Museum Owned Fire Engines – Upd: 2025

By Elizabeth Groom | August 23, 2025

The Nine – Restored and Ready

1930 Ford Model A firetruck
1935 Chevrolet “pickup pumper”
1939 GMC COE firetruck
1942 Mack firetruck
1948 Dodge “crew truck”
1956 International Model #1 brush engine
1963 Chevy Model #1 brush engine **under repair
1934 Ford Model BB firetruck **temporarily non-op
1953 GMC Model #1 brush engine **temporarily non-op

(upd: Aug 2025) These engines are have all undergone restoration work since their retirement from service, but are considered our “working fleet” of operating apparatus for display and parade purposes. They are designated to be titled and insured by the CDF/Cal Fire Museum and intended to be available for parades or static displays. Our recent acqusitions, the Huntington Ford & the Garbutt Model #1 are still being assessed for needed repairs prior to clearance for display duty. As our museum staff ages, we find a constant need for additional assistance to help maintain the fleet. Although many hours have been put into finding and restoring these beautiful pieces of Cal Fire heritage, they are still in danger of being lost due to neglect, decay and lack of attention. The CDF/Cal Fire Museum welcomes any and all offers from volunteers interested in assisting with fleet care and maintenance (or even helping us track the required paperwork and documents). Help Us Preserve Your Heritage!

This 1930 Ford Model A firetruck was originally built by the CA Department of Highways shop in Sacramento. A beautiful example of the second generation of State-designed and built rural firetruck. It served as a lighter, speedier alternative to the larger well-known Moreland model. This restored version is stored and maintained in the Nevada Yuba Placer unit.

Our 1935 Chevrolet, housed at Coulterville station and known as the “Shimer” engine is cared for by the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit. It served in front-line service in Mariposa and Coulterville, was purchased and restored by John Shimer at the end of its service life, and was donated to the Museum in 2020.

“Big Jimmy” is a completely restored 1939 GMC cabover and was housed in a hangar at Ramona Air Attack base in San Diego Unit for many years. It has been moved to Puerta La Cruz camp as the C-130 fleet will move into Ramona. We have recently re-issued the original “Big Jimmy” challenge coins available from our gift shop.

The second variation of our challenge coin series features this 1942 Mack is housed at Santa Rosa in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, and was one of the first engines purchased for war-time protection of the home front by a rapidly growing Division of Forestry.

The 1948 Dodge crew truck housed by the Amador El Dorado Unit at El Dorado station is known as the “Fox” engine. After serving CDF, it was sold to a local fire district, then obtained by retired Associate Ranger Everett Fox from Shasta Unit. The truck was donated to the Museum in 2008 and restored by Growlersburg camp.

Our 1956 International Model 1, came from old CDF Region 5, then was purchased by the Smartsville FPD. Retired CDF’er Jack White purchased it and fully restored the engine before selling it to Allen Columbro who gifted it to the museum upon his death. It is currently housed at Hornitos, by the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit.

Our 1963 Chevrolet Model 1, known as the Bud Lewis engine, served in Julian as a front line engine and later did reserve duty at Oak Glen. Currently out-of-service due to transmission issues, it is housed by the San Bernardino Unit.

Our recently acquired 1953 GMC Model 1 was beautifully restored by Chris Garbutt and donated to us when his family moved out of state. It served in West Riverside and later in Julian in reserve status. It runs, but has been sitting a long time and needs a new set of tires. A few more mounting brackets should be added and she will soon be “the belle of the ball” in Riverside Unit.

The newest member of the “working fleet” is our 1934 Ford Model BB which was formerly owned and restored by ret. FC Steve Huntington. He enjoyed showing it off for Wagon train, 2881 and other display events. It served CDF in Monterey unit and later for the Soquel FPD. It spent two years in storage near Jackson and it’s been several years since the engine started. We’re getting it some repair work, then will release it back to the display circuit.

In addition to the rigs shown above, the CDF/Cal Fire Museum holds title to 17 other rigs and chassis in various states of repair or restoration, housed at a variety of locations throughout the State. (SCU, BDU, TCU, Davis, MMU & AEU) If you would like to help serve as a caretaker, assist with oversight, record keeping or help us make progress in bringing these vintage examples of our mobile equipment history back to life, please contact us at: Admin@CalFireHistory.com