Man Refurbishes 1956 Fire Pumper-July 13, 1978

Norwood resident Rick Spicer turned heads on Neponset Street and Cherrywood Drive in July 1978 with a unique vehicle parked in his driveway: a refurbished 1956 Peter Pirsche Pumper. The fire truck, which had been retired by the Dedham Fire Department four years prior, had been sold to a local wrecking service before Spicer acquired it. After the truck’s front end was damaged in a garage fire in Hyde Park, Spicer purchased the vehicle and meticulously restored it to operational form at his Norwood auto body shop.

Spicer, who had previously owned another fire truck that he sold to the town of Foxboro, purchased this pumper specifically to drive in the town’s Fourth of July parade. Although heavy rains forced the parade to be postponed until Labor Day, Spicer remained enthusiastic about his purchase, listing the truck for sale at $2,500. He encouraged other fire enthusiasts to consider the benefits of owning such a machine, noting that they were “fun to drive” and provided amusement for neighborhood children. An employee at the shop noted the truck’s rarity in the suburban setting, stating, “Let’s face it, they’re the only kids on the block that got one.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger