The sprinter is to be let loose.
A 1916 Dennis fire engine, one of three Dennis engines which came to Dunedin directly from the factory, is set to hit the road.
The 110-year-old appliance, which has a bell instead of sirens, and solid rubber tyres, will headline the European and British Car Show at the Outram Reserve this Sunday.
The engine — No 6 — is in good working order and is set to give a display at the show.
The engine is owned by the Oakley family and has been with the Dunedin Fire Brigade Restoration Society for about 10 years getting everything in good working order set to go.
Norm Oakley said the fire engine was as it was when it rolled out from the Dennis factory in Great Britain in 1916. Three of the appliances were bought by Dunedin Fire Brigade officials back then, numbered five, six and seven.
Five was also being worked on by the society in its rooms in Burnside, while what happened to No 7 was a mystery, Mr Oakley said.
The No 6 vehicle was known as the sprinter as it had some speed to get to callouts, although it was sometimes beaten to the scene by the water pump drawn by horses.
No 6, which has two-wheel brakes and wheels with solid rubber on steel rims, was a vital part of the fire service for a good few years before it was sent up to the Roxburgh brigade.
He and his brother Roger then bought it to keep it in the family and still owned it today.
It had a top speed of about 80kmh and blew a bit of smoke but was not too loud, Mr Oakley said. It was registered and had a warrant, so was in decent nick.
The plan had been to get it out for its first good run in years in the annual Dunedin to Brighton All Veteran Vehicle Rally last month.
"But we got to get it out and it started raining. Really coming down. So we thought we better not as we wanted to take it out on a fine day," Mr Oakley said.
Instead it will head out on Sunday, weather and ground conditions permitting, where it will stand out among more than 300 vehicles.
The society is helping organise the day to raise funds for its new $4 million complex on the Taieri.
The society is planning a 3000sq m building on land provided by the Otago Aero Club, where more than 25 fire engines will be displayed.
