FAQs
WHY DOES THE BACK END LOOK DIFFERENT?
For fans of the show, the first thing that looks different on this truck is the back end.
This Squad has a standard Reading utility box on the back, which is shorter & wider, with narrower compartments. The real Squad 51 has a custom utility box on the back built to LA County FD specifications. The Lost Angels tribute Squad in Maine was lucky enough to locate an actual used utility body from LACFD and it looks great.
WHY IS THE WORD “COUNTY” MISSING FROM THE DOORS?
The simple answer - legal reasons. Apparently, the LA County Fire Department does not find tribute vehicles very flattering, and has even reportedly called them “impostors”! We were told the original Paramedic who did the conversion from maintenance truck to Rescue Squad contacted LA County Fire Department with questions about with some of the details on the original Squad. When they heard a replica was being made, they made it extremely clear to NOT use the word “County” on the truck for legal reasons because he lived in California at the time. The “County” decals were made, but out of respect for LACFD, they were not applied (but we received them with the truck).
MANUAL VS. AUTOMATIC
This tribute squad is a 1991 Dodge D-350 with a 4-speed manual transmission that served for over 20 years as a maintenance vehicle on the campus of the University of Arizona. The real Squad 51 has an automatic transmission.
WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL SQUAD 51?
The original Squad 51 is owned by and on display at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Los Angeles, California alongside the two “Engine 51” fire trucks used in the show: the open-cab Crown fire engine used in the first season, and the enclosed Ward LaFrance.
After the TV show went off the air in 1978, the Ward engine served for 25 years as a fire engine in Yosemite National Park. When the engine was retired from service in Yellowstone, it was donated to the LA County Fire Museum and restored it back to it’s TV show condition.
We encourage you to visit the museum if your travels take you to Los Angeles or check out their website and support them online.