1971 S&S-Cadillac "Medic Mark I" at Dauer Car Collection

Nicholas Studer

PCS Elected Director 2022-2025
I recently visited Dr. Edward Dauer's private museum/collection in Sunrise, FL to see his 1971 S&S-Cadillac Medic Mark I ambulance. His staff was very kind and allowed me to take as many photos as I liked. Dr. Dauer had this ambulance restored around 1999. According to the Autoweek article at https://autoweek.com/article/car-life/1971-ss-medic-i-cadillac-ambulance-rescue - it started out at Fanwood, NJ and made its way to FL to two agencies before Dr. Dauer purchased it for display at his private hospital in 1989. It did not run calls with the hospital, as I am aware.

It looks gorgeous overall, and is very well cared for. I believe the vinyl in the back was replaced, not sure if that was original. I enjoyed seeing the main oxygen system in particular, as this confused me a bit from the small print of contemporary S&S ads. Note the three control valves. The M cylinder that would mount under the cabinet floor is controlled by a standard NCG oxygen regulator. This is then piped to the three options on top of the cabinet: a Schrader quick-connect for the Heart-Lung Resuscitor, a dual DISS hook-up for a resuscitator & aspirator (perhaps E&J Micro head or Emerson, who knows?), and a standard 0-15 LPM "free-flow" for simple masks and cannulas.

I also really liked S&S's cabinet/compartment labels. The bench seat compartment is labeled for a Reeves stretcher. Under the front attendant seat on the bench, a compartment is labeled for a "Maternity Kit." The roof/linen compartment is labeled for "Endotracheal Tubes" and "Sterile Bandages" - and interesting combination. "Cardiac Resuscitators" labels the large compartment with accordion door in the cabinet, clearly holding the HLR and whatever was carried for a portable resuscitator/inhalator/aspirator. The Ferno Model 30 had its mattressed re-covered in the same material as the upholestry in back (apparently new). Yes guys, I did tell them the foot pad's proper position is tightened and upright!

Unfortunately, Dr. Dauer is not a PCS member. I told his staff he should join!
 

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They look so much better from the rear when they are 2-toned like this rig. I would have to find a pair of S&S front tunnel lights if I owned this one!
 
Beautiful car. I don't disagree that the vinyl has been replaced, but it is very close to the original in my cars. The only thing that maybe looks out of place is the red on the rear door, but I think all of my cars have storage compartments in the door, so the big expanse of unbroken vinyl looks incorrect to me. A note on the engraved labels - Nick noted that the linen cabinet had an interesting combination of storage - Endotracheal tubes and Sterile Bandages - One, the cabinet does have a divider in the center of the two doors, and Two, I would say it has been relabeled - if you look in the photo, you can see a faint outline in the center, along with three holes (one large in the center, two smaller on the ends) - this would have been the original tag that said "Linen Cabinet" - originally the tags were held on with two small brads (note the Reeves Stretcher tag) and the Linen Cabinet tag covers up the center screw that hold the bottom of the linen cabinet together (the larger hole in the center). I'm not saying the cabinet wasn't relabeled while in service, just noting what I've observed with my cars.

The floor, however, is definitely not original, and would bug me (if it were my car.)

Thanks for the photos.
 
They look so much better from the rear when they are 2-toned like this rig. I would have to find a pair of S&S front tunnel lights if I owned this one!

This girl would look very nice in her original livery, and MUCH better as originally equipped:
 

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What a beauty!!! The cot being unmade reveals what great shape it's in (no needle punctures covered up with electrical tape unlike most cots of the era!) This rig nearly looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Are those Beacon Ray Juniors up front?

Also I found it interesting that endotrach tubes had their own cabinet! So this must have been an ACLS unit? Which I didn't realize they had Paramedics in the early 70s.
 
1971 S&S=Cadillac "Medic Mark I"

Here is a shot of it when owned by SAS ambulance in St. Petersburg, Fl. I believe Cary Livingston owned it for awhile. Abe, as far as having paramedics in the '70's do you remember a TV show called "Emergency" which came out in 1971? There were services that had ALS equipped pro cars.
 

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it would appear that it it started out with strobes. up front. one of them is badly miss colored. what looks off on the rear door is no lines in it just smooth. we get to use to looking at superiors and MM. but the only one I have that you can see the rear door open is smooth. I would bet the O2 bottle was a H it was in the 72 CB I had. as for the labels I know they would do about anything you asked but my bet is on the last service.

wish they had put the coats in a rick out side the car but to each there own. now I would take it home in a hart beat. it's a nice looking car.
 
