“Old Red” – Engine 21
Restored City of Perry fire engine from 1951.
Fire Assistant Chief Kirk Crumpton and Captain Jesse Riner found the truck in the junkyard area of the city barn in 2007. A tree was found growing up through the middle of it. The tree was cut down and the truck towed to the headquarters fire station.
The tedious restoration began. They took a photo, removed the part, took a photo, and removed a part until the truck was stripped to the two frame rails and an engine.
They printed the photos out and placed them in a folder to essentially have a instruction guide on how to reassemble the truck.
The restoration took approximately 2 years to disassemble and reassemble. Chief Crumpton and Captain Riner performed all of the work except for the brakes, exhaust and painting.
An Ohio dealer that specialized in old fire trucks was used to find most of the original parts that were needed. It was the third fire truck that the city ever bought new.
Chief Crumpton’s father fought fire off of this truck in the mid-1970's. The sister truck to this truck, with only a two serial number difference, is in Rockdale County at their fire museum.
