Historic Seagrave 760 Fire Engine one step closer to being out
and about
By Rachelle Gines Staff Writer
Gilroy – The two-year search to find someone skilled enough to replace a 1923 honeycomb radiator in the historic Seagrave 760 Fire Engine – that included Internet sources as far away as England – ended on Chestnut Street with Mike Stromecki.
Stromecki, the owner of the automotive shop Power Rods, discovered that a radiator from a Ford F-350 would cost much less and work just as well as a custom built-radiator. To preserve the classic honeycomb detail on the front of the radiator, Stromecki used a milling machine to shave the backside of the engine’s original radiator in order to make room for the new one. The Brooklyn, New York born, car-aficionado said he spent 50 hours working on the radiator between February and May.
“It was a matter of keeping the radiator shell the same, because it’s the soul of the truck, and it’s the soul of Gilroy’s history,” Stromecki said, while country music wafted from the rafters in his shop.
And Stromecki did it at the cost of $2,000, which is $5,000 less than what other car specialists quoted Phill Laursen, engine steward for the Gilroy Historical Society.
“Before Mike, I was ready to give up,” Laursen, who has been attempting to restore the engine since Christmas of 2002, said. “Everyone I’ve met who know about cars, even people who haven’t met Mike personally, have tremendous respect for him.”
Standing in front of his shop, Stromecki, downplayed Laursen’s praise, saying that he contributed only a small part to the engine’s ongoing restoration.
“That fire truck has 17,000 to 18,000 pounds on it. I’ve only worked on about 100 of them,” Stromecki said while Smiley, his 3-year-old brown and white-spotted bulldog, lay at his feet.
The engine, which was in service with the Gilroy Fire Department first hit the streets in 1923 and transported firefighters in and around Gilroy for 30 years. Though the engine will never be used to fight a fire again, the Gilroy Historical Society said the broken radiator was a major obstacle that kept locals from enjoying the engine at local parades.
Laursen further emphasized Stromecki’s resourcefulness in comparison to other automotive experts who advised that a custom radiator might have had to be built at an estimated cost of $7,000. Stromecki had a simple explanation.
“I like to think of myself as hot rodder,” Stromecki said amongst half-fixed hot rods and stacks of tires lining his shop walls. “The definition of one is someone who adapts things that you find, to make what you have work better. That’s what I did with the Ford radiator and the old honeycomb one.”
With the radiator repaired, Laursen said a water leak in the engine is the only major thing keeping it out of South County parades. He enlisted the help of Frank Comin, Fleet Supervisor and mechanic for the City of Gilroy to fix the problem.
“I’m excited to work on it, but it will be interesting because I haven’t worked on anything quite this old,” said Comin, a Gilroy native.
Laursen said that with the radiator fixed and Comin working on the engine water leak, he thinks that there might be a chance the Seagrave could be out and about as soon as this fall.
“There is some hope that the engine might be ready in time for the Veteran’s Day Parade in San Jose, and possibly the Victorian Christmas in Gilroy after that,” Laursen said, clasping his hands together and looking toward the heavens.
With the possibility of the engine running in sight, Laursen said he is excited for Gilroy residents. He said that once restoration is complete, he hopes that the fire truck will be displayed somewhere in town where everyone can enjoy it.
“By having something historical like this engine, it gives people an emotional attachment to their town,” Laursen said.
Rachelle Gines is an intern attending San Francisco State University. Reach her at 847-7158 or rg****@************ch.com.
