Annapolis group collects vintage fire trucks

For the past three years, an antique fire truck parked in a front yard on Old Bestgate Road drew the attention of passers-by.

Now, other vintage fire trucks have joined it on the lot and are turning more heads.

The 1954 Mack pumper with "South Orange" lettering appeared first. Next came a 1967 straight-ladder American LaFrance truck from North Fayette, Pa., then a 1971 Mack pumper from the same Pennsylvania volunteer fire department. Another American LaFrance ladder truck arrived a year later.

The fifth piece is a tiller truck from Cohoes, New York.

The collection is owned by a group that calls themselves Annapolis Sons of the Signers.

"It's like M&M's," said Dick Klow, who, along with his brother Ray, owns the property where the trucks are parked. "You can't just buy one."

John Hammond leads the group of men who attended Annapolis High together or grew up in Annapolis' Murray Hill neighborhood in the 1960s.

Although he's not been a firefighter, Mr. Hammond, 60, has always been their "chief." He served Annapolis as its Ward I alderman from 1977 to 1993, and is the current county budget officer. His wife, Louise, served as Ward I alderman from 1994 to 2005.

The gang includes the Klows; John Hammond's brother, Tom, who is a mechanical engineer; lawyers Tony Christhilf, Fred Delavan, Rex Caldwell and Carl Tenner; John Dowling, a surveyor-lawyer; retired Administrative Law Judge Jim Robinson; Ron Johnson and Andy Chisolm, engineers; Gary Westholm, appraiser; Dave Smulski, a legislative analyst with the state Senate; Minor Carter, an attorney-lobbyist; and Anthony Porzillo of Academy Stone.

The trucks cost less than a used car.

Mr. Hammond won the bid for $5,000 on eBay for the 1954 truck. And the rest of the trucks have been scooped up for about $2,500 each. Four of the vehicles were purchased on eBay. One was bought at a government Web site.

They started buying fire trucks after Mr. Hammond suggested getting something more distinctive for the Fourth of July Parade in Annapolis. For more than a dozen years, he and 15 other men had decorated a pickup truck and dressed in powdered wigs and Colonial garb to participate.

Most of the group's members pulled out their trumpets, trombones and saxophones and marched down Main Street blaring loudly, and the rest hopped aboard the pickup truck as part of the Independence Day hoopla.

A few weeks after he told members he was looking for something more distinctive, he announced: "I found a fire truck on eBay. Let's pool our money and buy it."

The Annapolis Sons of the Signers incorporated themselves in order to purchase liability insurance coverage - and more trucks.

The Klows both have commercial drivers licenses, and Mr. Hammond got one so that he could drive the trucks. He needed additional training when the group purchased the tiller truck, which requires one driver at the steering wheel in the cab, and another sitting outside, on the rear of the truck.

"The mileage is a lot for fire trucks, but for a car, it's not a lot," Mr. Hammond pointed out. The '54 Mack had 38,000 miles at purchase; the North Fayette ladder truck, 25,000 miles; and the tiller from Cohoes had 35,000 miles.

Mr. Hammond and several fellow members noted that since 9-11, more used fire trucks and equipment have become available. "On eBay, there's 50 to 70 pieces for sale at any time," Mr. Hammond said. "The fire stations received a lot of grant money to supplement their community fundraising efforts to purchase new equipment after that happened. Most of what they're getting rid of is from the '70s and '80s- and in pretty good condition."

One enthusiast in Alameda, Calif., had 112 fire trucks in his collection by 2005.

"The Mack brand trucks are most popular from a collector's standpoint," Mr. Hammond noted. "There's a real Mack cult as it's a good old, dependable American Company in Allentown, Pa. American LaFrance is an old company from upstate New York that's gone through tough times - several buyouts, a bankruptcy. It's now located in South Carolina."

Retired Fire Chief David Stokes and firefighter Rick Gorzo have been a great help with shining and working on the vehicles, he said. "We value Rick's expertise and driving skills." Mr. Hammond also credits the Klow brothers for their "genius" at fixing mechanical problems.

Earlier this year, the group was paying $4.85 a gallon for diesel fuel - for vehicles that get only 7 to 9 miles to the gallon. Annual insurance for the trucks is about $1,000 total.

Although they can be seen in the lot, the trucks don't sit idly.

"We took the neighborhood kids out for a ride last week," said member Rex Caldwell. "They had a ball. What kid doesn't love a fire truck? The trucks are different, certainly. We drive these things around town and see the smile on peoples' faces, especially kids'."

Ultimately, the group is "a bunch of guys having a good time," Mr. Carter said.

The trucks see heavy use during the summertime parade season and at Christmas. Both times of year, the members spend a full day cleaning and decorating the vehicles. Each get-together is, of course, followed by a couple hours at Ram's Head or Heroes bars.

All five trucks participated in this year's Santa Run, organized by Annapolis Firefighter John Muhitch - who owns his own truck. Mr. Hammond was the "Santa" who rode on the back of the Cohoes tiller truck.

The trucks make appearances on New Year's Eve and during the various Midnight Madness shopping events. And strung with Christmas tree lights, the trucks toured throughout Eastport during the annual Parade of Lights on Dec. 13. "We're always looking for a parade," Mr. Hammond said, noting the group heads to two annual round-ups organized by the Chesapeake Antique Fire Apparatus Association. The roundups attract hundreds of collectors. "Maybe this generation is trying to relive their childhood," he chuckled.

"We do birthday parties and weddings, too," the chief stated. "We don't have a Web site. People just find us."

"These fire trucks are something a little fun," Mr. Hammond said. "Sort of unique. It's the glue that holds us all together."

"The trucks put a smile on people's faces," Mr. Klow said. "You can't put a price tag on a smile."

Wendi Winters is a freelance writer who lives on the Broadneck Peninsula.