Vintage Pateros fire truck returns to city it once served

PATEROS – Tucked in the middle of the Apple Pie Jamboree parade last Saturday morning was an entry that was probably a familiar sight to any old-timers who were Pateros residents back in the 40’s or 50’s. It was a vintage 1947 Ford fire truck that, according to its new owners, spent its working career responding to fires and other emergencies in the river side town.

Owners Brent and Marcia Crabtree of Lynden, Wash, acquired the hose-and-ladder show-stopper about two years ago while visiting a swap meet in Monroe. The truck is powered by its stock 239-cubic inch, 87-horsepower flathead V-8 engine and has less than 12,000 original miles on it.

“The owner said he was getting too old to maintain it,” said Brent, “so he was liquidating some of his vehicles.”

The elderly owner evidently had a particular fondness for Ford flathead engines because he told the Crabtrees that he owned and restored several vehicles equipped with them. Brent said that aside from taking some dents out of a fender and repainting the wheels, the truck is in the condition he acquired it.

Since purchasing the old warrior, the Crabtrees have entered it in some 200 parades, but this is the first time they brought it to Pateros.
Displayed with the truck was a set of fireman’s clothes from the same era worn by Gordon Neyens of the Everson, Wash. Fire Department. The outfit was donated by Neyens’ son, Jim, who also served in the same department.

When not out and about at parades or shows, the Crabtrees said they enjoy hauling the grandkids and their sports team friends to a pizza joint after the last game of the season.

“They get a real kick out of it,” said Brent.