Nicholas Studer
PCS Elected Director 2022-2025
Some photos of an interesting 1971 GMC standard headroom ambulance conversion supposedly in the possession Texas funeral home came up on an unrelated Google search. Being in the vicinity of where the vehicle supposedly was in a few weeks, I called and asked the Funeral Director if it still existed, and it did. I asked if I could visit to look at it and take a few photos, and he agreed!
The car was parked under a metal overhang behind a small funeral home in a small town in central Texas. The funeral director was not interested in selling. "One day" he would like to restore it, ran when parked, etc. The owner told me of using it for removals until the 1990s, but ambulance service ended in the 1980s. No coachbuilder tag I saw, but I'm guessing Gordon K Allen? Dallas wasn't too far away.
Several photos below. Covered in dust, but very complete and less rusty than expected. (Of course, I'm not one to judge on that.) I didn't look inside the engine compartment. Very interesting 4 "Lollipop" lights and an off-brand siren I hadn't heard of before. Mounting bolts for a beacon on the roof, the Model 184 beacon was next door in the hearse barn. Interesting air conditioning setup in the roof. Unusual ambulance decals on both rear windows under heavy layer of filth. Curtains and what little was carried for ambulance items (oxygen sphere kit, first aid kit, some sheets, other odds and ends) still there, but owner not interested in selling them either. Stretcher was supposedly present when last looked at years ago - but the owner kept the car unlocked and someone apparently stole it.
I included a photo of the funerary vehicles there too.
All in all, interesting trip indeed!
The car was parked under a metal overhang behind a small funeral home in a small town in central Texas. The funeral director was not interested in selling. "One day" he would like to restore it, ran when parked, etc. The owner told me of using it for removals until the 1990s, but ambulance service ended in the 1980s. No coachbuilder tag I saw, but I'm guessing Gordon K Allen? Dallas wasn't too far away.
Several photos below. Covered in dust, but very complete and less rusty than expected. (Of course, I'm not one to judge on that.) I didn't look inside the engine compartment. Very interesting 4 "Lollipop" lights and an off-brand siren I hadn't heard of before. Mounting bolts for a beacon on the roof, the Model 184 beacon was next door in the hearse barn. Interesting air conditioning setup in the roof. Unusual ambulance decals on both rear windows under heavy layer of filth. Curtains and what little was carried for ambulance items (oxygen sphere kit, first aid kit, some sheets, other odds and ends) still there, but owner not interested in selling them either. Stretcher was supposedly present when last looked at years ago - but the owner kept the car unlocked and someone apparently stole it.
I included a photo of the funerary vehicles there too.
All in all, interesting trip indeed!
