“I’m rich in a lot of other ways.” He certainly is! What a great episode. I could listen endlessly to people like him who are so passionate and knowledgeable.
What an absolute gift it is to have this gentleman doing what he does. He is living his destiny. We all appreciate your dedication to this craft. He needs his own show, which is probably the last thing he would want…
I think everybody agrees that this could be an hour or two long and nobody would click off. So much more to see, and damnit, now i'm into old fire engines!
Everyone loves fire engines... they and the firemen that operate them, are superheros! Thank you Andy for saving the heroic machinery and its history, that saved so many of us from unimaginable losses. And by the way... thats a truely spectacular Christmas tree stand. Thanx Tom for sharing Andy and his wondrous collection of superheros... I want to go play in his backyard now... too much fun! Thanx! ✌😎👍
I for one would love to see Tom return and give us that 8 hour documentary of this gentlemans' establishment - the world needs all the documentation of the work of such GREAT stewards such as Andy as it can get!!! What do you say, Hagerty? Want to do something truly NOBLE here? *Fund that documentary!* - Ed on the Ridge
Thank you for finding this gem of a story. I would love to see you come back soon to gather and document more about this amazing man and the legacy he is going to leave.
I've had the privilege of riding quite a few miles out on the road in a 1921 American LaFrance, and that 800+ cubic inch straight six, straight cut crash box, and dual chain drive are mechanical symphony. I also got to experience a 1941 Seagraves with that beautiful V12 with 5 inch exhaust and open cockpit like the LaFrance. These machines are heaven for the true gear head !!
@17:32 My dad was in the Nat'l Guard in '47 & was at that fire on Mt. Desert Isle. He probably saw that truck! He's the thinking man's car guy. Very refreshing. AMAZING place. Love how he keeps the original paint. Thanks for the video!
That was absolutely fascinating! Who doesn’t like a fire engine!? I could spend at least a full day looking at all the cool equipment that he has there! Thank you for posting this. 🚒
This gentleman is a wealth of knowledge on these beautiful engines. My career in the fire service helped me to adore these powerhouses. It would be so great to have more videos on these.
really enjoyed this video and have lots of respect for this man,,,my father painted fire trucks at the factory in Elmira NY..many years ago American LA France
When I was a teenager in the 80's the town I live in still had 2 old chain driven American LaFrance fire engines from the 1920's that were used as back ups if more firetrucks were needed and until about 10 years ago they were still using a 1949 American LaFrance as a primary fire engine.
An absolute gem of a show , Tom. How you found this artisan AND got him to agree to your interview is beyond me! The thought that any $$ he gets, automatically goes into helping these beautiful 'ol girls back on their feet speaks his dedication in volumes. Thanks Tom...another Home Run!
I have 38 years in the fire service.I love this video I would hope that you would do a whole segment just on fire department vehicles.Especially the old ones thank you for this
My neighbor bought an old Crosley fire truck that was at Idora theme park in Youngstown Ohio. I should have never let him sell it or bought it myself. History can be so cool. I also knew a guy that serviced and repaired fire trucks, even though I serviced all kinds of equipment for years, talking with him I realized that field is another world. Awesome thanks
What a gem of a true American, I think Jay Leno would agree. His knowledge is unmeasurable. I hope these time capsules live on for another 100 years in his name.
My dad had a 31 international with a lafrance body. It was a retired Jaycees parade vehicle in it's second life. It had the dual rear wheels and a pumper. It was open top no windshield and a large truck about 28 feet long. He never lived long enough to restore it, but i remember on rare occasions he'd get it going and take us for a ride. He called it Armstrong steering, because iit was manual steering. Thanks for the great memories...
Thank you SO much for opening your doors to us guys out here in RUclipsland - wow - what a program - I would LOVE to see more content from HIM and his shop - amazing.
This is awesome. My grandfather was captain of the tiny fire department in a little town in Texas. When I was 5 or 6 I got to ride around in the old fire engine with him and whir the siren. I can still remember the smell of the leather in the cab and feel the feeling of the wheel and stuff. I've long wished I could find that truck, but sadly it was sold off decades ago.
I’m 50. My grandfather was born in 1910. His scariest childhood memory was after playing with matches & having started a fire the sound of those horses pulling that fire engine scared him straight
Andy sure has a lot of knowledge,and glad to see he is still going ,working on all these machines at age 71.I am the same age and my body is falling apart.You need to do another visit there.
