David C. Horsnall 1928 Seagrave

This engine is a 1928 Seagrave which is currently owned by David C. Horsnall ( owner of S.O.A.). The engine, which is known as Engine 3 (D.F.D. serial #504), saw fire duty in the city of Detroit, Michigan. Four similar units were delivered to the D.F.D in 1928. They were assigned to Engines 2-6-7-18. The units cost $10,800 and were retired from reserve service in 1964. Engine 3 is the only surviving out of the original 5. The engines were the first to be delivered to Detroit with Buckeye Roto-Ray warning lights, disc wheels, four wheel brakes, and the new crown radiator and engine hood.

Seagrave serial number 51722 went in service at Engine House #3 on Park and Montcalm Avenue in downtown Detroit. Later in the engines service in served as Engine 58 at Lakepointe and Whittier on the far east side until being retired from fire service in 1954.

           After the Engine 3 was taken out of front line service it was stored in anticipation of the Detroit Fire Department 100th. Anniversary Parade. About twice a week during the summer the crew of Engine 7 or Ladder 6 would run the rig over to Belle Isle to give the X rig a workout. Retired or reserve engines in Detroit were know as "X" rigs. A wonderful video is out from the Ahrens Fox Video Library titled Firefighting in Detroit. In this video the engine is seen pulling out of the house for the last time. Its house companion, a 1935 wooden aerial is also seen pulling out of quarters to make room for the old engines replacement. Engine 3 was replaced with a 1936 Seagrave Safety Sedan.

Engine 3 was removed from the engine house and was eventually turned over to the Department of Recreation in 1969. In 1973 fire buffs known in Detroit as Box 42 bought old Engine 3 and planned on its restoration.

Since that time Engine 3 has changed many owners.

In 2000 its was purchased by David Horsnall of Bordentown, New Jersey. Plans were made for retrieving the engine from the storage garage where the engine had sat for numerous years.

These photographs were taken as the engine sat in a storage facility in Michigan. The engine was very much intact and appeared to be in very good shape.

Very basic instrumentation but it got the job done year after year and fire after fire. To the left is the original brass serial number plate. Below it sits the compression release handle. In the event that it wouldn't start by the foot operated starter, the firefighter had to hand-crank the engine. In the dash cluster is the magneto switch, the ignition switch, the speedometer and the oil pressure gauge (not original). What is believed to be original to this dash cluster is an oil splash gauge, this showed the driver of the car oil was being moved through the engine, instead of the oil pressure gauge.

The true working ends of the old engine. The pump was rated at 750 gallons per minute. Two gates on the driver side and one on the officer side. The intake and discharge gauges still work and written in pencil under the glass, on the gauge itself, is the name and the date of the last person to calibrate the gauges in 1937.

The motor is an F-6 motor. It has a magneto and very surprising no generator. It seems Detroit would switch to the magneto once the engine was started. The department only used the battery for starting.

Surprising is the fact that much of the paint is intact and in fairly good shape for its age. However, I believe that a quick fix was given to the paint in preparation for the 100th. Anniversary. 

A special thanks to Clarence C. Woodard, Detroit Fire Department Historian

Work is once again being performed on the Detroit rig. Because of the snow, ice and generally bad weather this part of the restoration had been greatly curtailed.

Dave ( Pop) and Dennis are preparing the motor for removal.

Everything that could interfere with or break during the extraction of the motor needs to be removed.

Make sure that you have the correct tools for the job. Notice the Wallace Gantry crane used to remove the motor and pump. A regular motor lift will not do the job. They are pricey but considering the cost of dropping the motor or pump they are still cheaper!

Dave ( Pop ) prepares the pump transmission to be removed with the pump.

David ( Son ) and Dennis undo the transmission from the rear for removal.

The next step in the restoration of DFD Engine #3 will be pressure washing and stripping/sandblasting.

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