American LaFrance 800 Series

In 1956 American LaFrance introduced the 800 series. Like the 700 series it was based on, the 800 was a cab forward chassis. By the mid 1950s other manufacturers were offering cab forward chassis of their own taking sales from the 700 series. The 800 series was developed to reduce the cost of manufacture and offer more options than the 700 series. A variety of Continental inline 6 cylinder engines became options, along American LaFrance's own V-12. The 800 series was only offered as a pumper using centrifugal pumps of 500-1500gpm capacity. While it had been intended to replace the 700 series, the two would exist side by side until 1958 when the 900 series would replace both. Only about 300 were completed in the year and a half the 800 series was in production.