"Dig the Rig" S5E2 | Windsor Fire Department | 1927/1959 Elcombe Pumper | Virtual Tour

Featured in Issue 50 of Vintage Fire Truck Magazine, you are invited to enjoy this tour of an amazing pumper that served Windsor (Ontario, Canada). This stunning rig is one-of-a-kind! Originally built in 1927 by the Gotfredson Truck Corporation with fire body work completed by Bickle, this rig underwent a major refurb in the late-1950s. In 1958, Engine No. 7 was delivered to the Elcombe factory on Russell St., in Windsor. The 31-year-old pumper was stripped down to its bare frame. A modern canopy style cab and body which utilized some International Harvester truck body panels was designed and built. An Elcombe script nameplate was affixed to the top of the handsome new radiator grille. Now barely recognizable as its former self, the “born-again” Engine No. 7 was placed back in service at Station 5 in mid-1959. In the summer of 2024, a five-year restoration of the Elcombe was completed by 401 Truck Source (Windsor, ON). Resources in talent and skill put the newest iteration of the Elcombe in a league of its own. The rig was turned back over to the Windsor Professional Fire Fighter's Association (WPFFA) in time for the July 1 Canada Day parade and celebrated by the community which adores the pumper with such deep ties to the people of Windsor. Special thanks to Walt McCall, WindsorFire.com, and 401 Truck Source. For the whole story, view the printed or digital copy of issue 50. Get onboard today at www.VintageLivesHere.com