Final Parking Space: 1957 American LaFrance 800 Series Fire Engine

What happens to old fire trucks when they wear out or become obsolete? Some lucky ones get forever homes with enthusiasts (which is easier when they're tiny kei trucks), but others end up in the local vehicle graveyard. That's what happened to this American LaFrance pumper, which now resides near a 1952 International L-130 tow truck at a yard in Englewood, Colorado.

Englewood is a city of 34,000 located just south of Denver, and it had its own fire department from 1907 until it was merged with the Denver Fire Department in 2015.

It appears that this truck worked out of Englewood Station 22, about 15 blocks away from its current residence. It was designated as Engine 2 and/or Pumper 2, replacing a 1948 American LaFrance and itself replaced by a 1972 Seagrave/Pierce.

American LaFrance had a history going back to the 19th century. The company went through a number of ownership changes, moves, and financial difficulties after this truck was built in Elmira, New York. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008, the company shut its doors forever in 2014.

The mid-mounted engine is a Detroit Diesel 6-71, an inline-six two-stroke.

The label on the valve cover indicates a build date in the middle 1970s, so this wasn't the original powerplant.

Since the engine has to run a serious water pump for hours on end while fighting fires, the "Motor Miles" counter on the tachometer kept track of total engine use.

How many Englewood lives did this truck help save?

Most folks don't go to a self-service junkyard for parts like these, but this truck will be a bonanza for anyone restoring old firefighting machinery. Let's hope it avoids the crusher for a while.