DAF 44 Fire Engine 1971

DAF 44 Fire Engine 1971 by Autocult

According to purpose  
With the Type 33, the Dutch DAF plant – the abbriviation for the 1932-founded company ‘Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagenfabriek N.V.’ – entered the passenger car market for the first time. The Type 33 was soon followed by the Type 44. Thinking in the usual categories at the time, the car was grouped into the ‘lower middle class’. From 1966 the car went into series production. It became quickly apparent that the fitted two-cylinder boxer engine with 34 hp was too week for many customers. Despite its “weak” engine and its constructive simplicity, the car was quite popular with the mainly local clientele. DAF held on to its production until 1974. From 1972 on the Swedish Volvo plant participated in the production of the car.   In the second half of the 1970s, a 1971 DAF 44 came into the focus of firefighters of the village Diemen – a town in the province of North Holland with population of almost 20,000 at that time. In the course of the 50th anniversary of the local firefighters the desire arose to celebrate it with a specially converted DAF 44. Therefore a up to then only for civilian purposes used DAF 44 should mutate into an emergency vehicle. Only with the craftmanship of the local fire brigade crew, the small passenger car was converted for its new purpose. During the conversion the complete rear area at the height of the side windows was removed. The still existing lower and lateral part of the body ensured sufficient stiffnes. The rear was fitted with a wooden structue, which featured two lengthwise installed seat benches. On each bench two firefighters could be seated. Together with the driver and front passenger, a total of six people could be transported to field of operation.   The real purpose of a fire brigade was ensured by the equipment of an suction hose and a sliding ladder, which were fitted above the rear area at the roof rack of the vehicle. If the published information is to be believed, a portable syringe was also towed as a trailer by the converted DAF 44.