New here, 1955 Ford sedan delivery-based ambulance by National

1955 Courier-based ambulance- just picked this up a week or so ago, pretty much completely intact. I wasn't looking for a professional car but this was too cool to pass up. Fired up for the first time in decades within the month, previous owner swears the indicated 50k miles is actual, and I suspect he's right. 272 Y-block runs like a top. Mountain Green on the firewall was the factory color prior to being shipped to National for conversion and paint. St. Maries (pronounced St. Mary's) is a small town in Idaho, not far from Couer d'Alene. It's in nice enough shape I don't plan on doing much more than wear parts and a good cleaning.

I'd love to pick up a copy (or even a scan, for that matter) of The Professional Car issue #93- I know very little about National, and aren't having much luck finding out more aside from the info at Coachbuilt.com.

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very cool car. A good friend of mine, now deceased, used to be a volunteer fireman in St Maries. Also, the Pac NW Chapter president is in Portland!
 
nice find you get tired of it I'll give it a new home. was it a us built ford or Canadian. they might have just ordered it from National. if you go to couch builder .com the information on the company is listed there. they would build on about anything. the standard wheelbase was the low end model. it has the one piece door in the rear off the courier. they could get the door and frame from ford and just put it in. would have been a lot nicer if ford had done that on there wagons
 
Hi Steve! First off, welcome to the forum. Secondly, congratulations on a very cool professional car. I am a big fan of 55 and 56 Fords, plus I have a strong interest in standard wheelbase professional cars. I wish it was in my garage, but meanwhile, I wish you lots of enjoyment with it.
 
nice find you get tired of it I'll give it a new home. was it a us built ford or Canadian. they might have just ordered it from National. if you go to couch builder .com the information on the company is listed there. they would build on about anything. the standard wheelbase was the low end model. it has the one piece door in the rear off the courier. they could get the door and frame from ford and just put it in. would have been a lot nicer if ford had done that on there wagons

It was built in the Memphis plant, and the body is a 78A (Courier)- those aren't Ford side windows. National's changes were pretty much limited to the windows and extraction vents, seats and interior, and the faired-in lights.

I've spoken to some former employees of the St. Maries FD- it was originally delivered by National in a traditional white ambulance livery. In the very early 1960s St. Maries bought a Cadillac-based ambulance, and this one was relegated to off-road duty and tight spots where the big Caddy had difficulty reaching. When the Caddy was purchased, St. Maries repainted this one bright purple- no kidding, you can still see some at the top of the firewall. It was also on the field at football games, etc., etc. In the late 1960s, it was moved to the fire department, who used it for hauling technical extraction equipment and where it received the current livery. They apparently kept it in service until the early-mid '90s. Ironic that it was being used to haul the jaws of life to accident scenes right up into the '90s, yet it never had seat belts installed.
 
The firewall tells the true story of its original color, teal. As you pointed out, there are remnants of the purple paint on the upper firewall. The red and white paint scheme appear to be the final version of its paint changes, and based on condition, it appears that was done a very long time ago. Enjoy the car, and just think of the color changes as part of its history. It is a unique vehicle, and it deserves to be preserved.
Most important is to carefully check the steering and brake for any mechanical problems that need to be corrected for both your and the cars safety. A bad engine, transmission, or rear, will leave you stranded at the side of the road, but bad steering, brakes, & tires can kill you. Old cars are extremely easy to work on, don't require expensive tools, and most parts are relatively easy to source, and a lot less expensive than modern cars. If you need any assistance, encouragement, or just advise, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help you get all the enjoyment from your car as possible.
Paul
 
Starting out with a sedan delivery makes since. Explains the bucket seats. Nice it was keep in service that long. Explanes the condition of it. Great find.
 
Steve: Congratulations on the car! Such a neat piece of history you have.

I can see the outline of where the Ferno-Washington Model 1 Cot Fastener was. It should not be hard to find one. C-W Coach has some spare, as do many of our members.

Please consider joining the Professional Car Society at http://www.theprofessionalcarsociety.org/join.html It's really worth it.
 
Thanks for the welcome!

As I'm digging deeper into this, I'm seeing clear signs that the purple was applied directly over the factory Mountain Green paint- no white to be seen. Looking under the upholstered sides, purple overspray is visible on the interior steel around the National-installed side windows. Is it even conceivable that anyone would order a bright purple ambulance in 1955? :confused:
1968, maybe, but 1955?
 
The only way to know is to brake out the sander and work the layers down. But if it was bought by a privet service any color is possible
 
Amazingly little rust on this, and having done my share of old Fords I'm well aware of what to look for. The frame is spotless, as are the bottoms of the doors, rear stone guard, and the other usual problem areas. Even the rubber window seals, etc., are like new. I'm told by folks in St. Maries that they stored it indoors, and afterwards it sat in a building in Everett, which likely made all that difference.

I just can't get my head around the idea of a small town in rural Idaho ordering a bright purple ambulance in 1955, but who knows. It was owned by the city, not by a private company.
 
Sure would be interesting to see an image of this ambulance, when it was "in service" back in the day.

Agree Bill. Such a rare car, would be a great addition, even in b/w. Steve, have you contacted the local fire dept. to see if they have any pics?
 
They hardly know what rust is in Oregon and Idaho! If it spent its life out there, it is probably rust-free.

Sand and or mud together with moisture can make a mess too. My '67 2+2 Pontiac from south central New Mexico had a lower quarter panel area rust out area that was filled with adobe mud that blew in and settled in the ten years it was parked out there. The mud plugged up the drain holes in the bottom of the quarter.

Suffice to say power washing the underside of the car twice and driving it three years and it still had mud packed into the frame.I found that while using an impact to remove the front and rear suspension during that part of the build.
 
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