201 is a 1961 Ford/Central with a 1000 gpm Waterous pump and a 750 gallon tank. We stumbled across this truck in December, 2001, and the deal was too good to pass up. This is our "newest" truck. As a 1961 model, it's also our oldest truck. At this rate, the next truck we get will be a 50's model.

(Old fire trucks are generally inexpensive, even though most of them have low mileage and are still in very good condition. This truck actually cost us less than it costs to buy an 18-HP fire pump for one of our heavy brush trucks.)

While requiring a little "TLC" (a tuneup, an exhaust system, some electrical wiring, and judicious application of WD-40), 201 is in good shape mechanically, has no body rust, and has more compartments on it than 202. It also pulls its load very well, as the engine is a 534 cubic inch V8. No one on our fire department was aware that Ford ever produced an engine that big, but we learn something new every day.

Although we're still tweaking it as this is written, this truck was placed into service on May 4, 2002, and functions as our "first out" pumper to structure fires and motor vehicle accidents. It responded to its first structure fire under Silver City colors on July 6, 2002.

One of our volunteers works for chain of muffler shops. He took this truck to Tulsa with him one day to put a new exhaust system on it, and it was parked at the shop all day. He said about half the fire fighters in Tulsa stopped by to look at it and take pictures.

Sheesh. You'd think those guys thought this truck was an ANTIQUE or something.