1971 Hess Red Pumper
“Season’s Greetings” Fire Truck
Original Cost: $1.69
Manufactured: 10,000
This Fire Truck is a replica of the actual fire engines used at Hess Refineries and Storage Terminals. Some of these trucks are still in service today. The truck is a pumper with two detachable rubber hoses on one side and a detachable ladder on the other. It even has a swiveling water cannon on top. This particular truck does not feature working headlights and taillights, but boasts a red emergency light that flashes and rotates on the top of the cab.
- Towards the end of the manufacturing production run of this fire truck, Marx Toys ran out of boxes before they ran out of trucks. In 1971, they used a blank white box and slapped a sticker on it that said, “Seasons Greetings.” Originally, some customers were very unhappy with this and felt cheated. Little did they know that its value would triple in price. This is a very rare truck and much sought after.
