Ferno Model 7 Quick-Lock Fastener

I was unable to find an original style Model 7 floor plate as discussed above. F-W didn't even have the plans anymore for that variant.

So, having no luck I looked into whether a new one could be fabricated easily, and had that taken care of with stainless - same as the original hook. New on left, casted/aluminum later model on right. Looks great! I was able to adjust the hook's distance on the threaded rod to fit, and now it no longer catches on the cot's frame.

Unsure why the floor is torn up in front of the mounting location. Looks like maybe they had the bracket a bit rearward, then it ripped out of the floor with just small screws in the wood? (They was an accident at one point - perhaps then). The current (maybe new?) location had holes with evidence of machine screws/washers so that's what I did. At the least, in good/direct lighting you can see pressure lines in the linoleum from where the bar pressed down on it. For at least a little while, it faced that way I suppose.
 

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The original gurney was a custom by Ferno Washington, because it was shorter and narrower. I distinctly remember Jack telling me about it. He drove the car to Ohio to pick it up, and then delivered the car to the Pinner Rep in Brooklyn NY. Check the paperwork that I gave you for the name of the company in New York. In old age, it escaped from my memory, and I have yet to retrieve it.
 
Looks to me like that floor plate had been moved forward at some point. That's not just floor damage from a single incident.
 
It would have been a flush mount. Cut into the floor. As the gurney was built shorter as stated the mount would be back. A dremal tool works good to cut the mount in the floor. Its quit evident the origional one was chiseled in. I have never seen that done neatly in plywood. Now as i remember the story the problem with the standard gurney was the jump seat. With the cabinets built in so large the gurney ended up over one of them.

But perseverance pays off nice to see the right plate in there. This car is the finest example of custom built for the consumer i have seen.
 
A little help wood putty will fill that divit in nicly. The flush mount makes since.

The floor is rather damaged in that area and is cracking/breaking apart - maybe from sun exposure? I wish I could find similar/identical material to consider replace it one day.

The original gurney was a custom by Ferno Washington, because it was shorter and narrower. I distinctly remember Jack telling me about it. He drove the car to Ohio to pick it up, and then delivered the car to the Pinner Rep in Brooklyn NY. Check the paperwork that I gave you for the name of the company in New York. In old age, it escaped from my memory, and I have yet to retrieve it.

The Franklin Body Company (also made panel van/truck type ambulances) was the Pinner dealer in that area in 1963. Pinner Coach later decided to just sell direct.

You are correct, the Rhinecliff Fire District minutes mention very briefly changing the cabinet specs - they wanted a "Rescue Type" cabinet. This occured after the wheelbase stretch per Jack Pinner. As you noted, the solution to the smaller patient compartment was a special-order two-man type cot (Model 30, most likely) from F-W that was ordered and picked up along the way for delivery in NY. I have no specifics in regards to any change to length, but 22" width was an special-order option compared to standard 24" width on F-W cots.

When the car arrived in May 1963, it took until October 1963 to be officially put in service. It appears there were more than a few items obtained and changes made to the car - like installation of flashlight brackets and the like. One specific thing described in the newspaper and minutes of the council was that the Ladies Auxiliary fundraised for a Model 26 cot (also the special order 22" width). Apparently, the department was dis-satisfied with what was delivered.

Besides the apparently short, narrow two-man cot, the car was also built with a Model 1 cot bar (mounting hardware still in place), which even with a 22" width cot cuts the room down between the bench and cot. Replacing with a "One-Man" cot also allows for the use of the Model 7 fastener, and an extra 2-3 inches of room. The minimal staffing of the department also supports the concept of a "One-Man" cot.

Looks to me like that floor plate had been moved forward at some point. That's not just floor damage from a single incident.

It would have been a flush mount. Cut into the floor. As the gurney was built shorter as stated the mount would be back. A dremal tool works good to cut the mount in the floor. Its quit evident the origional one was chiseled in. I have never seen that done neatly in plywood. Now as i remember the story the problem with the standard gurney was the jump seat. With the cabinets built in so large the gurney ended up over one of them.

But perseverance pays off nice to see the right plate in there. This car is the finest example of custom built for the consumer i have seen.

You're both right as I see it, it appears was moved backwards just slightly from original placement. The F-W Model 7 was mounted either at the head or foot end of the cot, or in this case at the side just ahead of the front wheel. In the original spot, the hook would have been straight and not positioned at an angle on the curved part of the cot end.

It appears to have been surface mounted originally, same as now - not cut into the floor to be flush mounted (that would've been clean-looking, that's for sure). However, there is no evidence of holes going all the way through the floor. My best guess is the hardware originally just came with shorter wood screws, and this failed at some point - damaging the linoleum/etc. They then moved it back and drilled all the way through into the compartment to allow for machine screws with nuts. I've chosen to go this route until such time (maybe never) that the flooring is repaired/replaced in some way. That may or may not happen when I handle the mild rust repairs, repaint, and re-letter with the gold-leaf as original.

Can you imagine having to keep track of that Model 7 fastener? What a pain in the @$$ set up!

It would seem that someone would likely have to come along to the side door or kneel over in the back seat to lock it up. Very inconvenient in comparison to a cot bar. However, with the limited space - this is probably the best place to put it. There is not enough room at the foot end to close the door, and at the head end it'd interfere with the cabinets more. As I described at http://www.professionalcarsociety.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19869 - Model 5 and Model 173 cot fasteners that came out later are much more convenient, but I guess Rhinecliff VFD never chose to upgrade that.
 
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