Back when I was a little kid in the early 1960"s a girl my age dad was a firefighter in Peoria Illinois at our neighborhood station. It was one of the smaller satellite stations but it dated to the 1880's and we got to tour it a couple of times. They still had the original steam pumper ( unused of course ) and the hayloft still had hay in it. That ignited my love for firefighting that I got into it working on a volunteer department. It's something you either love or hate. I loved it and it still is the most fun and satisfying thing I ever did.
Sounds like Tom will be stopping by some of the other, many other fire museums. Reliance Fire Museum in Estes Park, Colorado has an all up restoration shop as well as a museum.
Grew up in Rockland, very familiar with the Owls Head Transportation museum. That train caboose looks really familiar but I cant remember where it was on the property. Museum has changed over the years
The industrial design of that pressure gage, look at the needle.. everything back then was functional and beautiful.. today, it's disposable plastic . Things back then were made with beauty in mind ...
Great video Tom. There is so much history not only in the fire service but also in the fire apparatus industry that you would have to do multiple videos just to cover the basics. Andy is a gift to all of us that have served and appreciate the unrecognized value in these historic pieces. Thanks for posting and if you can please do more. PS, if you can please try to convince the folks at the Greenwich Concourse to start to include these pieces of automotive history at their event. I know of plenty in the area that would qualify.
Hey, R H here in Columbus, Ga. I was a teenager in the late 60’s early 70’s and have a definite love of the muscle cars of that era. With that said, I love your videos and wanted to give you a tip on some of those cars here in Columbus. This man has numerous used car dealerships and has invested in cars of that era. They are actually on display at his main showroom, Gils auto sales. Come to Columbus and see for yourself. I think that would be a great video because they are all showroom clean.
Tom always interesting finds, always interesting stories and always interesting people sharing their lives and passions with your audience. Thanks for finding and sharing these collections, owners and stories.
I know a guy here in Minnesota that rebuilds steam engines of all types. Sometimes he has no choice but to build new from scratch. Massive amounts of skill/passion/focus and a touch of madness needed to preserve the past.
I wasn't aware until I saw this episode that ALF made Sedan pumpers. I would love to see this one restored or at least road worthy. The Seagrave Sedans are beautiful rigs. Detroit (Mi) used many of them for decades.
I LOVE this! Urbex of the automotive/firefighting world... Tom, if you're ever in New Zealand again, please get in touch. I'd love to pick up some slack if you need a second.
You should visit the Salty Dog Museum near Middletown, OH. Not only do they have over a dozen fire engines from hand pumpers to the 1950s, they also have a warehouse full of Model As and Ts as well as other old cars. It’s definitely worth a look!
A great episode that's different. Our mutual pal Gary Wales in So Cal takes those AF chain drives and makes them in to driving boat tail cars! FYI: The business behind me is the Swab Wagon co. They have been in the fire truck and rescue business since 1868. They are the nations oldest continually operated transportation co. I have there original blacksmith shop where I restore cars so we share the same parking lot. They do one of these old trucks at least once a yr . Thank you for another great episode.
Wow what a treasure hidden away in Maine. Around the country there are the same kinds of people with the passion. My Dept was Mack, then American LaFrance. They were some of the greatest engines ever produced. You should check out some of the companies carrying on an American made craft around the country. Great find thank you
What a great piece. It is such a shame that these great craftsmen are disappearing at a rapped rate and there is nobody that can step up to take their place. And tragically the history they have saved will end up destroyed and lost forever.
In France, some of the broken trucks left by the US after wwII were reused by the community, and for some, customized into fire engine! Once saw a 1944 dodge 4x4, who worked in center of France until the 90’s, beloved by the firemen for offroad capabilities… Great story!
Como bombeiro fico maluco ao ver essas máquinas maravilhosas e feliz por saber que tem um cara tão apaixonado pela história do corpo de bombeiros cuidando delas. Acervo fantástico que faz brilhar os olhos. Sucesso
“I’m rich in a lot of other ways.” He certainly is! What a great episode. I could listen endlessly to people like him who are so passionate and knowledgeable.
