The pumper joined the Fire Department in 1941 and served the city for nearly 40 years.
The vintage fire truck was retained as a source of pride by the department, but at more than 60 years old, the Mack was definitely showing its age. Firefighters, students, volunteers and more than a dozen businesses stepped up to keep the pumper going.
The major body work was done at T&M Auto on Curran Highway, where the truck was parked on Thursday morning.
"We got it in this spring, and put a ton of work in - body work and painting," said T&M owner Michael Milazzo, who estimated at least 500 hours were spent on the truck just this year. "We've been discussing this project since '04 but it took it this long," Milazzo said, adding later that "we have a great community and there are a lot of people who don't realize how strong the community is."
In addition to work done by McCann students and Milazzo, a host of other businesses gave services, time and materials - from Dean's Quality Auto tuning the engine and rebuilding the exhaust to Sanford & Kid providing interior upholstery.
Meranti said firefighters spent many hours repairing and rebuilding parts of the truck and he and his sons, Mitchell and Matthew, rewired the vehicle.
The vintage fire truck was retained as a source of pride by the department, but at more than 60 years old, the Mack was definitely showing its age. Firefighters, students, volunteers and more than a dozen businesses stepped up to keep the pumper going.
The major body work was done at T&M Auto on Curran Highway, where the truck was parked on Thursday morning.
"We got it in this spring, and put a ton of work in - body work and painting," said T&M owner Michael Milazzo, who estimated at least 500 hours were spent on the truck just this year. "We've been discussing this project since '04 but it took it this long," Milazzo said, adding later that "we have a great community and there are a lot of people who don't realize how strong the community is."
In addition to work done by McCann students and Milazzo, a host of other businesses gave services, time and materials - from Dean's Quality Auto tuning the engine and rebuilding the exhaust to Sanford & Kid providing interior upholstery.
Meranti said firefighters spent many hours repairing and rebuilding parts of the truck and he and his sons, Mitchell and Matthew, rewired the vehicle.
Mack Manufacturing in Allentown, Pa., delivered the brand-new pumper to Fire Chief John F. Saulnier in November 1941 and put into service after passing a "rigorous three-hour test" at the Briggsville Dam, according to reports at the time by the North Adams Transcript. It was ordered through the former Brewer Bros. dealership at a cost of $10,000. At the time, the Mack company said it was only of only five enclosed-cab firetrucks in the state
They restored it in 2012
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They restored it in 2012
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