Yuma firefighter turns vintage fire engine into mobile tap truck
A Yuma firefighter is converting a 1978 Pierce engine into E7Eight Tap Co., an eight-tap truck slated for local events in the coming months.
Raul Carlos is turning a 1978 Pierce fire engine into an eight-tap mobile drink truck that is expected to start appearing at community events in the coming months. The Yuma firefighter said the project began with a Facebook Marketplace find and has grown into a business play under the name E7Eight Tap Co. LLC.
Carlos has spent 10 years in the fire service, and his work schedule has shaped the pace of the build. A 2023 U.S. Army profile said he has worked at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground since 2020 and typically pulls 48 consecutive hours on duty before getting three days off, a rhythm that has left much of the conversion to late nights and off-hours.
The truck itself has a long path behind it. Built for a fire department in Ohio, it later moved to Arizona and passed through multiple owners and restoration attempts before Carlos took it over. Even as he retools it for business, the vehicle still has the same kinds of control systems and equipment layout that make it feel like a traditional fire engine.
Carlos is converting the hidden compartments into a beverage system with eight taps that can pour nitro cold brew, lemonade, mocktails and other specialty drinks. He said the outside will stay classic fire-truck red and recognizable, part of the appeal of a truck meant to surprise people when they walk up to order.
That blend of nostalgia and commerce could give the truck a place at local gatherings across Yuma County, where a memorable setup can matter as much as the drink list. The project has taken hundreds of hours, and Carlos has said he wants it to be something the community can enjoy while also showing younger people that a big idea can become something real with enough work.
Carlos, a Somerton native and Kofa High School graduate, originally worked as an instructional aide and was headed toward teaching before firefighting became his career path. Now, the vintage engine is becoming both a business brand and a rolling display of after-hours labor, with E7Eight Tap Co. positioned to bring its first pours to local events soon.
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