You can’t really buy American firetrucks and drive them personally. Forest service greenies or the chief’s Blazer, maybe, but our real fire trucks are fricking huge. Euro firetrucks operate in much more confined spaces (and budgets), meaning they end up with sweet conversions like this 1980 Volkswagen LT45. Something like the T3’s big brother, we’ve seen a Syncro LT45 before that looked like it was ready to roam the desert because it knows that winter is coming. This is no Syncro DoKa, but it is a dually 5-speed diesel van that could serve many uses. It currently has the hose reels, but unless you want those the seller says he’s pulling them out. The seller seems confident that $16k is his price – do low miles and rarity counteract the generally rough appearance?
Click for details: 1980 Volkswagen LT45 on eBay
Year: 1980
Model: LT45
Engine: 2.4 liter diesel V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 60,000 mi
Price: $16,000
1990 VW LT45 High Roof VW Van with a 2.4 Liter Non-Turbo Audi Diesel inline 6 cylinder 5 speed manual transmission. Van has power steering, power brakes and 100K km or 60K miles. The LT45 means this is a 4.5 ton gross vehicle with dually rear axle. Inside standing height is over 6′. This is a factory high roof conversion from VW. The van was recently imported from Germany and still has lights/sirens etc. All of the import paperwork is completed. Very simple process to register this vehicle.
This is an extremely rare wide body, high roof van. See the comparison to my Mercedes Sprinter for size reference. Everything on the van is in working condition. I am in the process of removing the hose carriers, water tanks, pumps etc.
had to list as a 1980 as the VIN did not work on eBay
Body is in pretty good shape accept around rear wheel wells where there is some blistering where the dually flares were added years ago. There is a slight dent on the passenger slider from the interior outward below the window. for the most part the van is very clear for it’s age. Was originally yellow and has an older repaint to German Fire Engine red.
Wider than big-daddy Sprinters, you could do a lot of activities with this van. The width, height, and heavy-duty dually traction make me want to grab some big friends and turn this into the mountain bus. Having sirens would be awesome (but illegal). With a little investment this could be a world-conquering adventure van, but $16k is a high cost of entry with a lot of work ahead.
-NR
