Carryall ambulance photos

[Bill Leverett]

Some from British Columbia

Prior to the Province taking over the ambulance service for all of BC in 1973, the gov't went out and took pictures of all of the ambulances in service (including reserve units). Here are some of the units in service in 1973.

#1 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#2 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#3 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#4 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#5 - 1973 GMC Suburban - unknown area

 

[Bill Leverett]

More from BC

#1 - 1968 GMC delivery - Quesnel, BC
#2 - 1968 GMC delivery - Quesnel, BC
#3 - 1965 Travelall - Slocan Valley, BC
#4 - 1971? - Chev panel - Victoria, BC

 

[Bill Leverett]

Still more from BC

#1 - 1968 Chev Panel - Hudson Hope, BC
#2 - 1968 Chev Panel - Hudson Hope, BC
#3 - 1970 Chev - Summerland. BC
#4 - 1965 Chen Panel - Lytton, BC
#5 - 1962 Chev Panel - Cowichan Lake, BC

 

[Bill Leverett]

Last ones from BC

#1 - 1972 GMC/Wayne? - Mica Creek, BC - BC Hydro Dam site ambulance that contracted to BC Ambulance
#2 - 1972 GMC - Duncan, BC
#3 - 1962 Chev Panel - Cowichan Lake, BC (earlier photos id'd as Lake Cowichan was wrong)
#4 - 1972 GMC Panel - Lillooet, BC

 

[John ED Renstrom]

I see a lot of the BC units were sponsored buy or supported by the lions clubs in there area. one more way to return to the locale community the money donated . good use of trucks in a setting that needed them . the last one pictures in the second set is a 67.

 

[Bill Leverett]

Thanks Ed for the correction. I actually have copies of the registrations for most of the vehicles I posted pictures of. Some of the years may be off and I knew that there'd be some errors.

Yes, the service clubs were vey active in sponsoring ambulance services. They included the Lions Club, Kinsmen, Kiwanis, Rotary and even the Elks.

 

[Brendan Martin]

1954 Chevy Barnette City of New Bedford Massachusetts. They still have this rig and use it for parades.

 

[Steve Loftin]

#1 - 1968 GMC delivery - Quesnel, BC
#2 - 1968 GMC delivery - Quesnel, BC
#3 - 1965 Travelall - Slocan Valley, BC
#4 - 1971? - Chev panel - Victoria, BC

#1-2 is a step van, not a carryall
#4 is a 1968

 

[Steve Loftin]

#1 - 1972 GMC/Wayne? - Mica Creek, BC - BC Hydro Dam site ambulance that contracted to BC Ambulance
#2 - 1972 GMC - Duncan, BC
#3 - 1962 Chev Panel - Cowichan Lake, BC (earlier photos id'd as Lake Cowichan was wrong)
#4 - 1972 GMC Panel - Lillooet, BC

#1 isn't a Wayne, but I don't recognize the bodywork
#3 is a 1961

Keep 'em comin'...thanks!

 

[Steve Loftin]

#1 - 1968 Chev Panel - Hudson Hope, BC
#2 - 1968 Chev Panel - Hudson Hope, BC
#3 - 1970 Chev - Summerland. BC
#4 - 1965 Chen Panel - Lytton, BC
#5 - 1962 Chev Panel - Cowichan Lake, BC

#1-2 - another step van, not a carryall
#3 - Wayne Sentinel

 

[Steve Loftin]

Prior to the Province taking over the ambulance service for all of BC in 1973, the gov't went out and took pictures of all of the ambulances in service (including reserve units). Here are some of the units in service in 1973.

#1 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#2 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#3 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#4 - 1973 GMC Suburban - Squamish, BC
#5 - 1973 GMC Suburban - unknown area

#3-4 - Interesting in that it has a tailgate instead of panel doors; oh, well...at least it has a Q!

 

[Chris M. Kelley]

There's a Chevy Suburban Paramedic ambulance along US 220 about 50mi south of the NY state line. It was set up like an ambulance, but just used for intercepting BLS ambulances, of course, b/c it wasn't a high-top. White over blue in color, with an almost invisible faded "Paramedics", backward, across the hood. I'd just became an EMT before it went out of service. They'd just send a medic, and have someone on the BLS unit drive it back to the hospital...or leave it along the road.

