The Farmington Public Works Department only needs $195 more to purchase the truck.
FARMINGTON – Members of the Farmington Public Works Department have nearly enough pledges to bring the town’s former mammoth plow truck back home.
They’ve also collected pledges of materials and services, including lumber, a sign and a concrete pad to build a display area near the town garage for the 1944 Oshkosh with its V-plow and double wings.
Only $195 of the $5,000 needed is left to be pledged to buy the truck from John DiStefano of Farmington, Department Supervisor Mitch Boulette said.
Besides pledges of cash, the group continues to look for metal roofing for the display and roof trusses. Those would cost about $750 for both.
The money won’t be collected until the total reaches the amount needed. Anyone interested in pledging may call the town garage at 778-2191.
Members of department want to buy the 8-ton, all-wheel drive truck to preserve it for history’s sake. Foreman Jim Kiernan and a couple other members plan to volunteer their time to restore it.
Manufactured by the Oshkosh Truck Corp. of Wisconsin, the relic carries an identification tag indicating Farmington was its original owner. The town paid $11,500 and took delivery in December 1944. It was used it until 1985.
The interior of the cab is oak, and the actual framework of the cab is also oak with metal over it, Boulette said.
The truck has a standard shift transmission and lacks power steering.
Its top speed was 37 miles per hour, probably without the plow gear, Boulette said. When plowing the average speed fell to 4 to 5 miles an hour.
A group of 15 to 20 men would shovel a path for the truck in order to get the V-plow into the snow to get started.
It was the Goliath of its day, Kiernan said.
The truck was sold to John DiStefano in 1987 for $3,500.
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