A Blenheim man has restored a 1897 fire steam engine from Dawson City, Yukon.
Stan Uher, owner of Classic Coachworks, says the Dawson City Firefighters Association has been fundraising for 25 years and sent him the iconic 120-year-old horse drawn steam pump a year-and-a-half ago.
Uher says he's been restoring classic cars for 37 years but hasn't restored anything as dazzling as this fire engine.
"I've done some pretty fabulous cars but none of them really had the dazzle effect that this one does. It's just an amazing piece," says Uher.
The project is estimated at roughly $250,000.
The restored beauty will make its way back to Dawson City next week to be on permanent display in a museum and will roll in a parade next month.
Uher says it's a rare piece of equipment that the public doesn't see very often.
"All that gold leaf detail is exactly what was there before. I was able to uncover it, under layers of paint and document it of course. And when I was ready to reapply it, it's on there exactly as it appeared when it was brand new," Uher says.
Uher says it took him 1,500 hours to restore the pumper to its original state.
"We had it outside for the first time July 16. Every morning I come in I'm dazzled by the looks of it but when we got it outside, it's just overwhelming how amazing that vehicle is," says Uher.
