A 1954 GMC fire engine doesn’t just show up every day, and it definitely doesn’t come with a paper trail that stretches back to the original purchase. We sit down with Ben Willcome, the City of Walker fleet supervisor, to tell the story of Walker Engine 117, one of the city’s earliest fire trucks, in service from 1954 until 1986 and now getting a second life outside the station.

We talk through what “preservation” really means when your goal is to share history with the public. Ben walks us through the barn-find reality, why seized brakes became the biggest challenge, and how he made the call to prioritize safety and long-term serviceability over a museum-only build. The most surprising fix is also the most practical: a donated 2010 school bus provided axles and a modern hydraulic brake system that can be repaired with parts that should stay available for decades.

Then we get into the details restoration fans love, from hunting down a hard-to-find water pump to converting the truck from six volt to twelve volt, swapping in electronic ignition, and making sure this classic starts and runs confidently. We also dig into the artifacts that bring the story to life: historic photos, original titles, spec sheets, pump brochures, and drawings that guide the cosmetic details and prove where this apparatus came from.

Ben’s end goal is simple and big at the same time: bring Engine 117 back to city events, put kids in the seat, and help Walker residents see how the department and the community evolved. Subscribe for more local stories, share this with a history or restoration friend, and leave a review so more people can find the Made in Walker Podcast.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]