1937 Seagrave Sedan Pumper
In
1935, Detroit FD decided try a new pumper body style in order to reduce
the exposure of their firemen to accidents
and weather.
The result was the "sedan pumper" which ruled in Detroit until the mid 1960's. Ours is the only remaining original example of the 8 wooden bodied Seagrave trucks purchased in 1936 and 1937. The framework of the body was made of wood, then covered with an aluminum skin. In 1938 the trucks became all steel. The truck is powered by Seagrave's 906 cu. in. V-12 engine and it's pump is a Seagrave centrifugal rated at 1000 gpm. Like all Detroit rigs of the period, it carries no water due to the many hydrants available. The truck carried a pre connected soft suction hose on the right front fender connected to the front intake visible in the photo to the right. A hydrant valve carried next to the front intake allowed the engineer to hook up to one of Detroit’s many dual steamer hydrants and place the hydrant valve on the other hydrant outlet for the next pumper.
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