What an absolute gift it is to have this gentleman doing what he does. He is living his destiny. We all appreciate your dedication to this craft. He needs his own show, which is probably the last thing he would want…
I think everybody agrees that this could be an hour or two long and nobody would click off. So much more to see, and damnit, now i'm into old fire engines!
Everyone loves fire engines... they and the firemen that operate them, are superheros! Thank you Andy for saving the heroic machinery and its history, that saved so many of us from unimaginable losses. And by the way... thats a truely spectacular Christmas tree stand. Thanx Tom for sharing Andy and his wondrous collection of superheros... I want to go play in his backyard now... too much fun! Thanx! ✌😎👍
This fellow is a good neighbor--I've always been really impressed with his knowledge and workmanship--great guy too
Next to Camden? Just curious - what town? Rockport or Warren maybe?
DVB - Portland
Edit: Town of Hope. I looked it up. 👋😁
I truly believe that machines have souls. Thank you to this kind man for letting them tell their stories in their original skins.
As a native Mainer, thank you for showcasing my state’s car culture
The passion and commitment second to none
Real people real life!
What a gem of a place
The craftsmanship just beautiful! Thanks
I for one would love to see Tom return and give us that 8 hour documentary of this gentlemans'
establishment - the world needs all the documentation of the work of such GREAT stewards such
as Andy as it can get!!!
What do you say, Hagerty? Want to do something truly NOBLE here? *Fund that documentary!*
- Ed on the Ridge
Thank you for finding this gem of a story. I would love to see you come back soon to gather and document more about this amazing man and the legacy he is going to leave.
I've had the privilege of riding quite a few miles out on the road in a 1921 American LaFrance, and that 800+ cubic inch straight six, straight cut crash box, and dual chain drive are mechanical symphony. I also got to experience a 1941 Seagraves with that beautiful V12 with 5 inch exhaust and open cockpit like the LaFrance. These machines are heaven for the true gear head !!
@17:32 My dad was in the Nat'l Guard in '47 & was at that fire on Mt. Desert Isle.
He probably saw that truck!
He's the thinking man's car guy. Very refreshing. AMAZING place. Love how he keeps the original paint.
Thanks for the video!
Just bought a 1955 F800 Big Job fire engine and in the process of getting back on the road. This was a great episode, that guy is my hero!
Tks Andy for telling us ur stories about those old souls that saved many lives an homes in their day.
That was absolutely fascinating! Who doesn’t like a fire engine!? I could spend at least a full day looking at all the cool equipment that he has there! Thank you for posting this. 🚒
The styling on some of those trucks the grills Fender's running boards even the rake of the windscreen,s and cabs ....so much cool and unusual ❤
An absolute national historical treasure trove. Unparalleled!
This is a very cool guy with a whole history of stories to tell thank you for sharing would love to hear more from him
I could watch ALL of this 10 part series.!! Please make it!
This gentleman is a wealth of knowledge on these beautiful engines. My career in the fire service helped me to adore these powerhouses. It would be so great to have more videos on these.
Some people have such a full life
What an incredible amount of historical stuff he has 👍👍🇦🇺
really enjoyed this video and have lots of respect for this man,,,my father painted fire trucks at the factory in Elmira NY..many years ago American LA France
When I was a teenager in the 80's the town I live in still had 2 old chain driven American LaFrance fire engines from the 1920's that were used as back ups if more firetrucks were needed and until about 10 years ago they were still using a 1949 American LaFrance as a primary fire engine.
Wow, what a collection man. History at its finest.
An absolute gem of a show , Tom. How you found this artisan AND got him to agree to your interview is beyond me!
The thought that any $$ he gets, automatically goes into helping these beautiful 'ol girls back on their feet speaks his dedication in volumes.
Thanks Tom...another Home Run!
Awesome episode, you got lucky with this one to just happen on it !!!
This guy has lived a life !!! And 71 ! Damn !
I have 38 years in the fire service.I love this video I would hope that you would do a whole segment just on fire department vehicles.Especially the old ones thank you for this
So Cool. Awesome collection of life saving vehichles of the past. This guy is a legend. Thanks Tom for showing us.
Tom, I don’t know what’s been more interesting over the years: the vehicles or the people! ( I’m going with people, and this man is near the top!)
That was a short visit, Tom, but a good one. Cheers 🇨🇦
My favorite episode ever, as I knew nothing about fire engines!
