77-79 Downsized Ambulances
- Thread starter Daniel Scully
- Start date
The final (small) photo if my Lifeliner -- from my website http://michigan-ems.tripod.com/id115.html
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Brady D Smith
PCS Life Member / PCS Past President
That was the one that was......
Warren, your car was originally delivered to North Platte, Nebraska, correct?
Warren, your car was originally delivered to North Platte, Nebraska, correct?
My Lifeliner, body #77372
Yes, the City of North Platte was the original purchaser. It had served as the factory demonstrator for Miller-Meteor, and was also on display at the IAFC convention. (You were kind enough to locate and forward photos of it on display on the convention floor.)
I have all the original paperwork related to the factory release, delivery to Anderson Fire Equipment, and their sale to the City. When the Lifeliner was eventually traded in, I was the purchaser, and second owner of record title, back in 1989.
Yes, the City of North Platte was the original purchaser. It had served as the factory demonstrator for Miller-Meteor, and was also on display at the IAFC convention. (You were kind enough to locate and forward photos of it on display on the convention floor.)
I have all the original paperwork related to the factory release, delivery to Anderson Fire Equipment, and their sale to the City. When the Lifeliner was eventually traded in, I was the purchaser, and second owner of record title, back in 1989.
Terry Lange
PCS Member
One of the Groves ambulances. I know there is still one Groves ambulance in California and was purchased through a used dealer in Denver and had the chance to get it. Too slow on my part. I believe this picture came from Brady's collection. Here is the #3 Groves ambulance which was never put into service in Flint and I believe Warren Waterman's ambulance.
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Jeremy D. Ledford
PCS Volunteer Chapter President
Looking at the factory M-M photos there Brady I sure was hoping to catch a glimpse in the back ground of a certain new sovereign gold 77 M-M Landau Traditional hearse!!!
Brendan Martin
PCS Member
It's in the lobby of Lifeline Ambulance in Woburn Mass. I believe it belonged to Scott Crittenden at one time.
This is correct..
Body #77075 Prior to me Pro-Care Transportation and Capital Ambulance of California. I bought it from Capital in 1999, Sold it 2006. Car was originally Cotilion White, had orange on it at some point. Was bright white when I got it and in a pic from Pro-Care.
Bill Marcy
PCS Member
At one time, I was the owner of the 1978 Lifeliner, pictured here. The history, as I know it, but not a complete history, is that at one time, the ambulance was owned by PCS member Jon Wurm, sold to PCS member Craig Stewart in about 1996, sold to me in 2000 and I sold it to PCS member and past PCS President Martin Schmeisser in around 2001. To my knowledge, Mr Schmeisser still owns it today.
Kurt Halverson
PCS Northland Chapter President
This one popped up for sale on the old board in 2010, don't know anything about it other than the guy was selling it for a friend whose husband had passed away. The guy was from Wisconsin, his name was Trevor Matuszak if anyone wants to try to track him down, but he wasn't the owner. Made one post and was never heard from again. I have other pictures of the interior saved.
I am the proud current owner of this '77 Lifeliner, and I can provide some of the history on this car. Friends have shared with me that this car is unique in the fact that it seems to be the only downsized Lifeliner with the Beacon Ray mounted on top of the cab instead of the patient compartment. This car also had no fracture board box on the roof, and it is believed that it was ordered this way to fit into a 7' garage door. This car also has white upholstery on the seats; most of these cars had orange or brown from what I have been told.
We know this car originally served with an Illinois Funeral Home/Ambulance Service. We are not sure on which one, but we think it may have been named Hayes. A Google search did locate a Hayes funeral home, in the Chicago area, but their website offered little information specific to the business. I suspect that it may be corporate owned, and the name is just a hold over from when the F.H. was bought out. It was bought from them in 1981 or '82 by an ambulance dealer in Fergus Falls named John Ringdahl. Brady Smith posted a picture of this car in front of the Fergus Falls Fire Department after John had body work done on the car and was ready to list it for sale. Apparently there was heavy rust on the rear loading door. The car was originally all orange on the bottom; when John had the body work done, he had the lower portion of the car painted white.
In 1982 Tracy Ambulance Service of Tracy, Minnesota, was ready to buy a new rig. They debated between buying an additional van to compliment their other 2 rigs, but decided on this Cadillac due to the ride comfort. They designated this car as their transfer unit, and they used it on many transfers to Souix Falls, S.D., Mankato, MN, and Saint Mary's of Rochester, MN.
