1914 American LaFrance Type 10: Unfinished business

Story by Tomas de Vargas Machuca & Ben Cussons // 1914 American LaFrance Type 10

For this Peking to Paris edition, we chose a magnificent car: a 1914 Type 10 American LaFrance, originally a fire engine for the Minnesota Fire Department. After decades of service, it was imported to Great Britain in the 1960s. The car stood out, as any American LaFrance does, for its imposing stature trumps any other car. After all it is an Edwardian "truck". The moment I saw it, I knew this was the car for the adventure, and I immediately called my friend Ben to join as my co-pilot... 3 seconds later we had a crew!

The LaFrance was introduced to me by Paul Dilley and Josh Thompson, who specialize in car restoration. They were eager to help prepare the car for the rally, but more importantly, they were committed to teaching us how to run the car independently, without the help of our beloved mechanics who usually sweep on our rallies.

What followed was a three-year journey of preparation with the four of us (Ben, Paul, Josh, and myself). We familiarized ourselves with the car through several shakedown trips, in an effort to literally “shake the gremlins out”.Our first was at the ‘Club des Autos’ at the Château de Sermet, followed by the ‘Flying Scotsman Rally’ and the ‘Sahara Challenge’ in Spain and Morocco. The LaFrance performed admirably, so we decided to enter the ‘Badawi Trail to the Last Oasis’, a final test in blistering heat and sand. The rally was simply amazing, but the car developed an "attitude" and presented problem after problem. Thank goodness it did, as we were able to learn so much about the car ahead of P2P.

The Peking to Paris was the hardest motoring adventure Ben and I had ever undertaken. This heavy, three-ton former fire engine became a crowd favorite, capturing attention and cameras at every stop. Our days began early; we left an hour or more before the next car each day, often waking at 4 a.m. and driving until 8 p.m., with peak days stretching to 18-20 hours. This didn’t include the daily maintenance—adjusting chains, spark plugs, sprockets, the radiator, and brakes, and topping up the three liters of mineral oil the engine consumed daily.

The car ran smoothly for the first few days until an unseen speed bump transformed it into a "bucking bronco." The jolt inverted the leaf spring shackle and wedged the chain between the rear drum and sprocket. We were stranded roadside, but local policemen, fascinated by the car, ensured our safety. Ben expertly cut the chain with an angle grinder and re-linked it, allowing us to continue.

We outperformed everyone on our first encounter with deep sand. By driving off the beaten track, we found better grip, thanks to the morning dew compacting the sand. We never got stuck and even helped a few crews with our winch, for the first time we felt we were onto something.

The most devastating moment occurred as we left Baku, heading towards northern Azerbaijan. A bystander pointed out a fuel leak at the rear of the car, we stopped and seconds later the car was on fire— the fuel had ignited on the exhaust. Despite our efforts, we watched helplessly as the LaFrance was engulfed in a ball of fire, taking with her everything we owned, including wallets and passports. It was a heart-wrenching moment. The LaFrance was such a great car that it took a fire, in the Land of Fire (Azerbaijan), to stop the unstoppable fire truck! We were shocked but grateful that no one was injured.

There is unfinished business here as we look towards 2028…

Story by Tomas de Vargas Machuca & Ben Cussons