My neighbor bought an old Crosley fire truck that was at Idora theme park in Youngstown Ohio. I should have never let him sell it or bought it myself. History can be so cool. I also knew a guy that serviced and repaired fire trucks, even though I serviced all kinds of equipment for years, talking with him I realized that field is another world. Awesome thanks
Love when you do a show on a shop or collection in my home state! Maine is a great place with hard working, creative, and thrifty people!
Incredible collection. Hats off to all those trucks and firemen that have saved so many. Thank you
I really appreciated this video, so much genuine love and passion are refreshing.
Andy, thank you for sharing the pieces of your life, "rich in other ways", I appreciate that.
What a gem of a true American, I think Jay Leno would agree. His knowledge is unmeasurable. I hope these time capsules live on for another 100 years in his name.
My dad had a 31 international with a lafrance body. It was a retired Jaycees parade vehicle in it's second life. It had the dual rear wheels and a pumper. It was open top no windshield and a large truck about 28 feet long. He never lived long enough to restore it, but i remember on rare occasions he'd get it going and take us for a ride. He called it Armstrong steering, because iit was manual steering.
Thanks for the great memories...
Thank you SO much for opening your doors to us guys out here in RUclipsland - wow - what a program - I would LOVE to see more content from HIM and his shop - amazing.
Simply awesome!!! Thank you!
This is awesome. My grandfather was captain of the tiny fire department in a little town in Texas. When I was 5 or 6 I got to ride around in the old fire engine with him and whir the siren. I can still remember the smell of the leather in the cab and feel the feeling of the wheel and stuff. I've long wished I could find that truck, but sadly it was sold off decades ago.
I’m 50. My grandfather was born in 1910. His scariest childhood memory was after playing with matches & having started a fire the sound of those horses pulling that fire engine scared him straight
Andy sure has a lot of knowledge,and glad to see he is still going ,working on all these machines at age 71.I am the same age and my body is falling apart.You need to do another visit there.
Andy's a really nice guy , been in there a few times
One of the best episodes. That is one hell of a collection. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wow this is more than a Barn Find type of video, this is a lesson in history!!!! Awesome!!!
"Wheels Through Time" is all about Harley Davidsons. There needs to be a "Fire Engines Through Time."
What a gent, you could go back and talk fire apparatus for weeks - your mind be blown daily. Those old steamers are just gorgeous, amazing stuff.
Good to see Tom ! Man half of that stuff should be in a museum!
40 years ago I was hired to replace the solid oak rear deck on a 1932 fire truck
Back when I was a little kid in the early 1960"s a girl my age dad was a firefighter in Peoria Illinois at our neighborhood station. It was one of the smaller satellite stations but it dated to the 1880's and we got to tour it a couple of times. They still had the original steam pumper ( unused of course ) and the hayloft still had hay in it. That ignited my love for firefighting that I got into it working on a volunteer department. It's something you either love or hate. I loved it and it still is the most fun and satisfying thing I ever did.
Wow, how cool is that collection?!?!?
Happy Birthday early Andy, thank you & all those who keep the hobby alive! :-) Jamey Topeka, Ks
Great episode!
'What's wrong with you?!" ... "Nothing now!" That brought a smile to my face. Tom is a true gentleman.
23:50 Marvelous video Gentleman. I also know more now about Fire engines than before. I'm also into old motorcycle. That was a nice old BMW.
A gem of a Video!
Sounds like Tom will be stopping by some of the other, many other fire museums. Reliance Fire Museum in Estes Park, Colorado has an all up restoration shop as well as a museum.
Very interesting, what a great collection and a cool workshop.
That was cool, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for “educating us “!
This guy *IS* the Jay Leno of fire engines... So much knowledge and skill will be lost once he's not around anymore. Very cool. 💙
NO TANK TO PUMP BUTTON ON ANYTHING ! GOOD LORD ,WHOLE LOTS OF HISTORY ! 🇺🇸 ! THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING CONTENT ! 💪
Grew up in Rockland, very familiar with the Owls Head Transportation museum. That train caboose looks really familiar but I cant remember where it was on the property. Museum has changed over the years
@@jeffm234 It was the snackbar.
The industrial design of that pressure gage, look at the needle.. everything back then was functional and beautiful.. today, it's disposable plastic . Things back then were made with beauty in mind ...