It did some pretty long service, and needless to say, it showed. The last time I seen it in service, one of our amb. captains drove it back. The emergency break self engaged at a traffic light; and it wouldn't move. While trying to get it going, they bumped a box under the dash, and the siren came on, and wouldn't shut off. Wasn't till a few years ago, I seen it in the yard of a local garage owner.

 

[Steve Loftin]

Cook Body Co. (Charlotte, NC)

This article is from the August, 1961 issue of THE SOUTHERN FUNERAL DIRECTOR. Many smaller companies, including most coach dealers, did carryall and station wagon ambulance conversions.

 

[Terry Lange]

Springfield International

This '70 Springfield Travelall was ordered new through the local International dealership in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Veterans-Prince Ambulance. This purchase was in response to pressure from the City of St. James (a suburb of Winnipeg) for Veterans-Prince to provide a more industrial/rescue type of unit if they wanted to continue to serve this municipality. VP kept this rig till about 1973. The second photo is the aftermath of a fatal traffic collision that it was involved in while responding to a phony 911 call.

 

[Steve Lichtman]

And a couple more Springfield Travelalls, since I like them (all facing left, for some reason):

1) This is a photo of my "other" Travelall, a '70 Interne. If you've been to my house, this is the one now sitting out in my yard, as seen in better days while in service. It was the Mobile Coronary Care Unit of the Hanover (PA) Fire Department. It was the FIRST ambulance in Pennsylvania to provide advanced care, using coronary nurses from the local hospital and firefighters trained as CPR Instructors. The original 176 beacon had been replaced by a different one, after a close encounter with a low tree branch. Later, it was used at a racetrack. Now, it's my parts-truck. (Lichtman collection from HFD).

2) From PCS Member Randy Loy comes this picture of a '70 Deluxe, that was used as the West Liberty State College (WV) emergency car, while he attended there in the '80's. Nice color, huh? (photo from Randy Loy.)

3) A '68 Interne from DC Fire Department in Washington, DC. Travelalls were popular in DC in the '60s, I guess because they were cheap and replaceable. (Lichtman collection from DCFD.)

4) A '65 Deluxe from Nashwauk, MN. Yes, the very same ambulance service that operated my '54 Studebaker! Originally from Gold Cross Ambulance in Rochester, MN, it was purchased in 1968 by NAS owner/founder Frank "Bingo" Blair, but he died before it was delivered. Their phone number was still "Phone 8", as on my Stude. And, in true Bingo Blair fashion, it has a few added lights. (Lichtman collection from Nashwauk.)

 

[Anthony J. Rzucidlo - Deceased - 1953-2019]

Nice looking units with the right amount of emergency warning equipment on them.

 

[Steve Loftin]

Automotive Conversion Corp.

In addition to their famous Amblewagons, ACC offered the Rescue-All line of carryall conversions. They can easily be identified by their distinctive side window "ambulance" appliques. They were available in standard as well as raised-roof models:

Bailey's Cross Roads, VA
1966 GMC

Portville, NY
1966 GMC
Note rare Federal spun brass (chrome plated) siren speaker. The beacon is a Dietz 211-WW and the lollipops are Dietz #250s.

Erie, PA
1968 Chevrolet

Ischua, NY
1972 GMC

(SL collection)

 

[Jeremy D. Ledford]

What kind of speaker is that on the Portville, NY unit?

 

[Steve Loftin]

Portville, NY
1966 GMC
Note rare Federal spun brass (chrome plated) siren speaker. The beacon is a Dietz 211-WW and the lollipops are Dietz #250s.

I can't remember the model number...John, help us out here!

 

[Steve Loftin]

4) A '65 Deluxe from Nashwauk, MN. Yes, the very same ambulance service that operated my '54 Studebaker! Originally from Gold Cross Ambulance in Rochester, MN, it was purchased in 1968 by NAS owner/founder Frank "Bingo" Blair, but he died before it was delivered. Their phone number was still "Phone 8", as on my Stude. And, in true Bingo Blair fashion, it has a few added lights. (Lichtman collection from Nashwauk.)

Those lights on the front fenders are Carpenter Wig-Wags. They were available in 6" and 8" (seen here) lens sizes. They were motorized, with an internal bulb/reflector assembly that moved from side to side.

Here's a Carpenter ad from 1956: