ambulance rescue(s)

[Brady D Smith]

If I can get one of you to write something up for me........

We would love to run the story of this rescue and others, If one of you guys will write something up for us, then we will publish it. I don't have enough information to write it myself. You don't have to be a great writer to do this. Our team will ghost write for you and make you look like a Pulitzer candidate if you get us the basic stuff to work with. It is a great story but when we tell it together it can be a fabulous story!!!

 

[Jacob M. Fournier]

Interior shots from the Bloomsburg '76 S&S. The blanked out driver's side windows are interesting. As far as I could tell, they're the glass windows, covered in vinyl on the inside, and painted on the outside (a magnet won't stick to them.) There is no hole punched in the door trim for a window crank, so I believe it left the factory that way. Also, no real reason for them to be blanked out, besides privacy, there is no evidence of a cabinet ever having been mounted on that side wall.

 

[Jacob M. Fournier]

This is a photo of one of two ash trays / cigarette lighters in the rear compartment, one just inside each side door, however, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that the lighters were wired in. The real purpose? They serve to trim out the fill openings for the sanders. You pull out the ash tray, and pour sand into the reservoir beneath.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

it was not unused for the later models to not have roll down windows on the center door. wounder if it's glass or a sheet of aluminum to fill the blanks. hard to get paint to stick to glass as it's a fluid. strange that they put the ashtray and lighter in the hole if all they were for was to fill the sanders. bet you find a hot wire under that fender cover not hooked up. if you had to pull the ashtray each time you filled it some one pulled the wire off and down it went. S&S seldom had stuff that did not function. it looks like this one was a attempt to compete with the criterion and 54xls. you have to remember by this time S&S was not producing S&S ambulances. if I remember the story right superior was building there ambulances in the last years of the Company.

 

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

(snip) you have to remember by this time S&S was not producing S&S ambulances. if I remember the story right superior was building there ambulances in the last years of the Company.

Makes even less sense than your normal posts. I'll await the S&S book.

 

[Cary Livingston]

it was not unused for the later models to not have roll down windows on the center door. wounder if it's glass or a sheet of aluminum to fill the blanks. hard to get paint to stick to glass as it's a fluid. strange that they put the ashtray and lighter in the hole if all they were for was to fill the sanders. bet you find a hot wire under that fender cover not hooked up. if you had to pull the ashtray each time you filled it some one pulled the wire off and down it went. S&S seldom had stuff that did not function. it looks like this one was a attempt to compete with the criterion and 54xls. you have to remember by this time S&S was not producing S&S ambulances. if I remember the story right superior was building there ambulances in the last years of the Company.

.......

 

[Darryl Thompson]

This is a photo of one of two ash trays / cigarette lighters in the rear compartment, one just inside each side door, however, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that the lighters were wired in. The real purpose? They serve to trim out the fill openings for the sanders. You pull out the ash tray, and pour sand into the reservoir beneath.

Man you sure don't let grass grow under your feet! lol Looking mighty good!

You are very right about the ashtrays being used as covers only. They were sorta looked at as mini storage and not so much as an ashtray. My 73' has the sanders but it also has the side boxes in the rear. Just a plain old stainless plate with 2 screws to hide the sand buckets.

it was not unused for the later models to not have roll down windows on the center door. wounder if it's glass or a sheet of aluminum to fill the blanks. hard to get paint to stick to glass as it's a fluid. strange that they put the ashtray and lighter in the hole if all they were for was to fill the sanders. bet you find a hot wire under that fender cover not hooked up. if you had to pull the ashtray each time you filled it some one pulled the wire off and down it went. S&S seldom had stuff that did not function. it looks like this one was a attempt to compete with the criterion and 54xls. you have to remember by this time S&S was not producing S&S ambulances. if I remember the story right superior was building there ambulances in the last years of the Company.

In S&S, it is more than likely covered glass and not metal. I have came across painted glass many times, in many different applications. Window lettering?? lol It sticks, and for many many years. In automotive applications, if it is painted to the edge and behind the rubber seal, it will last for a crap ton of years.

As for where they were built? HIGHLY doubtful the units in this thread were built anywhere other than Hess & Eisenhardt. The 2 that Jacob brought home show end to end the same exact craftsmanship that I keep seeing in my unit. Different production company = different toolings and assembly methods and it is very noticeable.

Bruce Biancalana's 1973 & My 1973 side by side @ Hess & Eisenhardt

Photo ~Paul Steinberg

As for competition amidst the Criterion and 54xls? Maybe so, Jacobs 2 units are nicely laid out comparatively. However, per Mr. Graves these units were much more $$$$$$ (The Medic 1 was twice the price of a 54xls) than the other competition when originally built. As for Wellsboro, well..... (Options, Options, Options, Options, Options, Options)



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[Jacob M. Fournier]

it looks like this one was a attempt to compete with the criterion and 54xls.

This car couldn't be much further from a criterion or 54xl, if it tried. Compared to the two other S&Ss I own, and any others I've seen, this is the most basic interior I've seen.

Very minimal cabinets, basic lighting, the automatic sanders seem to be the only real option ordered.

 

[Darryl Thompson]

This car couldn't be much further from a criterion or 54xl, if it tried. Compared to the two other S&Ss I own, and any others I've seen, this is the most basic interior I've seen.

Very minimal cabinets, basic lighting, the automatic sanders seem to be the only real option ordered.

Comparative to the "blue one" also? Even though we know they did strip a lot of stuff out of those units.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

had to go back and touch base with coach builders this is what they say of S&S in 73. I may have been off 6 months or so but close. the only reason for blank out the windows would be to resemble a van or the other manufactures with the blanked out sides. they could have painted the glass but I have never seen it stay on glass 100%. when you find out let us know. strange they did not just use the blanks for the hearse welded in like a hearse. it would have been easer and cheaper

 

[Martyn Donaldson]

had to go back and touch base with coach builders this is what they say of S&S in 73. I may have been off 6 months or so...

Ed, if you read the excerpt correctly, you will see that you're off by about 8 years!

I do hope you're feeling okay, you seem to get yourself very confused sometimes

 

[John ED Renstrom]

right you are evenings are not the best of times to do things for me right now. but if you go to the site and read the whole thing you will discover that around this time they were farming out there ambulance line. I have most of this set of pictures from I Believe Dr. White's collection and the end shot shows Bruce's car in front of the H&E plant. it's being given to the first owners. regardless to were it was constructed it would still be built to S&S standards. this practice of helping out each other when one line was slack and the other overflowing was common business in 50's,'60's and 70's. we really lost out when they were all built by one company and the name only a label

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

I think the ambulance rescue mission that these gentlemen have undertaken is a spectacular series of events. I look forward to reading new posts about the pulling of cars from Pete's yard and the subsequent inspections and restoration commencement of each.

I hate to admit this, but I've been around PCS long enough to remember when these cars were in fabulous condition; even crossed paths with a few before they ended up at Pete's place. Speaking with Pete on several occasions years ago, he was always upbeat and enthusiastic for having added certain cars to his collection. While it is sad to see they all deteriorated, Pete's collection was Pete's collection.

It's great to see positive attention focused on these magnificent cars again, especially the custom S&S ambulances. Keep up the great work, guys. You are saving fine examples of professional car and EMS history!

 

[John ED Renstrom]

can't find it right now and it may not be there. but if I do I'll point it out. but as I recall it some were in the mid 70's with money tight one of the partners in Ill heath they split there line and keep the Hearses in there plant and farmed the ambulance line out to superior. this is what set up the closing of the business and leaving the name to be acquired. when I had that 73 I looked up a lot of stuff. retrieving it has proved not as easy as I would like. so feel free to correct me and if anyone else can shed some light jump in. it's discussions like this that keep the cars alive.

 

[Abe Bush]

No, not a chance encounter with the pattern. The old whelen packs are huge and were smoked. However, I have a few new whelen strobe packs and they are 4 head unlike the antiques are only 2 heads each. The output sure does make a good difference to the old light heads, plus the added flash patterns.

Yes, I had to play a few minutes on an upgrade. lol Since there is a little much seriousness on getting it back up and show worthy.

----Now I have to get a consensus. ----

Now that I own the unit, I am stuck on "if I take it back 100% day of delivery" or make it "a little more generic that suits my fleet".

• 100% day of delivery - Everyone knows this outcome.
  
  
• Generic to my fleet - This is to make it show better with my other units.
  Coach will not be labeled "Wellsboro" instead "Sayers & Scovill - Medic 1"
  with a Black over Red paint scheme. All of the original equipment will be the same as delivered 100%. The Astra will read "MEDIC 1".

