Photos of Tiverton Fire Dept. Criterion

Brendan Martin

PCS Member
These are the some of the photos I promised I would post. Please be patient with me my computer skills are not as good as I wish they were. To all my PCS friends with Criterions these are for you. This ambulance was purchased by my good friend and former rescue partner's father when he ran the ambulance in Tiverton R.I. It ran out of the Stone Bridge Volunteer Fire Station. P.S. Richard I couldn't make you wait until the New Year for these!:)
 

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Wow, Thanks!!!! These pictures just goes to show you that ambulances come in all kinds of designs. This one features twin side red lights and twin ditch lights too. First time I've seen that configuration. I love those twin 184's sitting up there. It just makes the rig!
 
This 76 Criterion looks like a rig that was designed for use in California. The use of Federal 184-H beacons, as well as the fore and aft tunnel lights are spot on for services in the Golden State. Had my Criterion come set up the way this one is, I would not have added the second set of beacons. Great looking rig despite the yellow paint.
 
Any idea where it is now? MM

Sorry Mike, I have no idea, and unfortunately my friends father, shown in the photos passed away about 15 years ago. I had heard a rumor about an old Cadillac Ambulance in a junkyard in Dartmouth Mass. that was believed to be from Tiverton R.I., when my friend and I went to look we were met by a very cranky junkyard owner who said he sent two Cadillac Ambulances to the "Iron Goddess." I'm assuming that meant the crusher.:thumbsdown:
 
nothing like a picture of a in service rig. notice the rust forming on the drivers door? how can you say open the drain holes people
 
nothing like a picture of a in service rig. notice the rust forming on the drivers door? how can you say open the drain holes people

I don't know for certain, but looking at those pictures, I am inclined to believe that they were taken right after the ambulance was delivered. It just looks too pristine to have been in service very long. One winter in New England, and you would notice the mud under the fenders or on the tires. It is just too clean to have been in service very long in my opinion. I believe that one of the two men pictured is still alive, so possibly Brenden can ask for the answer...
 
the story I have been given on the drain holes on the criterion was that MM coated the insides of the door with a heavy layer of rust proofing deliberately covering the holes. then the dealer was to unplug them as part of there pre delivery inspection. you know the task that was designated to either the oldest man in the dealership or the youngest one. there was a wedge shape tool shipped with the car to do this. this task never got done on most of the cars. the results was a vary early failure of the lower edge of the door. I would say this picture was a vary early one of the car in service. the white will show a rust spot vary fast. but did you pick out the difference that let Robert point out the 76 year.
 
"Built-In at the M-M Factory"

The expanation that Ed has makes sense because I have not (ever) seen a Criterion without some rust..... and no visible drain holes..... other than the eventual holes caused by the rust including the 1974 I had that was new from Norfolk Ambulance Service, (Norfolk, Nebraska) that had "migrated" to CA thru Lou Farah and Paul Nix fairly early in it's career. I have tackled some pretty serious "rusty" restorations and it was even too much rust for me! (*) I even tried for federal grant for cancer research on it (only kidding).... it belongs to a young person in LA now with a lot of optimisum and metal working capabilities. MM
 
Another Criterion Accounted for!

How great is that?? Even if it has gone to the great iron yard in the sky, we can account for another one that was built. Thanks, Brendan! :thankyou2:

To answer Ed's quiz, the 1976 is identified by (a) the grille, (b) the two narrow chrome strips in the front parking lenses, and (c) the presence of the chrome strip over the roof that separates the front roof slope from the high-top. I've seen some '76 models without that strip, though, so don't always count on it being there for positive ID.

This is a beautiful rig. Notice it still wears a set of 890.15 bias ply tires. It is interesting also to note how they centered the left side roof lettering above the rear fender, rather than centering on the entire blank side. This made both sides of the car appear more uniform.
 
As promised here is an action photo of a Tiverton R.I. Fire Department's Criterion, at a motor vehicle accident with a "Rescue Truck" from my Department long before my time. The photos focus on the scene itself which did involve young kids but the ambulances are visible.
 

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you really got to love these old scene shots. they show a lot. sometimes how far we have come somethings how far out in left field we are.
 
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