From: Paul A. Thomas (pt@jaxkneppers.com)
Date: Tue Jul 02 2002 - 20:57:08 PDT
Hi Keith:
The truck is mine. I searched for insurance, but ran into the same
problems you encountered. By chance, I found a two year old Insurance card
while working in the cab. The previous owner owned the truck for 20 years
or so, and the card showed his carrier as State Farm. They classified it
as a How Tank truck, which David Doyle indicates referenced the tank
manufacturer... Howe. From what I've been able to guess <g> the truck was
a standard M35 ( no A, A1, A2 of any kind ) which was sold to the county
fire department here ( County Tags on the dash ). The Waterous company did
the conversion in about 1970.
None of this helps you tho. When I was trying to decide whether to buy
this fire truck or a real/usable Deuce I floated similar questions.. Many
owners of Mil Vehs indicated they would go to DMV offices ( assuming you
are in California, which seems to have more rules to keep one from
owning/using Deuces than most other states combined . Hey: whining is good
for the soul! <g> ) and plea bargain. Some said they called their trucks
mobile living quarters by putting a camp stove in them.. thus no special
licensing required at all. The tow truck driver who brought my truck over
said if you put 'Not For Hire' signs on your M543A2 then you don't have to
pay commercial fees/road usage fees... On the flip side David steered me
toward a nationwide group which restores and shows old fire trucks. They
responded to my initial inquiry, and one thing he mentioned was that some
members use their normal automobile Class C licenses to drive fire
trucks. The drivers manual I picked up indicates that's just wrong. But it
works. For them, at least.
It seems there is usually a way to get where you want with Military
Vehicles as the laws don't directly address them, thus the person you are
speaking to must interpret the law and apply it. I saw a post here stating
they put troop seats in their Deuce and called it a ... sort of limo of
sorts, but not for hire. thus they have title on a 14 people mover.
If in Ca, you could consider making it a Historic Vehicle, as mine was
when I bought it. It means you can't just go riding in it ( Where would I
joy ride to with a fire truck? <g> ) but also means collectible car
insurance companies will insure it. But watch out: they have rules all
their own about garaging it, where and when you can drive it, etc. Or if
you have a live insurance agent try them. When I tell them I bought an old
truck they listen. The few times I said I have a 14,000 Lb military cargo
truck they faint or die laughing. Go figure.
Best of luck to you!
Paul
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