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5 September 2025

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Vintage: 1948 Ford F7 model, Greenville, Wisconsin, US

​Greenville, Wisconsin Fire Department located west of Appleton, has restored their antique pumper. This 1948 Ford F7 model, with a Barton-American 500gpm front mount pump, is believed to be one of four pumpers that served the surrounding townships of Hortonia, Ellington, Greenville (pictured here) and the village of Hortonville, Wisconsin.  With some previous speculation, all of the bodywork was probably fabricated in-house at a small shop located in downtown Hortonville by its two founders, Mel Pankow and Ray Richards. Together, the two men initiated their own business, called the Hortonville Truck Body Company, employing several other local men that worked for them.  Their metalwork skills quickly formed a sideline business, that being Melray Fire Apparatus, with some body styles compared to that of Pierce and FWD.  Photo Credit: Roger Bjorge. Source: Wisconsin fire apparatus

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