January 7, 2009 > Leapin' Lena Leapin' Lena Submitted By Barbara Gomes Bowman Leapin' Lena was the City's fire truck used by the volunteer fire department. It carried 300 gallons of water and 300 feet of fire hose, and got the name from the way it leapt forward when the brakes were released. The truck served the City from 1947 to 1956 prior to being sold to the Weller/Curtner ranch, where it was stripped of fire gear and started new life as a flat-bed farm truck. It remained out of sight for 20 years before being found and purchased by the historical society in 1992. In 1995, restoration by inmates at the Elmwood correctional facility in Milpitas began. Restoration as a operational parade vehicle was completed in 1999 at a cost of $12,000. The Milpitas Historical Society, local businesses and private donations paid for the cost of restoration.