MICUs - 1970s style

Steve Loftin · Dec 24, 2010

Kansas University Medical Center (Kansas City, KS)
(Chevrolet postcard)

Before paramedics and today's level of patient care became the norm, many large hospitals and even a few ambulance services had large mobile intensive care units like this. Some were based on step van and others on motor home chassis (usually Clark or GMC). Some of these were used exclusively as cardiac units, such as the one St. Anthony's had in Oklahoma City. St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa and the OU Medical Center in Norman, OK operated larger rigs like this back in the 1970s. Seward, NE bought theirs for multi-victim accidents on I-80.

I can't tell who did this conversion. The diagonal Twinsonic side mounting bracket says "Parsons Custom Products" (KS), but the angled Unity ditch lights say "Southern Ambulance Builders" (GA). Although it probably had an electronic siren as well, the C6B and Solar Ray add some class and tradtion to this rig!

If you have photos of a rig like this, please post them in this thread.

Steve Lichtman · Dec 24, 2010

Steve, I believe the KU stepvan appeared in a Parsons ad.

Steve Loftin · Feb 16, 2011

Valley Stream, NY
GMC motor home chassis; unknown conversion
(note four Dietz #211-WW beacons)

(SL collection)

Steve Loftin · Feb 16, 2011

Heartmobile Restoration Project

"The first vehicle specifically designed as a Mobile Coronary Care Unit in the United States started in Columbus, Ohio." Interesting site; great EMS history item:

http://www.heartmobile.org/heartmobile.swf

Interesting booklet, as well:

http://www.heartmobile.org/photos/medical_booklet.pdf

John ED Renstrom · Feb 16, 2011

I think I have a couple of these. at least one Cortez add.

Steve Loftin · Feb 16, 2011

John ED Renstrom said:
I think I have a couple of these. at least one Cortez add.

Wow...dual Aurora Borealis beacons!

Scott A. Anderson · Feb 16, 2011

Wolf Coach is still in business today, although part of a larger conglomerate called L3. Their primary business today is mobile television broadcasting units, and various vehicles for defense and homeland security. Their plant is in Ayer, MA. They got out of the ambulance business many years ago. None of the Wolf family are involved in the company any longer. They built our mobile command vehicle a couple of years ago. We dealt with Richard Wolf on the purchase at the time. I personally drove the truck back to MN from their factory. That was an adventure!

The truck is a mobile emergency operations center. It is used to manage major incidents in the city and to support a couple of special operations activities that we participate in through a contract with the State.

Here are some pictures: our truck at the factory immediately prior to delivery, and their sales brochure cut-away of the truck interior. Sorry about the digital photo size Paul, you may need to shrink them down.

http://www.wolfcoach.com/wolfcoach/homeland.html

Bob Charbonneau · Mar 2, 2011

Wolf Coach started in a small facility in Northborough, Mass in the late 1960s - my local Fire Dept bought one of their early rescue trucks, a 1969 GMC step van conversion (basically a tool box on wheels although it had a built-in generator); it was hazardous to drive as it was very top heavy. Their modular ambulances were noted for having running water!

Steve Loftin · May 30, 2011

Here's another on a GMC chassis; converter unknown
Hanover Twp., PA

(SL collection)

Terry Lange · May 30, 2011

Arrow Ambulance - Champaign, IL

Terry Lange · May 30, 2011

Snell's Ambulance - Mason City, IA. Home made conversion.

Keith Snyder · May 30, 2011

Hess & Eisenhardt also built at least one of these on a GMC Motorhome platform. It went to the Norwood, Ohio Fire Department. They were also actively promoting such vehicles and even printed expensive color brochures. I remember seeing the almost complete Norwood unit being hand lettered at the plant during one visit.

Mike Stevens · May 30, 2011

Wolf Coach

I like that Wolf Coaches uses International trucks. But that's just me.
Mike

John ED Renstrom · May 30, 2011

here is a shot of the H&E off the flyer

Steve Loftin · Jun 13, 2011

More Cortez ambulances/MICUs

Point Pleasant, NJ, FA&ES
19?? Cortez, unkown converter

(SL collection)

Here are some shots of Baldwin, NY's 1974 Grumman conversion; note also the interior views of this and their '63 S&S:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/baldwinfd/sets/72157601996399397/with/1556306643/

More Cortez info:

http://www.cortezcoach.com/

Steve Loftin · Jun 13, 2011

Here are two more Cortez rigs, sent to me by Dennis Svoboda:

1972 from Eastern AS in Lincoln, NE (ex-Weeping Water, NE)

19?? from Gold Cross AS in Rochester, MN

Steve Lichtman · Jun 13, 2011

OK, so the Gold Cross MICU has Ful-Vu lights. Unusual, but not unheard of.....

But is that an AMBER Ful-Vu on the right front?!?!?!?

Dennis Svoboda · Jun 14, 2011

Eastern Cortez

We had this vehicle all ready and licensed to respond. However it was to be used as a MICU and had not made a run. I was working shift this day and we convinced Marty, Eastern's President to let us use it for a first out. We got dispatched to an area that we knew we would beat Lincoln Fire, who were the first responders. We heard their sirens as they arrive but they never came in to the house. When we came out with the patient we found them walking around the Cortez and looking over at their brand new 1985 FMC engine. Our Cortez was larger than their engine. :dancing:

This made our day.

Jim Staruk · Jun 20, 2011

Scott Anderson said:
Wolf Coach is still in business today, although part of a larger conglomerate called L3. Their primary business today is mobile television broadcasting units, and various vehicles for defense and homeland security. Their plant is in Ayer, MA. They got out of the ambulance business many years ago. None of the Wolf family are involved in the company any longer. They built our mobile command vehicle a couple of years ago. We dealt with Richard Wolf on the purchase at the time. I personally drove the truck back to MN from their factory. That was an adventure! http://www.wolfcoach.com/wolfcoach/homeland.html

For what it's worth and for anyone interested in Wolf Coach, I just hired the daughter of Richard Wolf and she has some very interesting stories of the "ambulance days". I'm sure I can get any specific questions anyone might have answered by him.

Steve Loftin · Apr 20, 2013

1972 Grumman ambulance

Since this isn't a procar, I didn't put it in the eBay section:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972...&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true1972 Grumman

MICUs - 1970s style

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