Fixing A Screw-up: Auburn #500 Pumper Fire Truck (Short Boiler - yellow wheels)

Back in 2018 I posted an Auburn #500 Fire Truck with black wheels, and in that post mentioned that the yellow wheeled version was blogged back in 2011...

...it wasn't!

What the heck was I thinking? There were some old photos on the hard drive of the yellow wheeled version but apparently they just never saw the light of day here on the blog. In any case I finally got around to taking a complete photo essay and am ready to finally highlight this cool Auburn Fire Truck. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

I doesn't matter what type of plastic a toy is made from, issues like melting, plastic going brittle, or warping are common place. My engine sits wonky.

I'm reminded of some cartoon fire truck trying to wave "Hello"

Look closely at the right front tire. Do you see the hole just to the bottom right of the axle? That's where the axle was originally installed! It appears that when this toy went through the assembly line, the axle got shoved into the wheel off-center. That may have contributed to the body getting wonky over the years because the truck wasn't sitting properly on all four wheels.

Auburn Fire Engine #614

Here's the last fire engine that came with that batch of Auburn trucks I bought recently. We've posted one just like this back in 2011 but this time around there are more photos. My sample almost appears as if someone deliberately bent the front axle to make the wheels appear as if they are in a turn. The smallest of the fire engines, the #614 only measures  4 1/4" (10.79cm) L x 1 5/8" (4.12cm) W x 1 1/2" (3.81cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Auburn #500 Pumper Fire Truck (Short Boiler) - Red SP with Black Wheels

We've posted one of these short-boilered Auburn #500 fire trucks back in 2011 shortly after the blog started. That one had yellow wheels while today's featured toy has black wheels. Both of them are the same rubber-like pliable vinyl plastic with silver over-spray. The truck measures 7 3/8" (18.73cm) L x 2 1/2" (6.35cm) W x 2 1/8" (5.39cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Here's the one we posted back in 2011

Today's featured toy

Auburn #502 Hose Truck

Next up in our coverage of vintage Auburn fire and emergency vehicles is their #502 Hose Truck. If  I'm not mistaken, this was one of the toys I had as a kid back in the '50s (NO not the 1850s - although I feel that old sometimes LOL). This truck had been posted years ago on the blog but this sample is in better shape and now there are more photos. It measures  7 3/8" (18.73cm) L x 2 1/2" (6.35cm)  W 2 1/8" (5.39cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Previously on Toys and Stuff

pliable vinyl plastic with silver detailing and black wheels

rigid vinyl with no silver over spray and black wheels

The new guy