KQED presents a new eight-part series, ULTIMATE RESTORATIONS, featuring the spellbinding restorations of irreplaceable masterpieces. ULTIMATE RESTORATIONS showcases the rescue and restoration of some of the most valuable mechanical icons of the Golden Age (1880-1940), a high point in innovation and craftsmanship. The series, hosted by Bob McNeil, tells the spellbinding stories behind eight of American history’s greatest historical and engineering treasures — the world’s largest pipe organ; a surviving 1920s fire engine; a “fish car” designed to transport live fish by train; a priceless carousel; a World War II spy plane; one of the first U.S. yachts to round Cape Horn and a famous steam locomotive. The passionate restorers and committed craftspeople discuss the challenges associated with reviving these massive icons to their original glory: moving huge pieces of equipment, salvaging from sea-floor beds, searching for rare parts, and dealing with complicated mechanical systems.
1927 Ahrens Fox M-S-4 Restoration
Visit the Reliance Fire Museum website to view photos of the 1927 Ahrens Fox M-S-4 restoration.
"Ahrens Fox: The Kansas City Treasure" - Once considered the Rolls Royce of fire engines, the Ahrens Fox was a shining emblem of 1920s civic pride in Kansas City, a rolling work of art that could shoot water to the top of a 40-story building.
Now just a rusty relic, a surviving Ahrens Fox challenges volunteer firefighter Doug Klink and his crew to keep their senses of humor as they piece the massive vehicle back together from the drive shaft to the gold leaf detailing.
