I am headed into the final stretch in the restoration of this 1962 Cotner Bevington Chevrolet Station Wagon Conversion Ambulance. Thanks to all that have helped me to secure the necessary missing parts, especially Ed Renstrom and Kurt Arends.
Introducing the 1962 C/B Ambulance
- Thread starter Paul Steinberg
- Start date
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
She's looking fantastic Paul!
Peter Grave - Deceased - 1938 - 2022
PCS Member
Looks fantastic great Job. I love to 50 to 52 Buick lights in the roof first I have seen that. Is it stick or PG?
Bill Marcy
PCS Member
Congratulations Paul, that is a beautiful ambulance! Fabulous job!
Tim Prieur
PCS Member
Beautiful Paul. Congratulations on completing this truly unique vehicle.
Looking good.
Thanks to Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and their marvelous time-traveling DeLorean, I was able to get a copy of the Monroney sticker for the car.
Peter Grave - Deceased - 1938 - 2022
PCS Member
Thats great having a copy!!! The last six of the VIN stamped no computers then, $10.50 for seat belts. The government was not building cars then. I looked at the front fenders V emblems not the 327 flags did a little head scratching and I don't think the flags started till 63. The State Police cars here was Chevie in 62 stick Bel Airs (Birch Gray) 327 and the Turnpike and some other areas had Overdrive. They were coming off just when I started cop cars the shift linkage and column were a disaster thank god your rig has PG. I look forward to seeing it in person one day.
I look forward to shooting it--next year in NY, perhaps?
Terry Lange
PCS Member
Great job on those front tunnel light housings and lenses. Were you able to find a set off an old C/B, or did you have them made up from scratch? Looks much better than those old torpedo lights that always seemed too close together.
Overall, very nicely done restoration!
Overall, very nicely done restoration!
They were cut off of an Oldsmobile that Kurt Arends found in Nebraska. I purchased the front roof section from the top of the windshield pillar back to the rear of the B pillar, and had it shipped to me. I also got the car's stainless steel roof moldings before the roof was cut off.
Then the pods were removed from the roof panels by melting away the lead, and the steel pods were sandblasted and prepared for grafting to the Chevrolet roof. Once welded onto the roof, they meticulously recreated the contour as it was done in lead, but this time they used modern materials. I was there to approve every step of the job, since I didn't want to gamble that it might not come out as expected. Once installed, they removed everything from the roof and welded up the many holes drilled into the roof by a previous owner.
Then the pods were removed from the roof panels by melting away the lead, and the steel pods were sandblasted and prepared for grafting to the Chevrolet roof. Once welded onto the roof, they meticulously recreated the contour as it was done in lead, but this time they used modern materials. I was there to approve every step of the job, since I didn't want to gamble that it might not come out as expected. Once installed, they removed everything from the roof and welded up the many holes drilled into the roof by a previous owner.
Next came the installation of the roof stainless steel trim. This presented a problem because, along the way, I concluded that two people were working on opposite sides of the Oldsmobile while it was being built, and neither was performing the same operations as the other. This led to one molding being about 3" longer than the other side, and the placement was also different side to side. This had to be corrected, and the stainless steel was trimmed so both sides would match. This caused additional problems, but after cutting, welding, and polishing the stainless, both sides now match.
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
Not only did those tunnel light come off of C-B Olds, but they actually came off of a '62 SWB Olds ambulance.
Mark Jordan
PCS Member
WOW!!!
This week I turned my attention to completing the heating and air conditioning systems. Heater hoses went smooth with no problems, except for one factory clip that seems to have shrunk since it was originally manufactured. I hope to have a replacement within a week or two.
Next up with to connect the air conditioning hoses to the compressor and the condenser. This would have been a lot easier if the old hose was still available, but today, all that is available is "barrier" hose, that keeps the Freon from leaking out through the hose wall. It is much more difficult to work with, since it is much stiffer, and more difficult to get onto the barbed fittings. After struggling with one hose for about an hour, I finally got both ends seated next to the ring on the barbed fitting that indicates it is properly seated. I wouldn't want to be the next person to have to work on this, because they are as difficult to get off as they are to get on. Today, all cars use hoses with threaded metal ends that screw on. In 1962, only expensive cars got those better connections.
Next up with to connect the air conditioning hoses to the compressor and the condenser. This would have been a lot easier if the old hose was still available, but today, all that is available is "barrier" hose, that keeps the Freon from leaking out through the hose wall. It is much more difficult to work with, since it is much stiffer, and more difficult to get onto the barbed fittings. After struggling with one hose for about an hour, I finally got both ends seated next to the ring on the barbed fitting that indicates it is properly seated. I wouldn't want to be the next person to have to work on this, because they are as difficult to get off as they are to get on. Today, all cars use hoses with threaded metal ends that screw on. In 1962, only expensive cars got those better connections.
Going back to gather nicely.
Keith Snyder
PCS Member
Congratulations. Looks great, Paul. And....you've had some truly professional assistance.
That is beautiful Paul. Looks amazing.
Kurt Arends
PCS Elected Director 2021-2024
Why the amber rear roof lenses?