Tony Karsnia has shared with us pictures of this car in front of the old Tracy ambulance garage in the late 1980's. These pictures can be found on this forum in the "Classy Cadillac" thread.
When Tracy sold the car (I believe in 1992) a PCS member, Brian Schuff of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Brian had the car for a few years, and I think he also owned a couple of down sized Superior Ambulances of this vintage. Brian sold the car a few years later (I think mid to late 1990's) to Eric and Chrystal Schleiter, who lived in Iowa at that point. The Schlieter's enjoyed the car, taking it to PCS events and on camping trips with their kids. At some point, after the family had moved to Wisconsin, Eric had some health related events, and the car sat in a garage for a few years. That is when this picture above was taken.
In 2012 I joined the PCS and met Tony Karsnia. While getting to know Tony, I shared with him that my grandparents live in Tracy, Minnesota, and a close family friend, Homer Dobson, had helped to get the ambulance service started when the local funeral homes discontinued the service in 1971. Tony shared with me that the 1977 Lifeliner that used to serve Tracy was still around, and Tony helped to put me in touch with Kurt Schlieter who organized a showing of the car for me and the subsequent sale. This car has a lot of meaning for me, being that it served in Tracy, Homer used to drive it (that's him standing by the car in Tony's pics on the "Classy Cadillacs Thread!), and I even remember seeing this car around town when visiting my grandparents.
The car is body #77264, and I am working on preserving it as it served in Tracy in the 1980's/
Here is a picture taken with Homer by the car:
And a picture of the car in front of the current Tracy Ambulance HQ:
Sorry for the long post, but it's a long history!
Kurt
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Brady D Smith
PCS Life Member / PCS Past President
@Richard Vyse
It was the FOURTH car ordered by Groves &Co that was refused and sold elsewhere. Three were placed in service and we have photos documenting all of them.
It was the FOURTH car ordered by Groves &Co that was refused and sold elsewhere. Three were placed in service and we have photos documenting all of them.
More photos
While it is nice to keep ambulances in original paint and colors, it is also nice to see them live on with new paint/decals for the purpose of education, history and interest. I can't remember how this AMR unit started out (which of the 30 Superiors).
While it is nice to keep ambulances in original paint and colors, it is also nice to see them live on with new paint/decals for the purpose of education, history and interest. I can't remember how this AMR unit started out (which of the 30 Superiors).
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Bill Marcy
PCS Member
Our own, late Daniel P McCann III was a member of the Kearny, NJ squad and I believe that he may have worked in this ambulance with member Craig Stewart. This ambulance was traded in to member Paul Vickery, where it awaited a new owner, who could restore it. Looks as if that has happened!
On the old website, I had chronicled all of the original 30 cars as best as it could be done at the time. Unfortunately, that record is probably lost to history. In August 2013, I attempted to do it again, however, that thread never caught on and the posts were sparse. You can clicking here to read it.
Fred Goerlitz
Northeast Chapter / PCS Life Member
Bill is correct in that both Danny and Craig worked in this car. It was Danny's ambition to one day acquire it and restore it.
With all due respect to all concerned, are you sure the AMR car is the former Kearny car? I say that because, the story I remember is that it was one of the two Dundee (NY) FD ambulances.
The ambulances are similar, but the Dundee car lines up a little better due to the fact that the Dundee cars were delivered with the two siren speakers and the Mars light in the center, as the AMR car has now. Not to say that AMR couldn't have added speakers and a Mars light....
Also, neither the AMR car nor the Dundee car has spotlights. The Kearny car has spotlights, though again, they could have been removed. A lot can change in nearly 40 years.
Here's a picture of one of the Dundee cars. The other one is/was in Pete Grave's yard, in rougher condition.
The ambulances are similar, but the Dundee car lines up a little better due to the fact that the Dundee cars were delivered with the two siren speakers and the Mars light in the center, as the AMR car has now. Not to say that AMR couldn't have added speakers and a Mars light....
Also, neither the AMR car nor the Dundee car has spotlights. The Kearny car has spotlights, though again, they could have been removed. A lot can change in nearly 40 years.
Here's a picture of one of the Dundee cars. The other one is/was in Pete Grave's yard, in rougher condition.
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Fred Goerlitz
Northeast Chapter / PCS Life Member
Steve,
I believe the AMR car is one of the Dundee cars. I was under the impression that the Kearny, NJ car is owned by Mr. Ireland
I believe the AMR car is one of the Dundee cars. I was under the impression that the Kearny, NJ car is owned by Mr. Ireland