were taken from a Round II Ford Louisville.

Front flashing lights are a set of headlight bezels from another Ford Pepsi truck and 6 mm. jewels.

Booster hose is 16 ga. wire and the hose bed is filled with different sizes of elastic, stained to give it some age and finished with brass tubing for couplings.

Cab interior: Gear shift was changed to a manual transmission, single passenger seat was changed to bench style, Motorola radio style boxes added to package tray as well as street books and maps. Motorola radio heads added to dash board, headliner added with air horn pull chain and radio speaker. Also added the handles for the spotlights.

Decals are a combination of parts box misc., AMT Pumper and Don Mills lettering.

Paint is Testors Model Masters Laquer...Italian Red

Thanks for looking, comments welcome

[Petetrucker07]

Very nice. I hope to someday build a couple fire trucks. These look so awesome, great detail. Very nice job!

[Tesla]

Sharp looking build...looks great

[Danno]

Outstanding model, George! Very well done; excellent details.

[slusher]

Great build...

[Aaronw]

Very nice, always enjoy seeing more fire apparatus.

I like your Circle D lights, appears to be made from a wire nut and perhaps a headlight bezel. Simple but very convincing.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Aaronw

[Brinx]

George,

Great looking truck, puts me in mind of the days riding on the tailboard either freezing in the winter or spittin' bugs out in the summer.

(still haven't figured out why its too dangerous for firefighter to ride back there, but it's o.k. if you're picking up the refuse).

I also enjoyed the history of the company you provided.

nice work!

[ghoodii]

Aaronw....yes, the Circle D light is the smallest wire nut I could find, the light / lense is actually a bead I found at Michael's....fits perfectly, base is a "post nut" (for putting binders together in place of three ring style) found those in the local hardware store in the isle full of nuts and bolts and odds and ends. Finish with a piece of wire for the handle and a piece of Evergreen tube for the socket.

George

[Wagoneer81]

George! I just spent the last 5 minutes poring over these pictures, trying to absorb all the details... Having served on our local, volunteer department from '91-'98, and having ridden an engine quite similar to this one, I have to say this: You nailed it, PERFECTLY!!! This is one of the finest model fire engines that I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot! This is an inspiring build!

[DynoMight]

Nice job!

[kilrathy10]

That is one sweet looking fire pumper.....Excellent work....Tons of detail with lots to look at.....Awesome work....

[chuckyr]

Nice detail

[S. Svendsen]

That's impressive

[Madd Trucker]

that is a great build and got to see an Oren built firetruck in March at the MDA Car show in Roanoke Va

[Jim B]

Great job on the pumper. I really like all of the details that you put into this build.