Huntley Smith came to Lytton in the mid-1960s. He has always had a passion for restoring old vehicles and when Lytton’s 1941 International Harvester fire truck survived the 2021 Lytton fire, Huntley acquired it as his next project. His intention was to restore it and return it back to the Village.
For many years, the truck was parked behind the Lytton Fire Hall in the Village, where it was hidden from view and exposed to the elements. After the fire destroyed the Fire Hall, the truck was dragged out and towed to Huntley’s shop.
Along with Burt Glasgow and other community members, Huntley began the work of assessing the truck’s condition, disassembling, finding parts, getting the engine running, and starting the body work. A new radiator was ordered more than once, as thieves found their way to his shop and stole the part.
Huntley said, “Burt and I had an attachment to this truck as we did a minor restoration on it back in the 1970s for the Lytton Volunteer Fire Department. The fire truck is a 1941 International Harvester. The Armed Forces of Canada and the States acquired many of these types of fire trucks and this particular one came from Winnipeg.”
Last spring, Huntley sold his home and shop in Lytton and moved with his wife Sharon to Chilliwack. He is committed to completing the restoration of the fire truck and has driven up to Lytton often to continue working on it.
At this time, there is no budget for the restoration work that Huntley and other volunteers are doing. Huntley said, “This is a major renovation, and I am happy to be receiving help on this project from several local people.”
Get involved
If you would like to donate to help offset the costs for this restoration project, contact the Village Office by calling 250-455-2355 or emailing info@lytton.ca.The Village can provide tax receipts.