News : They say that if you see something say something...so I did

Don Lough can sometimes be seen in his 1928 International Fire Truck running errands around town

Guess which motor this is...

Lough's 1963 Chevy Corvair

The motor is in the back, making the front end lighter...

to compensate put something heavy in the front and 10 lbs. less air in the tires

I was driving home the other day when I saw this old truck drive down the street. So I followed it home.

I HAD to ask...How old is it? It was a 1928 International fire truck.

Now I was thinking this would be a short, "how old is it, where did you get it, how many miles, smile for the camera" and "done!" deal. 

That was not the case. 

It was a case of, "Can I take your picture for Vinton Today?"

"Sure" the man replied, "Do you wanna go for a ride? I'm Don Lough, Ray Lough's brother."

Now just to clarify, my response was, "Noooooo...Sure, why not!" 

I had just contacted Ray to take care of some legal business, and I had just spent my lunch time with Linda Lough his sister-in-law at the 4th St. Diner for another story that I did earlier in the day, so I figured I might as well get to know more of the family.

As we drove through Vinton, the 4 cylinder Waukesha Engine, (named for the location of the plant in Waukesha, Wisconsin) drove like a dream. It's a 6 speed, 3 low, 3 high, with an 18.2 horsepower engine. (I understand the 6 speed part, but haven't a clue how horsepower works) Just to show me what it could do, we drove up and down the steepest hills in Vinton, next to the pool and on 6th Avenue between 2nd and 3rd St.  The truck climbed these two hills without hesitation and better than any car today could.

Of course, when this truck was built there weren't many if any paved roads so they were build to drive in the worst conditions. The truck was built to haul the equipment that a fire truck at the time would need. Remember also, that the cars and truck then were made of the heavy steel unlike fiberglass and minimal metal on most of the new cars.

Another characteristic of the old truck is that it has wooden wheels for the spokes, which means that you have to make sure that they don't dry out and crack. This truck doesn't have a windshield, seatbelts or even a door. Parts for this truck are better found on an old Farmall International tractor rather than the parts store Lough explained. It does have a license plate and insurance, just in case you were wondering. The truck also runs on regular gasoline. 

Since I'm not really a "car" gal, things like learning that all International parts have "International" stamped on them, were interesting facts new to me.

The old truck has survived being flooded in 2008 on the family farm. At the time the truck was 2 feet under water, but after draining all the fluids, and checking the electrical work, all it needed was a good pull for a few feet and the old truck started right up. At the time Lough's dad had lost a Lincoln, motorhome, pickup, and none of those were salvageable, but the old fire truck keeps running.

Lough jokes, about how he could fix it up, but then he'd have to wash it. He does have a special car that he's restored, his 1969 Mustang, which has the quad headlights, (some of you will know that usually a Mustang only has single headlights on each side) it's stored safely away in a garage and covered, so he doesn't have to wash it either.

So of course, after we returned in the truck, he asked, "Do you want to go for a ride in the '63  Corvair?" and realizing this had been more fun than I had anticipated, I quickly agreed. Telling me that his brother Ray has a '68 Corvair, I made the mistake of commenting that I didn't realize Ray was a car guy. With a chuckle, Don laughed at that. "Let me show you Ray's garage." So being the typical brother, we drove to Ray's and check out the cars in his garage, without as much as a "do you mind?" (but hey, they're brothers and brothers are fine with that, at least I think so, if not Don can expect to now be in big trouble!) After wheeling and dealing with his brothers, Ray, and brother Cliff, Don ended up with Ray's '69 Corvair which he calls his "rat rod". He jokingly lamented that there isn't any rust or holes in the floor pan so he isn't sure how he'll get the water out of it from the leaking roof.

The little car did not disappoint either. With 56,000 miles on it, Don said he's put about 1,000 miles on it. "I've had a convertible and motorcycle since I was 16," Lough said. While driving I heard stories of escapades that he and his brother Ray participated in as teenagers. Don also likes to tell about a '74 Corvette Roadster that his brother Ray owned, and he'd tell people that he wouldn't drive that thing unless he had a lawyer with him. The joke was that of course he wouldn't, the car belonged to his brother Ray, the lawyer. 

The engine is tucked safely in the back, leaving the front end is too light. To compensate, Chevrolet advised the drivers to put 10 pounds less air in the front tires,  Don advises owners to also add a something heavy to the trunk (which you'll remember is in the front).

Don talked a lot about how he and his brothers grew up working alongside their dad at his truck stop in the south end of the 218 Cafe where it was a Standard Truckstop and the second largest in the state at the time. The brothers and one sister learned how to repair and restore cars while they were growing up, so by the time they were able to drive, they had endless car experience. 

"Not sure if it was the smartest or the dumbest things" that he's done, he says, but later Don joined the military as part of the Army Reserves, and became active duty working in administration. He's now retired. 

You might see him tooling around town in his old International or in his Corvair. If you do, and you stop to ask, be prepared to see his eyes light up. You'll laugh along at the stories to follow of all the times that the Lough brothers, and their sister spent in the shop with their dad and the antics that followed.

If you're fortunate enough, you'll get to go along for a ride.