Awesome video and great information.
Great video Tom. There is so much history not only in the fire service but also in the fire apparatus industry that you would have to do multiple videos just to cover the basics. Andy is a gift to all of us that have served and appreciate the unrecognized value in these historic pieces. Thanks for posting and if you can please do more. PS, if you can please try to convince the folks at the Greenwich Concourse to start to include these pieces of automotive history at their event. I know of plenty in the area that would qualify.
Very Cool. Thanks. Keep them coming.
Definitely one of my favourite episodes.
My favorite series on YT, by far. Been watching you for many years, Tom!
Thanks for the memories and for bringing us along for the ride :-)
Hey, R H here in Columbus, Ga. I was a teenager in the late 60’s early 70’s and have a definite love of the muscle cars of that era. With that said, I love your videos and wanted to give you a tip on some of those cars here in Columbus. This man has numerous used car dealerships and has invested in cars of that era. They are actually on display at his main showroom, Gils auto sales. Come to Columbus and see for yourself. I think that would be a great video because they are all showroom clean.
Massive thumbs up!
Tom always interesting finds, always interesting stories and always interesting people sharing their lives and passions with your audience. Thanks for finding and sharing these collections, owners and stories.
As a 64 year old kid, I enjoyed it.
I know a guy here in Minnesota that rebuilds steam engines of all types. Sometimes he has no choice but to build new from scratch. Massive amounts of skill/passion/focus and a touch of madness needed to preserve the past.
Tom you are the best!
What an awesome guy👍
Very cool episode!!!
What an awesome episode Tom.
The fire musters and the professional car club shows are fun to go to. I highly suggest going to their meets.
That was a really good one. I've always had a thing about fire engines.
I wasn't aware until I saw this episode that ALF made Sedan pumpers. I would love to see this one restored or at least road worthy. The Seagrave Sedans are beautiful rigs. Detroit (Mi) used many of them for decades.
I LOVE this! Urbex of the automotive/firefighting world... Tom, if you're ever in New Zealand again, please get in touch. I'd love to pick up some slack if you need a second.
You should visit the Salty Dog Museum near Middletown, OH. Not only do they have over a dozen fire engines from hand pumpers to the 1950s, they also have a warehouse full of Model As and Ts as well as other old cars. It’s definitely worth a look!
This is so AWESOME! Thank you so much!
A great episode that's different. Our mutual pal Gary Wales in So Cal takes those AF chain drives and makes them in to driving boat tail cars! FYI: The business behind me is the Swab Wagon co. They have been in the fire truck and rescue business since 1868. They are the nations oldest continually operated transportation co. I have there original blacksmith shop where I restore cars so we share the same parking lot. They do one of these old trucks at least once a yr . Thank you for another great episode.
Wow what a treasure hidden away in Maine. Around the country there are the same kinds of people with the passion. My Dept was Mack, then American LaFrance. They were some of the greatest engines ever produced. You should check out some of the companies carrying on an American made craft around the country. Great find thank you
911 Responder here. Love the shirt. FDNY - Fire Dept. of New York. "We Will Never Forget"!!! Also - NYPD and PA of NY&NJ. "We Will Never Forget"!!!
Some cool stuffs
What a great piece. It is such a shame that these great craftsmen are disappearing at a rapped rate and there is nobody that can step up to take their place. And tragically the history they have saved will end up destroyed and lost forever.
In France, some of the broken trucks left by the US after wwII were reused by the community, and for some, customized into fire engine! Once saw a 1944 dodge 4x4, who worked in center of France until the 90’s, beloved by the firemen for offroad capabilities… Great story!
Awesome video Tom. If you're ever in Washington (state) you should visit a huge (rare) fire engine collection in Olympia.
THANK YOU HAGERTY FOR HAVING TOM BACK KEEP JASON AWAY!
you def need to do more with this guy
Wonderful collection
wow great episode and that seems like a heckuva guy. Rich in the best ways
What a great episode.
Como bombeiro fico maluco ao ver essas máquinas maravilhosas e feliz por saber que tem um cara tão apaixonado pela história do corpo de bombeiros cuidando delas. Acervo fantástico que faz brilhar os olhos. Sucesso
Very nice episode !
Wow my sister lives in Rockport and I’ve never heard of or seen this place!