Photo: Facebook Marketplace, Haines City, FL (edited by autoevolution)
It's getting pretty close to the Fourth of July. With that in mind, it's time to start searching around for a vehicle that encompasses the very essence of American excess that's most often associated with the folks who live here. Or at least, the semi-statistically validated stereotypes that get tossed around as quintessentially American. If big trucks with big engines are what fit the bill, this 1950s-vintage Seagrave Fire engine on monster truck tires and a jet engine in the back is about as "murica" as it gets.
Seagrave might not ring a lot of bells unless you're super into vintage American firefighting equipment. But since the late 1800s, they've been one of the longest-standing suppliers of firefighting gear and are still in business even today, where they supply fire departments across North America with high-quality firetrucks, plus all the bells and whistles that come along with it. But this particular 50s Seagrave firetruck is so far removed from what it left the factory that there's practically no 50s DNA left whatsoever. Well, at least on the surface, that'd appear to be true.
Well, at least the suspension, chassis, and 66-inch Tera tires look straight out of the parts bin Monster Jam uses these days. But under the surface, there are at least one or two vintage items still extant. For starters, the 366-cubic inch (6.0-L) Chevy big block V8 might've been a child of the 60s, but it's not like anyone's going to notice or care that everything here isn't numbers-matching or original. Being this isn't a race truck, this Seagrave's primary job is to take paying riders in its rear cargo hold while it traverses over objects so substantial a bird would think twice before landing on it.
For this purpose, a modified big block V8 built from the word go for heavy-duty truck applications sure does work in spades. But the engine and tires alone aren't the only party pieces this truck has up its sleeve. If waltzing up and over stacks of used cars isn't stimulating enough for you, just wait until the driver spools up its real big surprise, a Cold War-vintage Westinghouse J34 turbojet engine seemingly ripped straight out of the McDonnell F2H Banshee or Douglas F3D Skyknight fighters that were once powered by this engine.
With between 3,000 to 4,000 lbs of thrust at its disposal, the J34 helped push US Navy aircraft to the ragged brink of supersonic. As it turns out, it's also phenomenally good at taking large piles of scrap vehicles and turning them into impromptu bonfires for scores of adoring spectators. At just $70,000 out the door to make this truck your own, this is one heck of a bargain for a traveling road show that needs something a little more spicey than a demolition derby to attract fans.
Well, at least the suspension, chassis, and 66-inch Tera tires look straight out of the parts bin Monster Jam uses these days. But under the surface, there are at least one or two vintage items still extant. For starters, the 366-cubic inch (6.0-L) Chevy big block V8 might've been a child of the 60s, but it's not like anyone's going to notice or care that everything here isn't numbers-matching or original. Being this isn't a race truck, this Seagrave's primary job is to take paying riders in its rear cargo hold while it traverses over objects so substantial a bird would think twice before landing on it.
For this purpose, a modified big block V8 built from the word go for heavy-duty truck applications sure does work in spades. But the engine and tires alone aren't the only party pieces this truck has up its sleeve. If waltzing up and over stacks of used cars isn't stimulating enough for you, just wait until the driver spools up its real big surprise, a Cold War-vintage Westinghouse J34 turbojet engine seemingly ripped straight out of the McDonnell F2H Banshee or Douglas F3D Skyknight fighters that were once powered by this engine.
With between 3,000 to 4,000 lbs of thrust at its disposal, the J34 helped push US Navy aircraft to the ragged brink of supersonic. As it turns out, it's also phenomenally good at taking large piles of scrap vehicles and turning them into impromptu bonfires for scores of adoring spectators. At just $70,000 out the door to make this truck your own, this is one heck of a bargain for a traveling road show that needs something a little more spicey than a demolition derby to attract fans.
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