This Jeep FC-170 mini-pumper was originally built by Valley Fire Truck of Bay City, Michigan for the Otisville Fire Department, also in Michigan. As of 2025 the truck is under restoration in a private collection in Houston.
Valley added pump and roll capability with a Briggs & Stratton engine powering a secondary pump, supplying two booster reels. It's seen here, directly behind the reels.
Valley apparently built only five FC conversions, with 500 GPM Darley pumps and 200-gallon tanks. This factory photo of their standard configuration was used in some of their advertising (150K JPEG). See also the rear view (70K JPEG).
A couple of the Valley FCs were given the two booster reels and a front platform where firefighters could stand to attack grass fires while the truck was rolling.
One of the two was restored in the early 2000s, at which time the railing on the front was removed.
Soon after the truck arrived in Houston in September 2024, the cab paint responded beautifully to a buffing. This photo shows the paint in comparison to the roof which has not yet been buffed.
Initial work also included getting the fuel tank and lines cleaned, brakes totally refurbished and all fluids changed.
The cab interior is perfect and has rare original upholstery on the seats.
In addition to the standard controls for the Darley pump, the side panel includes an output valve for the auxiliary booster pump.
An undated photo of the truck in service in Otisville MI, at what appears to be a truck fire, shows the "OFD" lettering that will be reapplied to the cab doors as part of the restoration. The ladder and hand lantern certainly indicate that the truck was not used exclusively for brush fires.
The truck reportedly was in service in Otisville until the mid 1980s, and was then sold to a company that had a waste dump where OFD was always responding to fires.
All the paint has now been buffed, but the rear end will have to be repainted to match the gloss, and the cab roof possibly replaced due to deterioration of the gutters. Aluminum which was used to cover the deck areas during the previous restoration has now been removed, and the original diamond plate will be painted silver.
See also a bunch of small parts (380K JPEG) which have been re-chromed (not an inexpensive process these days) and are ready for installation. The rear spotlights will be replaced with new identical Unity brand lights.
Water in the suction hose trays had corroded them so they are being remade, by a commercial metal bender since they are about nine feet long.
The new wheels (180K JPEG) are 16-inch FC wheels which have been painted to look similar to a snap ring wheel but are actually one piece wheels. The tires are tubeless with chrome plated brass valve stems.
Step one in replacing the cab roof was to cut out the roof center for a better look at the roof rails, which were in excellent shape. The brace across the roof opening was put in by Valley to support the lights and siren on the roof.
The perimeter of the roof cap was then removed, not by drilling out the spot welds but by grinding each spot weld from the top, leaving a nice clean rain gutter area with no holes.
The inside of the roof panel was painted before installation, and pre-drilled for the lights and siren. The roof was attached to the pillars with "Panel Bond," an epoxy bonding agent that was also spread into the rain gutters and along the windshield header. This will be stronger than the factory spot welds, serve as a sealer to prevent water from getting under the roof cap, and prevent the heat of welding which might require more painting.
Thanks to Forest Township Fire Department in Otisville MI, and to Grace Wiggins. -- Derek Redmond
See another Valley FC, Wilkes-Barre Pumper 4, and a Champion Willys pickup truck conversion by Valley.
See more Forward Control Fire Engines.
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