(First Posted September 5 , 2013) What does one do with an ancient Ford firetruck? Repurpose it into a food truck.
Keeping patrons around St. Louis fed and hydrated, this Ford does provide a compelling example on the advantages of recycling / repurposing. In comparison to the newer model rigs present, one can’t help but wonder if the owner of this Ford snagged a lower mileage and lower acquisition cost vehicle for his business than did his competitors.
Cool truck, though when I first saw it, the last thing I though of was ice cream. I would go with the pink brown and white Neapolitan look, myself. A quick peek at my local CL indicates that you can buy a lot of old fire truck for very little money.
But it’s not just any ice cream…
Do they have Flaming Ice Cream on the menu?
I’m surprised hot sauce and other spices aren’t a mainstay of their menu!
it would have been maintained ready to go from new definitely a good buy and life as a food truck must be gentle for old trucks in their retirement, I cart fresh produce tonite in a new truck and it works really hard over our mountain ranges all its swedish horses are under the whip in the up and down country they work very hard indeed for they are few and you are forced to use little numbers like 4 to go uphill,
That should be a 5 Alarm Chili truck!
Old fire trucks with low miles are usually available pretty cheap while a decent walk-in truck can bring pretty good money, even with a lot of miles on them.
“in comparison to the newer model rigs present” Is the T1N Sprinter van behind it also a food truck?
Yes, all the trucks seen are food trucks.
That’s a good looking truck! I don’t know that I associate fire trucks with ice cream, but a really clever idea for marketing and transportation. I love the hard suction hose on the front! That particular truck would be a bit small for an operation that required cooking, but you could get a larger rig from the 60’s or 70’s. Old fire trucks have a tendency to sit around neglected for a long time once they are out of service, so you could have some significant mechanical expenses, and of course you would need to make a good quality conversion on the back. Still, it seems like it might a be pretty good idea!
An old ambulance would have been more appropriate…emergency refreshment aid, ya know? Or, if they’re serving steaks…(ready for this?) a MEAT WAGON!!
The fire truck would have done better as a beverage-only truck…
Most retired fire trucks still running here have repurposed into speaking platforms by local polititions the food truck idea is far more pleasant, We even have a TV show called the Food truck it stars a J1 Bedford.
What’s the hose for ? Stomach pumping ?
(rimshot)
To be honest, I like classic fire trucks that look like classic fire trucks.
Here’s the 1958 Ford F672 fire truck of the volunteer fire brigade of a municipality nearby. The Ford was out of use since 1975, sold afterwards and it was parked out in the open…so it rotted away.
Many years later the fire brigade bought it back, the price was a cake, and fully restored it. There’s also an overview of the restoration job, just scroll down on the page.
http://www.brandweerbeuningen.nl/index.php?page=ford
And this is the restored 1957 Ford F600 fire truck of the municipality where I live.
http://www.hetnederlandschekentekenarchief.nl/hnka/index.php?topic=2602.0
The ice cream cone on the back door reminded me of the classic Ford V8 logo. It just needs two scoops.
Nifty truck. It looks like it’s still running bias ply tires. Good luck finding a shop to mount tires for it. Most won’t let a split rim in the building.
With the easily accessible fireplug hookup, it’ll avoid the famous Flathead overheating malaise.