Projects American Lafrance Big Rat race car hauler project

Not much time to work on these days. I finally made a windshield frame.

 

What are you planning on for an engine?
Considering the price of gas and also the
size of the truck and the intended use, what
about a diesel? An International DT466 or
DT570, a Cat 3116 or 3126, a Cummins 8.2T
or even a Series 50 Detroit would all be
possible candidates and provide plenty
of power and still give reasonable fuel
mileage. Also,you could probably buy a
wrecked bus or medium-duty truck with
one of these engines and scavenge the
tranny, rearend and other parts to adapt
to the La France chassis.

Mart3406
=================

 

Awesome. Just awesome.

As a firefighter I have a soft spot for old fire engines, and I have to say, that's not one of the easier ones to like!

But that's part of its charm, that truck just looks bombproof. Nice to see you using the whole thing too. I've seen so many stripped of their cabs or engines for "R" word projects it just makes me sick. But, they're hard to use, and harder to store in their stock form (just too darn big), so I see why it happens.

Good on you for keeping it mostly complete and making something useful out of it! Keep up the good work!

 

cool project. looking good so far

 

Forgive me, but what is the purpose of the trailer hitch mounted under the cab? Do you secure the coupe to it somehow? Coooool project, BTW.

As a scrapper, I had to laugh at the two buckets of rust. I have swept/shoveled that much out of the back of my last scrap-hauling Econoline, usually twice a year!

 

i would seriously consider a diesel engine for that!

 

Love the project. looks great

 

Coming along nicely.....That will be one cool hauler when done !!
Cheers,

 

The hitch was put there for a winch. If the car would not run I could winch it up the ramps.

 

OK, makes sense! GREAT project! Wish I could find something similar to turn into a car hauler...

 

After months of thinking and alot of days fabing got some progress on the interior. One of a kind bomber seats. They are comfortable too !!!!!!!!!!1 inch flat iron frames top and bottom sandwich the seat lip, 3/4 round bar in front top frame for legs, all welded together in alot of places after bolted together. The wire mesh is only set in with 2 screws and is flexable too. U metal edges welded to park bench type wire mesh up high in the front because of the 3/4 round bar. The side edges are not touching the seat bottom.

 

Going to put a air conditioner under the box some day soon. Cut out under the seat and probally add some expanded metal for grid (thinking again) . Real air condition seats. The back springs are from a antique wooded wheel chair, cut in half to make 4 out of 2 springs.

 

Great place for the ramps to be stored !!!!!!!!!!

 

Great project! Are you using a Cad 500 just because you have one? I'd look for a second hand International school bus and use the drivetrain from that. That's just me though...

 

I have several old cad 500, a low milage 69 472 cad motor. I'm going to go looking real soon for a old school bus. I'm wanting a bus I can use both front and rear axles and a good engine would definally be a bonus.

 

Good project...

 

old school bus's sell cheap up here in michigan because of rusty bodies
but the drive trains are fine too bad were so far away

 

Wow, there's endless possibilities on that thing. That has to be one strange cab, with that funky windshield affair & C-pillar. My buddy had a Diamond T, which was a fire truck, that appears to have a similar bed same bed. His had the same pipes along top of the bed, too. Have fun with it...very cool.