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We did this one about 6 years ago. It is owned by our city fire department. It is on display at the headquarters station, it has a special room on the corner with glass on 2 sides, and can be seen from the street. Needless to say, it is thier pride and joy.
It is a 1926 American La France pumper. It was in service here for many years. After it was retired, it was stored in a barn for many more years. The owner was a retired doctor and a volunteer fireman. He had a local body shop do the restoration. He did a beautiful job!
Then it came to me. It was delivered to my shop freshly painted. I can't remember how many books of gold we used, but I know I bought a case! I had to do a lot of research on the design. I also used old pictures (black and white). It was very accurate, as some of the old timers reported. As an aside....In my fireman day's in California, I was the driver of a truck just like this one. It was a 1919 American LaFrance. It was restored by us firemen at Engine Co. 4. We used it for parades and musters ( musters are get togethers for firemen and thier antique trucks and other apparatus, consisting of contests and just showing off. ) Man..there were some beautiful rigs, just like the hot rod shows. We took home a lot of trophies over the years.
I brought in an excellent sign artist to help me on this. His name is Doug Kronquist. He worked for Baker Signs in Philly. He now lives in Bremerton, Wa. We worked on this project for about 1 month. I also took a lot of progress pictures, I would like to do a how-to article for one of the mags...if I can find the time..
I would really love to get my hands on another one...maybe someday
[ June 19, 2002, 01:34 AM: Message edited by: Jackson Smart ]
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
WoW! That's fantastic work! I love jobs like that, I just finished up some scrollwork on an old cutter (that's a sleigh, sits 2 people, horse drawn) I didn't get any pics though .
I'd love to see a how-to article. Hell, if you don't want to go full bore and write one for a mag, why not do an informal one for us heads and post it here?
-------------------- Jon Androsky Posts: 438 | From: Williamsport, PA | Registered: Mar 2002
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[ June 19, 2002, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: FranCisco Vargas ]
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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To all those concerned this fire truck was in the May 2001 issue of Sign Builders Illustrated page 109, along with the interview of this interesting and down to earth dude Jackson Smart. Check it out... also is an article about his "Underground City" for which this cat is the MAyor, yup that's right Mayor. Great work Jackson, be cool amigo, glad to see you posting your pictures. Be proud...Cisco
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Always nice to hear some kudo's. Compliments are always appreciated.
Cisco is right. He even got to sit in the seat and ring the bell...looked very hip sitting there... Thanks for the kind words, mi amigo, gracias.
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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It was delivered to my shop freshly painted. I can't remember how many books of gold we used, but I know I bought a case! I had to do a lot of research on the design. I also used old pictures (black and white). It was very accurate, as some of the old timers reported. As an aside....In my fireman day's in California, I was the driver of a truck just like this one. It was a 1919 American LaFrance. It was restored by us firemen at Engine Co. 4. We used it for parades and musters ( musters are get togethers for firemen and thier antique trucks and other apparatus, consisting of contests and just showing off. 
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