Classy Cadillacs

[Fred Goerlitz]

Franklinville, NY
1972 M-M 48" (note Dietz 211-WW beacon)

Warren Hills, NJ
1976 Superior 54" (ex-?)

Bergen Co. EMS Training Center (Paramus, NJ)
1976 Superior 54" (ex-?)

(SL collection)

The original owner of the Bergen County EMS Training Center 1976 Superior 54" was the Elmwood Park First Aid Squad. This vehicle as well as the 1976 Superior 54" (lettered here for Warren Hills, NJ but originally owned by St. John's First Aid Squad in Fords, NJ) both appeared at the 1987 International Meet in New Hope, PA

 

[Steve Loftin]

Note the "nested" C6 on the 1957 S&S.

The mini-beacon on the 1958 Superior is a Whelen Rota-Beam, which was introduced in 1956.

(factory photos)

 

[Josh Gentry]

That 83 Superior is a very classy looking car, but those mud flaps look rediculas.

Josh

 

[Shawn Blyler]

That 83 Superior is a very classy looking car, but those mud flaps look rediculas.

Josh

They may look dumb, but for a car that is run on snowy roads in the winter time where they use salt (like here), they keep alot of the salt from being thrown under the car and into the rocker panels and up into the rear quarter panels and back bumper where it is hard to get it out. After being wet and salty, especially if the car is put back into a heated garage, Mr Rust Monster starts to do his job. I think it is more of a preservation thing than an appearance thing. Just

 

[Josh Gentry]

They may look dumb, but for a car that is run on snowy roads in the winter time where they use salt (like here), they keep alot of the salt from being thrown under the car and into the rocker panels and up into the rear quarter panels and back bumper where it is hard to get it out. After being wet and salty, especially if the car is put back into a heated garage, Mr Rust Monster starts to do his job. I think it is more of a preservation thing than an appearance thing. Just

Good Point Shawn. We don't see to much snow down here, so I didn't really put to much thought in to that.

Josh

 

[John ED Renstrom]

the mud flaps in the rear are the small triangular ones same as the front. mostly rock guard stuff. it's just the angle and the time the pictures was taken that make them look so big. but that does bring up a lot of different things on these car. in Steve's last pictures did you notice the snow tires on the 58 factory photo. some one ordered the car with them on it. My 72 had a set of tire chains still in the bag in the storage compartment. they had been used also. the wear pattern was quite noticeable on them. only 7 thousand miles on the car but in a winter climate you had to be ready to use the emergency vehicle at anytime. Steve's description of rotating the car so first car out was the older one in the winter was normal practice for a lot of multi car facilities. when I read that all that registered in my mine was makes since to me. this set of pictures and information with them from a man that was just working but took the time to take pictures even the 110 stuff is priceless to those of us that came to late to see the good stuff. I must have walked by that 70 MM low top we had at work for 6 years. never sat in it or took a pictures of it. emember looking in side once. till one day I came to work and it was goon. it went to the reservation on one of the inter agency sell offs for a buck never to be seen again. boy would I ever love to have a picture of it today.

 

[Mike McDonald]

Doulgas County FD

Douglas County F.D. (Minden, NV)
1960 Superior 48"
1972 Superior 54"

Provo, UT
1963 S&S 43"
1970 M-M 54"

(Tom Parkinson photos)

In the 60's thru late 70's we used to travel thru Minden, NV on US 395 a lot doing road maintenance and reconstruction jobs for the U.S Forest Service and remember seeing these units.....ALWAYS well maintained and looking good facing out of the old brick bays on the main street that was also US 395. The little signs on the doors said "For Official Use Only" as if a county owned ambulance would be used for anything else? I always wondered who bought them and if they survived their non fire department retirement years? MM

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

Here is a 1973 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Classic combination that was a trade-in to Foster Coach Sales in Sterling, IL. As many of you know, Foster was a long-time Miller-Meteor dealer, so they could likely have sold this unit new.

