This awsome ex AFS Gipsy belongs to Michael Mason

Preserving cars can sometimes be a difficult job, as restoration is expensive and can take some time. This goes without even mentioning the task of having to insure the vehicle - do you insure for damages, or loss? Do you choose Aviva, or Automotive Global? It's a tough gig, but worth making sure your priceless possessions are safe, especially something as nice as the Gipsy! As you can see, the Strathclyde preservation group are great at what they do - the Gipsy looks like it's just rolled out of the shop!

This photo was sent to me by Eira Woodward, she wrote: " My husband Brian Woodward was an industrial fireman first at Morris Motors and then a subsiduary company Unipart. He absolutely adored his job and his Austin Gipsy fire tender in particular. He and his colleagues called it Noah for some reason!!!"

"the picture is from the retirement of my husbands boss - I think probably mid 1970s. My husband is the cheeky one with the beard 2nd on the left!"
Eira's husband has now passed and she is interested in what has become of this Fire Engine, if you have any information you can contact her via email eira.woodward@ntlworld.com

The importer of Austin in Switzerland was also a coachbuilder and sold dozens of these modifications for Fire Brigades between 1964 and 1969. Juan has seen pictures of at least 10 of these, many for sale, but also ones that are maintained by small Fire Brigades. below are the links to those Brigades.

"I am currently doing up 920 FUW, I bought it last year when I was invalided from the RAF. It runs great and got thru the MOT without a hitch just after I got it. I also have a WW2 trailer pump that I restored and the Gipsy tows it well.

The wife and I and the dog and all our gear for a weekend away and all my fire helmets etc go nicely in the back. My first concern when I got it was that gear could fly forward and cause a real bad injury, plus the dog tries to climb forward. The previous owner had put in place a plastic grill, but my Lab saw this as a good challenge . Because the bulkhead behind the front seats slopes it is not possible to fit a sustantial partition without preventing the rear bench seats from folding up. I gutted the back and built the partition, which in the pics still requires its centre grill panel, I have also fitted a harness anchor for the hound.

Then I obtained 4 x SWB Landrover rear seats, the rear one each side I have kept as seats, the forward one each side are reduced in length to take into account the partition. These forward ones will carry kit stowage boxes.

I replaced all the rear wiring as it was badly chaffed, replaced the back lights with identical items from VEHICLE WIRING PRODUCTS an excellent firm who are on the web. As my Gipsy still runs on its original positive earth dynamo I have fitted a second battery that is totally independant to the vehicle electrical system, this gives me the correct polarity for a radio cassette player plus an aux socket for charging such things as a mobile phone. Its goodbye mobile if you try and charge one from a positive earth system. everything in my secondary system is double insulated from earth and uses a second cable instead of a return thru earth.

I built and fitted a cubby box between the front seats which holds the radio etc and the associated wiring, the second battery fits well adjacent to the main battery. Both circuits have isolater switches to stop trickle discharge when parked up.

Dashboard has been stripped and thoroughly overhauled. New seal fitted below windscreen and sealant replaced between roof and fibreglass side panels. I have new AFS markings made and I have the deep bronze green paint ready for spring when I will finish the outside of the vehicle. I also moved the number plate and fitted a front hitch, this enables me to push my trailer pump up the drive and thru the gates up into my workshop. Beats trying to do a fiddly reverse with a totally knackered back."

Purchased in December 2000 from its previous owner in the Forest of Dean. It was one of the 96 from the sale at Measham in 1997. Michael has had to do very little work to his Gipsy other than having it professionally re-sprayed to remove some of the old sign writing, a few minor dents taken out and a new tilt. He has spent a lot of time working on his Brockhouse trailer, restoring it back to its Auxiliary Fire Service condition. That of a field telephone line layer. Having been a member of the AFS himself, any owners out there who would like any information about their vehicles / AFS, can get in touch with Michael at Masonsat11@aol.com

Jim Fraser (pictured in the far left), spotted these two Fire tenders on show at the Newtown Powys Wales motor show on Aug,15/04 The 511 EOA was badged as an ex Dunlop fire brigade and CYY 289C was badged as ex AFS.