Chicago Fire Dept. Ambulance Photo

Thanks for posting this image, Kurt. This is one of the six Siebert-Mercury ambulances purchased by the CFD in 1947. They must have found them satisfactory because, in 1948, they bought an additional four. According to the available records, each of these cost the CFD $4,100. These sedan-type ambulances had a wheelbase of 154-inches and an overall length of 20-feet. As for interior space, the length of the rear compartment floor was 109-inches. The entrance to the rear compartment was through the wide side doors but could also be serviced through the rear door which was of the then novel swing-up hatchback type. As a combination car or a hearse, these unique Siebert vehicles weighed in at 4,300-pounds. These ten Siebert-Mercury ambulances were used well into the Fifties and were augmented by other ambulances (Miller-Cadillacs) in 1953 and 1954. As far as is known, the Mercurys were retired in 1956 following the delivery of a large fleet of new Meteor-Cadillacs.
 
Kurt, thanks for sharing this. I came across a auction for on of these a few years ago, and was trying to figure out what was up with the top, I thought someone cut the section out and put it back in, but now I see it looked like that when new. I find it unusual that Siebert would not have smoothed the splice out and make it look one piece.
 
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