Yup Ken is right, I owned it for about 3 years before selling it to Eddie Dauer. I knew of this car for ages. When I got serious about procars in 1984ish I made numerous attempts to try and buy this one. The usual line...nope not for sale. Fast forward a few years and SAS fell into bankruptcy. Through a series of contacts somehow I became the only bidder on this asset of the company. Much to Loftins dismay the strobes had to go. They were literally disintegrating from the Florida heat. Domes cracked and fiberglass was damn near dust and fiber. I added the Federals, the C6 was original. It had the remote spotlight behind the seat in pieces. It was a REAL tight 30k mile car. All I did was radials on it as the 8.90's were almost powder. I enjoyed it for 3 years or do and knew it needed a proper home. Eddie and I met and he did her right. Even lost the hated green naugahyde. Back when this car was redone all Ed was doing was 100 point AACA National cars. I can imagine the restoration on this was damn near impeccable. Ahh, memories.....:rolleyes:
 
Yup Ken is right, I owned it for about 3 years before selling it to Eddie Dauer. I knew of this car for ages. When I got serious about procars in 1984ish I made numerous attempts to try and buy this one. The usual line...nope not for sale. Fast forward a few years and SAS fell into bankruptcy. Through a series of contacts somehow I became the only bidder on this asset of the company. Much to Loftins dismay the strobes had to go. They were literally disintegrating from the Florida heat. Domes cracked and fiberglass was damn near dust and fiber. I added the Federals, the C6 was original. It had the remote spotlight behind the seat in pieces. It was a REAL tight 30k mile car. All I did was radials on it as the 8.90's were almost powder. I enjoyed it for 3 years or do and knew it needed a proper home. Eddie and I met and he did her right. Even lost the hated green naugahyde. Back when this car was redone all Ed was doing was 100 point AACA National cars. I can imagine the restoration on this was damn near impeccable. Ahh, memories.....:rolleyes:

........... but I love S&S's signature "Pea Green" vinyl!! I would love to have this rig in its original color combination!
 
Beautiful car. I don't disagree that the vinyl has been replaced, but it is very close to the original in my cars. The only thing that maybe looks out of place is the red on the rear door, but I think all of my cars have storage compartments in the door, so the big expanse of unbroken vinyl looks incorrect to me. A note on the engraved labels - Nick noted that the linen cabinet had an interesting combination of storage - Endotracheal tubes and Sterile Bandages - One, the cabinet does have a divider in the center of the two doors, and Two, I would say it has been relabeled - if you look in the photo, you can see a faint outline in the center, along with three holes (one large in the center, two smaller on the ends) - this would have been the original tag that said "Linen Cabinet" - originally the tags were held on with two small brads (note the Reeves Stretcher tag) and the Linen Cabinet tag covers up the center screw that hold the bottom of the linen cabinet together (the larger hole in the center). I'm not saying the cabinet wasn't relabeled while in service, just noting what I've observed with my cars.

The floor, however, is definitely not original, and would bug me (if it were my car.)

Thanks for the photos.

Jacob - indeed, good point and I missed the empty "holes" until you pointed it out. I'll bet it did say linen cabinet. I do now note the labels on that compartment don't match the rest of them slightly in font/design, but also not having fasteners in place - while it appears they are just double-sided taped on.

This girl would look very nice in her original livery, and MUCH better as originally equipped:

Thank you for the photo Steve!

What a beauty!!! The cot being unmade reveals what great shape it's in (no needle punctures covered up with electrical tape unlike most cots of the era!) This rig nearly looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Are those Beacon Ray Juniors up front?

Also I found it interesting that endotrach tubes had their own cabinet! So this must have been an ACLS unit? Which I didn't realize they had Paramedics in the early 70s.

The mattress is recovered. No F-W product originally looked like that.

it would appear that it it started out with strobes. up front. one of them is badly miss colored. what looks off on the rear door is no lines in it just smooth. we get to use to looking at superiors and MM. but the only one I have that you can see the rear door open is smooth. I would bet the O2 bottle was a H it was in the 72 CB I had. as for the labels I know they would do about anything you asked but my bet is on the last service.

wish they had put the coats in a rick out side the car but to each there own. now I would take it home in a hart beat. it's a nice looking car.

I asked the two gentleman about the rear door, which has been recovered. They said there might have been the so-called "First Aid Bar" in the rear door, but it was probably thrown away.

H cylinder is too large. M is what you're thinking of. http://www.esprigas.com/sites/default/files/generalmedicalsizingchart_0.jpg

The linen cabinet labels (probably) and a few other things are add-ons or rather mild manipulation of the original reality of the car when built. To make the Astra work, they added in a fluorescent light setup wired to AC power. There are a few AC outlets (just Home Dept boxes) added in to the bench compartment and the side stair chair/stretcher compartment to power the owner's items during displays, show award placards nailed to the radiator support, etc. While a distraction from the purist sense, they're not particularly noticable to most folks and I didn't want to take away from my presentation of the fact this car was restored (a term used loosely by many others) very well as an ambulance by someone who isn't even a PCS member. I was very appreciative of this and his team's time and kindness.
 
Abe, as far as having paramedics in the '70's do you remember a TV show called "Emergency" which came out in 1971? There were services that had ALS equipped pro cars.

Yes Ken I do remember that show, I used to love watching it when I was a kid, and still watch episodes occasionally on Amazon Prime video. I guess I thought the paramedic program was more of an "experimental" thing back then, not actually practiced in most areas. Interestingly, my favorite "pulling into the ER bay" stock footage in the earlier seasons was when the white M-M combo was parked in its parking spot, with the two 184s on the front and "MAYFAIR" emblazoned on the front of the hood.
 
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