WALLINGFORD - When firefighter David Gade brought a bar made from the front end of an old Cytec Industries Inc. fire truck to the company last week, Ed O'Neal said his jaw dropped.

The shiny red bar with the T1 Wallingford label and working lights resembled an expensive, custom-built order, O'Neal said, and no longer reminded him of the 26-year-old lime green pumper truck that in July 2009 had been towed from Cytec Industries after finally dying.

"I was just in awe," said O'Neal, fire chief of the Cytec Fire Department on South Cherry Street. "It not only looked like a brand new truck, but it was professionally done. It's amazing the transformation it went through."

The transformation took about six months and $1,000 to complete but Gade, a town resident and career firefighter with the Wallingford Fire Department, said he was hopeful it would provide positive memories for his coworkers and provide fundraising opportunities down the road.

The bar stands about four feet tall and is built around the grill of an authentic 1984 truck. Everything had been refinished and painted, the lights were rewired to work without the engine and it was placed on wheels so that it could be taken easily between locations, Gade said.

Gade said he got the idea from a friend with the Naugatuck Fire Department and, when asked if the effort was worth it, he smiled and said shook his head.

"It was a great project to take on and now it will give back to the community," he said. "Last year we held a benefit picnic (for firefighter Rick Garrison) that had a huge turnout and was able to make some good money. With something like this, we could really help organizations like the American Cancer Society and provide a great event for the community."

Gade said the transformation would never have happened without the help of several other business owners in Wallingford. After receiving the truck from Cytec Industries, Anthony Cassella II of Chick's Used Auto Parts said he was happy to offer space for Gade to do the work.

Over the next several months, he watched as Gade drained the truck of any fluids and slowly removed parts until he was able to saw off the front end. He then added coats of paint, brought and attached a hardwood top and provided a finish.

"When he started out, I told him he had too much time on his hands and too much ambition. My reaction was ‘are you crazy'?" Cassella said. "When he was done, I was impressed. It was a top shelf job."

Gade said he couldn't have done it without the help and support of North Farms Volunteer Firefighter Danny Moore, owner of Coatings International in Yale Plaza. Moore donated the paints and finishes needed to complete the project, he said.

When asked about the donation Friday, Moore said he was happy to help out.

"Firefighting is a brotherhood. When he asked me, I didn't hesitate to lend a hand," Moore said. "Knowing how well it came out and that it could help with fundraisers only makes it that much more worth it."

jvallee@record-journal.com

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