The American LaFrance Corporate Collection more than a dozen of his classic fire trucks are being auctioned off this week by the RM Sotheby’s event in Miami (Florida, USA).
The auction takes place next Friday (27th) and includes 15 vehicles spanning nearly 100 years of history – from the earliest hand-pulled pumps to the post-war giants.
The vehicles are American LaFrance Corporate Collection are part of and served as promotional and marketing tools American LaFrance for which was a famous manufacturer of emergency vehicles between 1873 and 2014.
Until now, the vehicles a North Charleston Fire Museum were exhibited in his collection in North Charleston, South Carolina (USA). Since the museum is closing, a RM Sotheby’s his auction is expected to provide a new home for these classic vehicles.
The oldest piece in the collection dates from 1858. It’s actually not a truck at all, but a hand-pulled fire pump that looked like a wooden cart. This copy is a Button & Blake was made by a company called, which later merged with several other companies, and finally American LaFrance became known as
A Button & Blake his fire pump was highly significant in its day due to its brass “anti-pulsation chamber” which equalized the flow of water through the pump and ensured a smooth, continuous stream of water. This piece is estimated to sell for between US$100,000 and US$150,000.
The oldest of the vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine is the 1911 Type 5 Double Tank Combinationwhich is the town of Reading, Pennsylvania Liberty Fire Company No. 5 wears white varnish.
A Type 5 was the first gasoline-powered fire engine that the American LaFrance produced and equipped with a massive 9.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 70 horsepower. Estimated price ranges from US$100,000 to US$200,000.
Meanwhile, the most modern fire engine available is one 1956-os LaFrance 700 Series „775-PJO” Pumperwhich was a popular model at the beginning of the post-war period, and already bears the appearance of fire engines in today’s sense.
More than 3,000 of them were produced in twelve years. Although the vehicle originally had a V12 engine, this was later replaced by a six cylinder Detroit Diesel replaced it. The vehicle is equipped with a 35-foot extendable ladder and a 500-gallon auxiliary tank. Its estimated price is between 15,000 and 25,000 US dollars.
In addition to the fire trucks, the 1911 is another outstanding piece of the auction Type 8 Roadsterthe only passenger car ever that American LaFrance manufactured. The company produced only 25 of this model, and this example is believed to be a LaFrance used by its leaders.
The drive is provided by the same four-cylinder engine as the Type 5 case, however, it is housed in a much shorter chassis and is paired with a unique, integrated gearbox and differential. It is expected to sell for between US$300,000 and US$500,000.
Photos: RM Sotheby’s. This content is generated with the help of artificial intelligence and verified by the editors.
