When something makes no sense at all, yet makes perfect sense at the same time, it must be Rod Hadfield’s touch.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The reason famed Australian hot rod builder Rod Hadfield does some things is purely because he can.
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An unconventional artist in terms of what springs to most people’s minds when they hear that word, he is responsible for crafting dozens of wild automotive masterpieces.
Street Machine refers to Hadfield, the owner of Castlemaine Rod Shop, as “the mad scientist of hot-rodding”.
Hadfield brought to life another ambitious vision with a stellar result.
Photo by
Bree Harding
When the extraordinary experimenter transformed a tiny Italian coupe, a 1948 Fiat Topolino, into a ‘fire engine’, it made it easy to agree with the magazine’s label for him.
Inspiration for the ‘Fire Chief’, which is currently on display at MOVE in Kialla, came from a 527 cubic-inch American LaFrance V12 engine originally designed to power a fire truck.
Longer, faster, more unique.
Photo by
Bree Harding
In Hadfield’s true bold and imaginative style, he wanted an engine that would command attention, not just any old V8.
So, he enlisted the help of the Texas Fire Museum to ship out the rare engine that had been rebuilt and restored there.
The flawless vintage power source delivered plentiful torque while still oozing original aesthetic charm.
But it wasn’t just about the engine; he placed just as much importance on finding the right body.
The motoring museum also has an original Topolino on display, so visitors can compare the two.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The 1948 Fiat Topolino was most commonly produced as a convertible, but Hadfield sought out the rarer steel-roofed version for his firey invention.
The huge V12 engine was in complete contrast to the little Fiat’s body, which was one of the smallest cars of its time.
What the Fire Chief looked like before Hadfield worked his magic.
Photo by
Bree Harding
For the engine to even fit, the Fiat’s front end had to be stretched, while its firewall was pushed backwards and a completely new chassis was built.
Chief, boss, same same.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Surprisingly, when it was complete, it was still recognisable as a Topolino, yet at the same time, looked vastly different.
Five Stromberg carburettors sit atop a custom intake manifold, as 12 stainless-steel exhaust pipes cascade down the sides of the engine.
Suicide doors open to reveal an equally head-turning interior to the custom car’s exterior.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Adding to the custom exterior are handmade body panels, rare Halibrand magnesium wheels and a rear-mounted cooling system.
The wheels are rare Halibrand magnesium wheels.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Inside it, there are Wilwood brakes, an adapted manual six-speed gearbox, vintage Stewart Warner gauges, custom seats and fire-truck-inspired styling.
No detail has been overlooked.
Photo by
Bree Harding
While little about the car’s design makes sense, other than its potential intention to challenge convention — which succeeded in signature Hadfield style — there are a couple of things topping off the theme that made perfect sense: fire engine red paint and gold signwriting.
Fire engine red paint and gold signwriting were about the only two features that made practical sense.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The result is a fully engineered showpiece blending Italian styling, American industrial power and Aussie ingenuity.
The Fire Chief is currently on display at MOVE in Kialla, along with an original Fiat Topolino, so visitors can see what it looked like before Hadfield’s remarkable customisation.
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