MPC's 1/12th plastic 1911 Christie-American Fire Truck kit

[gnichols]

Gang,
  I just got a "vintage" 1/12 MPC plastic kit of a 1912 Christie Fire truck (a pumper) on e-delay.  Since none of the parts are identified, it's hard to tell exactly what is what.  There is an IC engine in the front to drive the front wheels and a boiler in the back to run a vertical steam pump in the center of the vehicle.   But there is no water tank and a very limited area for fuel at the back of the boiler.  I would guess this unit had to be hooked to a fire hydrant and that a load of coal would follow in another vehicle for fuel.
   Are any of you familiar with this kit or vintage 1:1 steam powered fire trucks?  I 'd like to know what kind of IC engine was used for propulsion and a little more on steam water pumps.  I got this kit to use for parts.  I think I want to use the IC motor on some sort of critter and take the boiler, pump and plumbing and use it for a either a stationary water pump or perhaps the basis for a logging winch or mobile power plant, etc..  Or perhaps mount the boiler, pump and a water tank on a little flat car and fight fires with it?  Any thoughts or info greatly appreciated.
  Thanx, Gary

[eTraxx]

Gary. I found the same kit produced by AMT online ... ummm .. and this:  Christie Fire Engine Ref Photos on eBay .. looks like the water tank is under the steam engine in the photos to me.

[eTraxx]

Found a photo and description of a Chrisite engine from the Cyclopedia of Engineering: Commercial vehicles pub 1915. A photo and description is on page 168. pretty interesting book with lots of photos.

[gnichols]

Ed,
  Great link... many thanx... I wasn't having much luck with fire truck searches so I guess I should concentrate on the trucks for at least the engine and FWD part of the frame.  Gary

[chester]

Gary,
Perhaps this may help. Lots  of pictures of the AMT/MPC/Ertl  kit.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1097#j_content

And a few of the real thing

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/AMT-MPC-ERTL-1-12-CHRISTIE-FIRE-ENGINE-REFERENCE-PHOTOS-/320362587967

[gnichols]

Chester,
  Big thanx, too.  Gary

[Craig_H]

Neat kit....wish they made one in 1/48 scale lots of neat bits and pieces for the parts box.   MPC wasn't  that far from me when i was a kid....we would walk down the railroad tracks to get there after they closed and get all our models for Free buy the loading docks all kinds of stuff was on the ground that fell when they loaded the trailers. Once it fell on the ground they never picked them up sometimes it would be stacked a couple feet high Never bought a model kit when i was a kid got it all for free. I would come home with a garbage bag full every time i went . Then later when i started working i got a job there driving hi lo and loading the injection machines.

[gnichols]

In high school (1962-66) I worked in a couple discount hobby shops so kits were cheap, 88 cents for 3n1 AMT.  At that price, I could get them faster than I could build them so cost was never an issue.  Heck, it seemed fair to me, just an hour's work for a new kit - at minimum wage back then.  But it would have been neat to see the inside of one of those plants.  Gary

[Craig_H]

Gary,    In about a 30 mile radius there was MPC......AMT.......JOHAN......all had factorys outside detroit. Wish i started collecting back then and had a place to keep it