As for the history and homage of the unit, I will have plaques made describing its history to be affixed in the coach. Secondly there will be show boards that will be displayed with the unit with original service and restoration pictures.

I am kinda leaning on the generic since I am not from PA and the coach will be used more along the lines of showing homage to S&S and the build of such a massively tricked out unit.

Sound off guys! Your inputs are invaluable to what I do!

My opinion is that most people end up putting way more on these cars than they would have ever been built with, which makes them more "tricked out" than restored in a way. Since this car was always a very special car since its inception, down to a special plaque and even a special cot with the department's name on the cot handles, I would tend to restore this rig back to her original glory. If you were to customize it to suit your needs, some of the historical importance of this special car would seem to be lost in my opinion. This was originally a 1 in a million type car, if it was to be customized to fit specific needs that would almost make it seem like a more generic car since everyone tricks out their cars to death.

Just my opinion of course, and THANK YOU Atilla and Darryl for saving her, and thank you Darryl for restoring her back to glory!

Abe

 

[John ED Renstrom]

I have to say I agree with you Abe but it's not my car.

I need to redeem my self a little . I remember that the 73 year was special for the S&S, just not why. I dug out the book from my H&E today and found it. the 73 was the last full production year for H&E. in 74 the company was sold to the owner of the Cincinnati reds. he was the one that sold the name to Earnharet. it was during his tenure that the ambulance line was farmed out to superior. by the time Earnharet acquired the names they were all out of production and the companies folded only to reemerge under the accubuilt name with out any ambulances any more. the only car based ambulances I have see pictures of in the 80's were built for overseas shipment by Collins in 87.

but in spite of everything the lot of you have to be complimented for pulling these out of the woods and getting them back on the road. they just don't make any more of them

 

[Dave Richards]

1973 S&S Ambulance - Ft. Wright FD

Per John ED Renstrom ... "I have most of this set of pictures from I Believe Dr. White's collection and the end shot shows Bruce's car in front of the H&E plant. it's being given to the first owners."

The 'set of pictures' referred to by ED in his previous post is likely the one that was generously shared with me, back in 2004 - shortly after I 'adopted' the '73 S&S Professional from Mike McDonald - by current Ft. Wright (KY) Fire Chief Steve Schewe; who had actually worked in that particular ambulance... "running many calls (in it) as a 'rookie' member of the department in 1984, a short time before it was retired and replaced with a 1985 Horton."


In addition to the priceless photo series depicitng various construction phases of their department's new ambulance at the H&E factory in nearby Cincinnati -- including the one below that their (then) chief, Robert Becker, snapped of the impressive driver compartment/center control console he spotted in the unit being built right alongside theirs (Darryl's newly-acquired '73 WELLSBORO FD rig!) -- Chief Schewe was also kind enough to share with me a veritable treasure trove of other interesting information from his department's file, pertaining to their 1973 ambulance (now in Bruce Biancalana's care). One of those items, depicted below, is the actual H&E "New Professional Car Order" for the vehicle, dated June 19, 1973.



The 1973 WELLSBORO FD rig's driver compartment/center control console... during construction at the H&E factory (1973 Ft. Wright FD photo):

The FT. WRIGHT FD rig's H&E factory Order (courtesy Ft. Wright FD):

Delivery of their department's brand new S&S Professional Ambulance, to Ft. Wright FD Chief Robert Becker... September 24, 1973 (Ft. Wright FD photo):

 

[Dave Simon]

George Strike was the guy who owned part of the Reds...he made his money from the One Hour Martinizing drycleaning stores. Mr. Strike just died in teh past year or so.

Looks like a huge undertaking, pulling these cars out, more power to you guys!

 

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

After bailing out of Breisch auction, I was close enough to pay Pete Grave a visit. Much has changed on his property since there last. Few of the bathtub Henneys had been moved enough to actually see them now.

In addition to scrapping (no procars yet!), masses of trees had been downed. Combined between clearing property, I saw this Senior for the first time. Pete hadn't mentioned it previously so it was a nice surprise.

This reminds me, Bill Marcy - I read the article you penned about Pete in The Criterion and was appalled at the angle you ultimately chose. Whatever happened between yourself and Pete in the past definitely shined through as your assessment was unnervingly off base. If karma happens to nip you hard before offering a published apology, at least you'll know precisely why.

So glad my name was not associated even though my images were used.

 

[James Shao]

Do I see 4 bathtubs?