I fortunately have had an opportunity present itself in regards to owning a different truck. This truck is a 1975 International Fleetstar 2010 that used to actually serve the Town of Candia from 1975 until 2000, originally as Engine 1 and retiring at Engine 4. I found the truck on Craigslist two years ago in Maine for sale at a price of $5000. With all that was going on with the '62 having a bad engine, and the amount of work the new truck would require, I decided that it was not appropriate time to buy the truck.
Funny story is that I was in Maine with my girlfriend driving down Route 1 from Old Orchard Beach when we came to an intersection in Biddeford, ME. I happened to recognize the intersection from my first trip to Maine to look at E-4 two years ago (much to the surprise of my girlfriend, who thought I was crazy.) I took a gamble and took the left down the road where I last saw E-4, and to my surprise she was still there sitting in the driveway, almost like it never moved. She still looked about the same and it was a raw day so she was wet, but Paul, the current owner (until Saturday), remembered me and let me take a look at her. After a little questioning, he said the old girl was still for sale, and at a much lower price of $3000. Paul said he had a guy from a school in Vermont look at it last week because the school wanted a working fire truck for their student FD. Good idea, but I knew that if I wanted E-4 back to Candia, where it belonged, I had to act fast.
The last three days have been a grueling back and forth to the bank to secure the financing for the purchase. Happily I was approved this morning for an unsecured personal loan for $3000. Called Paul, the truck was still for sale, and now we wait until Saturday when I can pay, unless I can go up Friday evening and do it.
Now I had already decided to sell the '62 prior to finding E-4, so the decision to sell was not influenced by my find. But I have placed the '62 on Ebay with a reserve auction price of $3000. I really don't want to take less than that, I paid $2800 for her in 2006 and put at least $1000 in parts, labor and work into her over the last four years, but cash talks. Hopefully she will sell in the next few weeks so I can pay the bank off....(I think I might take the money and pay off my car though, the new truck loan payments are significantly less than my current car payment.)
Two years ago when I went up and looked at the truck my friend Jimmy from the FD (who has been there for 15 years and used to drive E-4 when it was in service) we took it for a spin around the neighborhood. He was pleased, and said that the truck drives like it did when it was in service. She hasn't been on the road for two years though as Paul said it was about $200/year to register her in Maine as an antique. He said he couldn't justify paying the money for the truck registration when he really didn't use it much. He did say that he goes and starts it once a week, lets it run, and moves it around his yard. I will make sure she starts, idles nicely, and moves before we sign the paperwork.
So after it's paid for it will have to remain in Maine for a few more days. I need to come back to NH, wait till Monday when I can go to the DMV, pay the $10 for a temp registration, pay for the insurance policy ($160 for 6 months, which isn't bad). Monday or Tuesday night, depending on how things go, I will be going back up to Maine with Dad, Katherin, and maybe Jeff an/or Mellisa, to drive her back to NH. Yes, I will be driving her back home.....I know, it may be a risk, but there is risk in everything you do. Heck, the car may die on the way up there, who knows. I am confident that E-4 will make it back to NH without a problem. She only has 13,000 miles on the odometer, and for an International, she isn't even broken in!
Now I have to learn how to drive a five speed with a two speed rear end! Seen a few videos on youtube and it doesn't look hard at all...just a little different.
Katherin was really the driving force behind buying E-4. She never really liked E-1 because of all the problems it's had, and because I owned it before she met me. Now she said E-4 is "our" truck. I look forward to working on it with her, instead of her watching me work on E-1. She is as excited as I am, and hopefully I can get her behind the wheel driving it someday..........
Hopefully my plan works out! If anyone is interested in purchasing E-1, please let me know.
