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Circa 1960, a junior firefighter and his truck from the Columbus, Georgia, "housing" series of photos. 4x5 negative from the News Archive. View full size.
I was always so envious of my friends who had those kiddy kars and trucks. All I had was this Western Auto Trailer Truck for hauling my little brother around in. Fernandina Beach, Florida, circa 1957.
The kid next door to me got one of these around this time. As a result, my dad called him "Chief" until he graduated high school. Dad had nicknames for all the neighborhood kids. Yeah, me too. Don't ask. I ain't sayin'.
was a gift from my parents for my 3rd birthday, and I was every bit as pleased and proud as that Columbus junior firefighter. My sturdy bright red beauty survived many years of use -and abuse- by me (and four younger siblings). In 1991 I dug it out of a shed on the family farm and had it restored. Since then it has been proudly parked in our living room under my wife's grand piano...newly irresistible to kids and adults alike!
I had a fire engine like that, and still remember the sadness that came with not being able to fit in it anymore.
Those kind of driveways were useful for catching all the fluids old cars used to leak.
My parents got me one of these after I got out of the hospital in 1968. It wasn't a fire truck but it was a green sports car with pedal propulsion and a crude form of rack and pinion steering. It didn't have a big shiny bell on it like the one here but still I had more fun with that car than I will ever have with the Mustang I drive today. This lad looks as happy as I was when I got my first car.
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