A Code 3 kitbash for the old timers.

[Stepjam 118]

For those of you who remember the classic American LaFrance Century series, and who were as deeply disappointed as I was by Code 3's awful attempt to replicate them, have I got a "kitbash" for you!

To my eyes and many others, the Code 3 model wasn't even close to the original LaFrance. In fact, Code 3's botched Century, followed by an even worse 900 series tiller, are what put the first nails in their coffin. The most obvious flaws with the Code 3 were that the cab had a flat roof, a flat nose, and a straight windshield. A friend on a hobby board that I belong to suggested "squeezing" the Code 3 cab in a vise to get the roof curve. So I figured "why not?" and tried it.

The vise certainly improved it, but I had to fashion a brow over the windshield to catch the tapering effect of the Century's classic lines. Next, I had to grind down the original cab (the Code 3 was too tall) and widen the doors by filling the gaps in the casting, and scoring new ones with a razor saw. Finally, I had to scratch build a whole new windshield. Anyway, I have been pecking away at this master for a while, and it's just about ready for resin casting.

This is a factory-fresh Code 3, which any old time buff can see is a disaster.

This is after I stripped one and gave it a squeeze in a vise, then added the stiffener around the rear of the cab and the brow to the roofline, over the windshield.

The cab is beginning to look better. I filed down the original windshield, but ultimately would replace it with a scratch-built one.

This is the new nose and roofline, and the new scratch-built windshield. I am going to vacuum-form a new windshield from this one, and thus have a nice clean copy. The crappy one-piece clear parts that were headlights have been removed and the holes filled in. The front nozzle and trash line tray have also been removed. I dumped the clunky and out of scale original bumper, the new bumper is scratch-built.

A lot of adjustments were necessary to get the modified cab to work with what's left of the original Code 3 model. With installed wipers and new body mouldings, the cab is ready for casting. The windshield with the wipers will be vacuum-formed as one piece.

These are 2.4mm Swarovski crystal rhinestones, which on the final casting will serve as headlights. They are a big improvement over the plastic parts that Code 3 originally used. The "jewelled headlights" were one of the things about the old Corgis that really charmed me as a child.

I haven't cast or painted it yet, but I was curious to get an idea of how it will look. This is a simple photo manipulation using Windows Paint.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Stepjam

[61MACKBR1 222]

OUTSTANDING JOB !!!

[hawkbase 21]

AWESOME!!! How much time have you put into it so far?

[ex-commish 490]

Does anyone remember a 1970 Lafrance engine that had the pump panel on the passenger side of the rig?

[mfc2257 464]

Does anyone remember a 1970 Lafrance engine that had the pump panel on the passenger side of the rig?

There was more than one...Theoretically it kept the pump operator on the curb (fire) side of the street. Assuming they drove with, not against traffic to get to their job.

[RWC130 594]

NICE!!!!!!!!

[x635 4,066]

Glad to see you back, Steve! Thanks for sharing your awesome work with us!

[AFS1970 504]

Wow, that's a little more that I was expecting when I saw the title kit-bash.

[FDNY 10-75 640]

Great work as always Steve!

[markmets415 524]

Amazing job, thanks for sharing the detailed work and photos!