OK, folks, here’s a bit of a problem that has come up several times in recent weeks on here. It’s the use of the term “Ambulette”.
The term “ambulette” does not mean “cute little ambulance”, and it should not be used as a generic term to apply to any short ambulance. Those are either station wagon ambulances, sedan delivery ambulances, or short-wheelbase ambulances. In the South, they were sometimes referred to as “hotshots”.
An “ambulette” is a term for a New York City stretcher van. Basically, it’s a vehicle for transporting bedridden people on a one-man stretcher, but it doesn’t have any ambulance equipment, oxygen, or lights and sirens, and it’s not staffed by EMT’s, only a single driver. It’s not an ambulance. (Other places do have stretcher vans, but the term “ambulette” doesn’t seem to be used elsewhere.)
A company called Keefe & Keefe in New York briefly built and sold sedan ambulances in the late 40’s. They did use the term “Ambulette” in their vehicle sales advertising. Keefe & Keefe also operated “ambulette” service and since they were located in New York City, that’s likely how the name came about.
The National Pontiac ambulance that’s for sale is referred to by the museum selling it as an “Ambulette”. That’s not correct. I know they are the ones who misused the term, not PCS forum members, but some of our members have reposted the mistaken term and so are perpetuating the museum's error. Similarly, there is a club member who has customized a sedan delivery ambulance and now calls it an “Ambulette” and that’s not correct either.
My Studebaker ambulance is an “Ambulet” (no “-te” on the end). This was a trademarked term of Studebaker’s and that term should only refer to Studebaker Ambulets.
(Similarly, not every ambulance wagon is an “Amblewagon”. That word was a trademarked name for products of the Automotive Conversion Corp. (ACC). Many wagon ambulances built in the ‘60’s were ACCs so the term would be appropriate for them, but not for products of other companies or home-made station wagon ambulances. And not all sedan ambulances are “Sedambulances”, only those built by McClintock.)
We are the club that is supposed to be documenting the history of professional cars, so we need to be extra careful not to change that history by misusing a term because someone thinks it sounds cute.
The term “ambulette” does not mean “cute little ambulance”, and it should not be used as a generic term to apply to any short ambulance. Those are either station wagon ambulances, sedan delivery ambulances, or short-wheelbase ambulances. In the South, they were sometimes referred to as “hotshots”.
An “ambulette” is a term for a New York City stretcher van. Basically, it’s a vehicle for transporting bedridden people on a one-man stretcher, but it doesn’t have any ambulance equipment, oxygen, or lights and sirens, and it’s not staffed by EMT’s, only a single driver. It’s not an ambulance. (Other places do have stretcher vans, but the term “ambulette” doesn’t seem to be used elsewhere.)
A company called Keefe & Keefe in New York briefly built and sold sedan ambulances in the late 40’s. They did use the term “Ambulette” in their vehicle sales advertising. Keefe & Keefe also operated “ambulette” service and since they were located in New York City, that’s likely how the name came about.
The National Pontiac ambulance that’s for sale is referred to by the museum selling it as an “Ambulette”. That’s not correct. I know they are the ones who misused the term, not PCS forum members, but some of our members have reposted the mistaken term and so are perpetuating the museum's error. Similarly, there is a club member who has customized a sedan delivery ambulance and now calls it an “Ambulette” and that’s not correct either.
My Studebaker ambulance is an “Ambulet” (no “-te” on the end). This was a trademarked term of Studebaker’s and that term should only refer to Studebaker Ambulets.
(Similarly, not every ambulance wagon is an “Amblewagon”. That word was a trademarked name for products of the Automotive Conversion Corp. (ACC). Many wagon ambulances built in the ‘60’s were ACCs so the term would be appropriate for them, but not for products of other companies or home-made station wagon ambulances. And not all sedan ambulances are “Sedambulances”, only those built by McClintock.)
We are the club that is supposed to be documenting the history of professional cars, so we need to be extra careful not to change that history by misusing a term because someone thinks it sounds cute.