The CJ3B Page has uncovered the true story behind this 1964 dual-rear-wheels CJ-6, described in a 2006 online auction as a factory-built DRW. It was indeed registered originally on 16 March, 1964 to the Fire Department in Beaumont, Texas (home of the Fire Museum of Texas.) But it was actually converted into a dually by the BFD.
Lt. Rhett Snyder (Ret.) writes, "That Jeep along with another just like it was built in 1964 by my grandfather, Owen C. (OC) Johnson, who was the Chief Mechanic and Fleet Supervisor for the Beaumont Fire Department. Over his many years there, OC built quite a few interesting things, some of which are now in the museum in Beaumont. Pete Shelton (Chief) at Beaumont and OC put together the fire museum; one of their crowning achievements. "
Rhett also says, "The four-wheel drive on this Jeep is in fact not functional, and the front driveshaft was left out because of the gearing differences between the front and rear wheels due to the conversion. As of today, I just found this Jeep and purchased it to bring it back into the family. Now I am trying to find the winch, pump, and all of the parts that were removed from it sometime around the time of the sale."
The Jeep now has about 32,000 miles on the odometer. See detail photos of the rear axle (100K JPEG), the engine (100K JPEG), and the interior (100K JPEG).
This 1959 Willys CJ-6, serial no. 57748-16903, was purchased on 23 July 1959 as a brush fire trunk for the Palmyra Township Fire Dept. in Ohio.
It was offered in an online auction in 2005 with 5050 miles on the odometer. Features include helper springs, heavy-duty clutch, master battery disconnect switch, and front-mounted Ramsey winch. The fiberglass-wrapped steel tank supplies a 5 HP Briggs and Stratton-powered pump.
See also a front view photo (30K JPEG).
This 1964 Jeep belonged to the Hollywood, Maryland Volunteer Fire Dept. The Jeep no longer carries any equipment, although a power take off drives a Ramsey front winch. The engine was replaced in 1990, but the rare original hubcaps are a nice feature.
Hollywood now has a state-of-the-art 1999 TJ as Jeep 7 (see Fire Service Jeep Wranglers.)
Unfortunately we don't have any information on this CJ-6 photographed by Jacques Dujardin at a car show in France in May 2006. It appears to make good use of the large rear bed of the 101-inch wheelbase Jeep. and may be a conversion by Maheu-Labrosse, who also built Hotchkiss CJ-3B "Light Tank Trucks".
This picture found by Steve Hagy is the only factory photo I've seen of a Howe Fire Apparatus CJ-6. It's surprising that the 101-inch wheelbase CJ-6 wasn't more popular as a fire truck, with a rear storage capacity greater than the short-wheelbase Jeeps.
A notation at the bottom of the photo (see a larger version, 50K JPEG) reads "HF1115." This is apparently a photo negative number rather than a Howe serial number, and comparing it to negative HF1142, a 1960 FC on the Howe Production List, would date this CJ-6 to probably late 1959.
Unlike the other CJ-6 conversions seen here, this unit follows the same basic configuration as the earlier Howe flatfender Jeeps, and probably has a front-mounted pump. See also a 1960 Fire Island CJ-6.
This 1968 Kaiser CJ-6, serial no. 8405-01750026, was delivered new to the Griffith Volunteer Fire Department in Winston Salem, North Carolina, where it served until 1998. This unit has a 120-gallon tank, with plumbing built into the body. The Dauntless 225 V6 runs through a T14 transmission, DANA 18 transfer case and Warn Overdrive, with rear PTO, dual exhaust, 31x10.5x15 A/T radials on 8" wheels and an 8000 lb. electric winch on the front. Not surprisingly, owner Worth Sparks doesn't mind taking it out on the trail (80K JPEG). Thanks to Worth and photographer Andy Sagcac.
Chardon, Ohio is in the heart of the "snow belt" south of Lake Erie, but Truck 3367 of the Chardon Volunteer Fire Department sees most of its action in summer, not winter. This heavily-armed grassfire truck is a recently-refurbished 1964 CJ-6.
Chief Engineer Mike Homovec has done some impressive plumbing on this unit. It has a 150-gallon tank, 132 GPM draft-capable pump, 150 feet of 1" forestry hose, and lateral spray nozzles to "spray on the fly". There are sprinkler heads at front, rear and sides, so it can spray the ground around the Jeep while moving.
Thanks to Capt. John Blauch of Chardon, and Lt. Rhett Snyder (Ret.) Also Mike Boyink for spotting fire Jeeps on the web. -- Derek Redmond
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