Around WW1, a South Australian fire chief had a Gobron-Brillie. A huge car with a vast opposed piston engine. Very expensive and high performance for the time.
It was restored in Melbourne in the 1950's and is now in the Nethercutt Museum in Los Angeles. If you are ever near, don't miss the Nethercutt Museum or the Nethercutt Collection which is directly across the street.f
Knock off wire wheels were an extra cost option. Plain disc wheels were the standard equipment. XK120's had appalling brakes and I recall working briefly for a mechanical shop in Brisbane that prepared a few race cars and drilling ventilation holes in the wheel centres using a radial arm drill, three drill bits per hole. Thirty-six operations per wheel. They also overheated badly in Qld. summers particularly racing in the heat and high speeds of Lowood. An amphibious Jeep radiator was tailor made for the application fitting neatly in the narrow nose.
Thanks for that xk120.. She's just as I remember her. She lived in the bay to the rear of her back end under the Chief's quarters above.
A couple of Diamond Ts behind, & as I recall one was a Hose Carrier with 4 or 6 Firemen (?) with loads of Canvas hose stored in many lockers back & Sides, the other could be the Rescue/Salvage Van although as it seems all the SAFB vehicles were Diamond T, they could be Appliances or anything else.
Two exceptions were the Le France & the British Leyland Arial Ladders.
Most if not all special bodywork & lots of Chrome plating on access panels etc were built by SAFB Tradesmen in their Beverley workshops & there appeared to be no shortage of Skilled Trades amongst their ranks.
Of course that building has gone now & & replaced some years ago with a purpose built structure with lots of height for the new equipment & lots of glass & superior facilities.
That makes it the 3rd building on this site the first being for Horse Drawn equipment of the times.
The appliance rear, to the right, appears to be a Dennis Pumper but not 100% sure.
The SAFB introduced 2 of these, & in those days they really did look the dog's wottsits flying up Wakefield Street. Very streamlined & modern but looked a bit ungainly, & at last gave the crew some protection in an RTA. A progression up until today's vehicles where they are totally enclosed with seat belts & even maybe airbags ????
During one turnout an appliance collided with a Passenger bus in Victoria Square injuring quite a few as I recall.
The Diamond Ts were built like the proverbial brick dunny so didn't take many prisoners.
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