Description
A very rare opportunity to acquire a fully equipped Dennis F8, Ex-Wakefield City Fire Brigade. Having also owned DHL 999, Wakefield’s 1950 AEC Merryweather Pump Escape, this smaller sister engine was shared with a dear pal who has sadly now passed. We attended many rallies and events with the two engines, indeed the previous owner used to tow his caravan to longer distance rallies and events. In his ownership it was discreetly converted to LPG and that is mainly how we used it, occasionally switching it over to petrol. It was restored many years ago and is ‘on the button’. The remarkable thing about it is that all the superb original equipment is still in place, including an early PYE radio transceiver and an Alcon portable pump. It will make a superb museum or private collection exhibit, There is a tremendous amount of history and even a Minute Man portable resuscitation unit.
I’ve put it up at a very attractive price to sell quickly and these are the main things you need to know. The paintwork is older and a bit ‘flat’ in places but still responds to a polish. The appliance hasn’t been used much in the last couple of years and if you want to use it on petrol, it will need the fuel pumps overhauling, they don’t like sitting unused with modern petrol in them. All the tyres are now quite perished and although they are occasionally available, they are a difficult size to get. That said, there are some extra spare wheels/ tyres. So there’s a little bit of work to do if you want to put it back to road use. The rear brake cylinders were recently overhauled and the brakes work, but expect to do some recommissioning if it is going to rally again. The Dennis can be demonstrated running and driving. It has a really strong Rolls Royce 6 cylinder engine, a quiet crash gearbox and a strong axle. On display, the Dennis is a show-stopper. Always a popular exhibit. Indeed a local retired fire officer stopped at the roadside and drooled over it, while I photographed it today, taking lots of pictures of his own for his former colleagues. It’s a very special piece of British history.
