Robert Blause on Feb. 11 uncovers the antique 1934 International fire truck he restored at his home. The original water tank was removed to allow room for guests to ride.

WASHINGTON TWP — Robert Blause has always "tinkered."

He says so himself, as does his close friend, Dennis Trzeciak.

So when Blause inherited a 1934 International fire truck from his brothers, he just began working on restoring the old machine.

That was about 15 years ago when Blause was just 67. On Feb. 7, he celebrated his 82nd birthday, and he is still tinkering with the truck and other mechanical objects that catch his interest.

The fire truck originally served the community of Six Points, where Foxburg Road-Route 58 is crossed by McKees, Sandy Point, Slater and Maple Furnace roads just to the east of Eau Claire in northern Butler County.

How the Blause brothers got the truck and how it ended up in Mount Jewett, McKean County, Robert Blause doesn't remember.

But as a man who, after serving in World War II, worked in the strip mines as a mechanic and welder and for International Mill Service, which maintained equipment in steel mills, Blause turned out to be the right one for the fire truck restoration job.

With the help of Trzeciak and some machinists, Blause figured how to get the truck running again and then began replacing parts of the truck that had rotted, rusted or just went bad, including the wooden frame that holds the windshield in place."Well, it was left in a field for a long time, so we had to get it painted up," Blause said.They removed the original water tank from the chassis to make room for guests to ride in the back of the truck because Blause has Trzeciak drive the truck in Fourth of July and Veterans Day parades."He's my designated driver," Blause said, adding that he doesn't drink, but that at his age "(Trzeciak's) reflexes are better, and I'm always worried about kids running around at parades."The 75-year-old truck has about 14,000 miles on its odometer, weighs 5,200 pounds without the steel water tank and can go between 35 mph and 40 mph downhill, Trzeciak said.Blause would love to take the truck to the annual Saxonburg Fireman's Parade, which is held in early June, but without power steering and the lack of speed, the two men have never ventured too far away from the garage in Parker in which the truck is stored."I would love that (the Saxonburg parade) or to go to the Zelienople Fourth of July parade. Iunderstand its real nice, but we just haven't gotten it figured out," Blause said.Blause and his wife, Catheryn, have three children and seven grandchildren, all of whom spend time on the truck when visiting.

Robert Blauser restored this antique 1934 International fire truck in his garage in Washington Township. Blauser inherited the truck from his brothers 15 years ago at age 67 and started "tinkering" with the truck in his spare time. He keeps the truck running, and he and close friend Dennis Trzeciak drive it in Fourth of July and Veterans Day parades.