The first LEGO Fire themed SUV type of vehicle.

Until recently, the backup chief's truck of my local fire department (normally a ca. 2000 Ford Excursion) was an older Chevrolet Suburban, actually even older than this set. And this set is generic enough to represent all kinds of SUVs, both foreign and domestic.

Looks great! Given how the design of such real-life (and similar to the set) vehicles as the Land Rover Defender, Toyota Land Cruiser 70, and Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen have changed so little in their lifetime, this looks as much at home in a modern LEGO City fire department as it would a classic one.

This is the first set I got from an online seller to try and see if I could do it, back in 2006. It was preparation to buy the real deal: The Black Seas Barracuda...

This is among the first cars I got as a small boy. I did so many modifications to it all the time. :D

Ahh... when Lego vehicles were sized for minifigs and were simply made. Good times!

Loved this set when I was younger. One of our first sets with the larger tires making it a really fun build and even funner to modify. We had so many 4 wide cars with the little wheels so these wheels were prized in my childhood household.

My current 6 and 8 year old co-builders have no idea how good they have it with all of the large technic wheels they get to play with.

@Slobrojoe said:
"There are 16 sets beginning with ‘fire chief’. How many vehicles does that guy need?!"

Too many chiefs and not enough engines :~P

@Zander said:
" @Slobrojoe said:
"There are 16 sets beginning with ‘fire chief’. How many vehicles does that guy need?!"

Too many chiefs and not enough engines :~P"

I think LEGO's done a lot of them because they are a good thing to package as a low-tier set with a low price tag. But, they can be repurposed into civilian cars; or even other units/trailer pullers. I am buying this year's (or was it last year's) chief's truck to use as a cab/chassis for a few different units. Unlike the older units, it's big enough of a chassis to house a rescue truck or ambulance. As is, it's perfect as a brush unit.

What irks me is helicopters--LEGO usually has one every fire wave; while other units like ambulances (we get one what, every five years?!!), rescue trucks (never done), or hazmat units (again, never done, but a good time to use the CMF Hazmat suit). Most departments will run all three; but I can only think of 2-3 departments in the USA that have helicopters in their fleet (LA City, LA County, and Miami-Dade). In most cases, they'll just use police helicopters.

@cody6268 said:
" @Zander said:
" @Slobrojoe said:
"There are 16 sets beginning with ‘fire chief’. How many vehicles does that guy need?!"

Too many chiefs and not enough engines :~P"

I think LEGO's done a lot of them because they are a good thing to package as a low-tier set with a low price tag. "

Indeed. I just said what I did because it was an irresistible play on words. Please ignore my silliness.