(Larri Dirks collection)

 

[Josh Gentry]

Man I like that 73. That color combo looks really good on that car, and its even got the removable landau panels too. Now thats classy.

Josh

 

[Steve Loftin]

Good Will Fire Co. #3 (Chambersburg, PA)
1969 Classic 48
Photo taken August 8, 1969; note Mars Aurora Borealis beacons, cots mounted backwards.

Skokie, IL
1970 Volunteer
Note how front Ful-Vu uppers have been replaced by Mars 888s; they did the same thing with their '63:

http://www.skokiehistory.info/gallery/fdenginesf/FDAmbulances.html

(SL collection)

 

[Jeremy D. Ledford]

Here is a 1973 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Classic combination that was a trade-in to Foster Coach Sales in Sterling, IL. As many of you know, Foster was a long-time Miller-Meteor dealer, so they could likely have sold this unit new.

(Larri Dirks collection)

Now I can tell what my 73 would look like with panels if I had them!

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

Came upon these photos, which I had promised to email to John Royark, but misplaced. Found them and thought I'd share them with John and everyone else here.

1966 Superior Cadillac Crown Sovereign limousine-style hearse: Powers FH, Creston, IA

(Karsnia collection)

 

[Steve Loftin]

1966 Superior Cadillac Crown Sovereign limousine-style hearse: Powers FH, Creston, IA

...or might she be a standard Sovereign with an aftermarket vinyl top?

 

[Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020]

Ahhh...good eye, Steve! When I looked at these photos as I scanned them, I subconsciously thought that was a funny molding between the vinyl and steel on the roof, but was so focused on contrast...

 

[John ED Renstrom]

looks to me like it's painted. the drip rail has the same texture. so I would say they put a wrinkle roof on after receiving the car. had they used a molding the same width as the glass trim it would have looked better.

 

[Steve Loftin]

Kingsburg, CA
1969 S/C 51"
1961 S/C 48"

(Tom Parkinson photos)

 

[Brad Ross]

1973 M-M 3-Way
Courtesy of "So Cal Metro" on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/southerncalifornian/3761199972/

 

[Steve Loftin]

Some of you may remember the late Maurice (Maury) Baier, a PCS member, funeral director, ambulance operator, and furniture store owner from Paxton, IL. When I shot these photos in 1997, he was using a very nice black 1964 Electra 225 four-door hardtop for his lead car.

Ford-Baier F.H. (Paxton, IL)
1974 Landau Traditional endloader
1978 Classic combination w/panels
1963 Crown Royale Limousine combination
(Ordered new with a cloth interior, this girl was used as an ambulance well into the 1980s. Note the Motorola Micor control head, speaker, and mike on the partition that was shared by the driver and attendant. Also in long-term storage were Maury's 1954 Henney and 1955 Superior flower cars.)

(SL photos)

 

[Jim Jordan]

Is that the 54 Packard flower car next to the 63 Crown?

 

[Steve Loftin]

Ford-Baier, Part II

These photos were taken in 1991. Don't these cars look great "sitting up" on their correct 8.90/N78x15 tires? At the time, according to Maury, the '76 was the last licensed Cadillac ambulance in the state.

1976 Eterna combination
This car, minus the #28 whistle and #174-D beacons, ended up on Carl Woerner's lot in the mid-1990s. Deemed too cancerous to repair, it was eventually scrapped.

1974 Eterna combination
This car was also ordered new with a cloth (Mohair? Broadcloth?) interior to match the '63, which was then moved to back-up ambulance/hearse status. It was special-ordered with piped 02 and power front door windows, which weren't available as M-M production options until the 1975 model year. Like the '63, it had a factory radio as well as dual spotllights. The siren is an Interceptor and the beacon a #176-D. Note that she is wearing the window inserts from the '63 (installed backwards). Since they weren't correct for the car anyway, I didn't bother to turn them around.

Looking at these pictures makes me miss my old funeral home ambulance days!

(SL photos)