Former Santa Cruz Ca ambulance to crusher

James Fischer

James Fischer

PCS Member
Was told by my local UPS man this morning that there is/was a "old ambulance" at this car recycler.....
Drove the 15 miles and sure enough,its a 72 Superior a faded blue over white originally red over white it was in service in Santa Cruz Ca in the 70's and then sold to a local ambulance service.. after which it was sold to a TV repair shop sitting under a oak tree since the 90's...the "Santa Cruz" letter images can still be seen on the signage........the manager says its getting stripped this week and will be crushed either Friday or Monday...
He has a call in to the owner to see if they will hold off ....and allow me to get some items off of her.....
Fingers crossed......

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Looks like more than a parts car to me.Sorry it's not closer,i would try to save or at least strip off all good parts. I have made deals with other yards in my area,paid a set upfront fee.They then brought it to my property,and i stripped off all useable parts.

They returned and hauled off the bones,and crushed it.that's all they want is the weight anyway!!
 
The problem with California cars is that they have to pass the smog system test. Possibly if the yard owner were to sell it to an out of state buyer, he might not scrap it. Danny would be a good candidate, since he has a Georgia dealers license, and he is experianced in getting cars back from the left cost to the East Coast. What do you say Danny?....... Will you save this one from the crusher?
 
I think it is a shame to see this ambulance crushed. Having said that, who would be willing to spend the money to restore it? And the money is certainly the biggest concern, isn't it?
 
Smog Inspections

The problem with California cars is that they have to pass the smog system test. Possibly if the yard owner were to sell it to an out of state buyer, he might not scrap it. Danny would be a good candidate, since he has a Georgia dealers license, and he is experianced in getting cars back from the left cost to the East Coast. What do you say Danny?....... Will you save this one from the crusher?
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76 and newer on registration renewal every 2 years or anything gas powered 76 or newer initial registration in the state and every 2 years after that. They had a bill that would have exempted smog inspections on anything 30 years or older to be exempt but that never passed ,so as it stands at the moment 76 and newer require smog inspections ,diesels are similar. Depending on where you are in the state some have no inspection and some have a basic two speed test or a enhanced test ran on a emission dyno. There are a few exceptions pure electrics, etc.
 
Daniel Scully said:
76 and newer on registration renewal every 2 years or anything gas powered 76 or newer initial registration in the state and every 2 years after that. They had a bill that would have exempted smog inspections on anything 30 years or older to be exempt but that never passed ,so as it stands at the moment 76 and newer require smog inspections ,diesels are similar. Depending on where you are in the state some have no inspection and some have a basic two speed test or a enhanced test ran on a emission dyno. There are a few exceptions pure electrics, etc.
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Yep, Ca. is tough on emission test. In Ga. only the thirteen counties surrounding Atlanta do it, rest of state exempt. As a dealer if we sell to someone in an emission county we must make it pass before sale. We are in an emission county also. Here it goes back 25 yr and stuff older than 96 is dyno instead of plugged in.
 
James you're only 15 mile from there, is there no way you can save this vehicle? Just to save it from the crusher is a VERY important step in the preservation of these rare high top professional vehicles.

I look forward to learning what you find out the owners position is and what the asking price is if the decides to sell it.
 
Update

Well I had a chance to speak to the owner this morning......

It is a somewhat brighter then what the manager told me yesterday.....someone has a deposit on her.....
.....BUT the guy has not returned to secure it ....and he wants to make it into a DEMOLITION car, which I guess he is pretty heavy into......:eek:

I was given his phone number and I am awaiting his call.....

Stay tuned..................:)
 
57 punctuation marks to write a paltry 71 words (not including signature). Crikey. :pat:

Most demolition derbies have outlawed vehicles this size. With any luck after deposit and initial interest the buyer found this out.
 
James Fischer said:
Well I had a chance to speak to the owner this morning......

It is a somewhat brighter then what the manager told me yesterday.....someone has a deposit on her.....
.....BUT the guy has not returned to secure it ....and he wants to make it into a DEMOLITION car, which I guess he is pretty heavy into......:eek:

I was given his phone number and I am awaiting his call.....

Stay tuned..................:)
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If the guy hasn't been back to secure it can you not go in and just buy the car and tell the owner to return the guys security deposit. I mean the owner of the salvage yard probably wants that car gone as soon as possible and whoever has the money up front first will get it.

Did he mention price? Why not simply try to buy the car from the crusher guy? Either way keep us updated.
 
What gets me is these cars have been sitting around for 40+ years unseen, and suddenly when someone spots one of these rare cars that are becoming more rare by the day, suddenly they're just days from meeting the crusher after sitting untouched for decades. That's what is so maddening! This is precisely the type of professional car I have been dreaming of owning (albeit one that's actually driveable and restorable), and I don't have the capital to just go out and buy one or rescue one yet, hopefully some day but what scares me is by the time I have the financial resources to rescue a car like that I'm afraid they'll all be gone! They only made a few per year compared to the hundreds of thousands of regular production cars, yet they always seem to wind up within days from the crusher when we hear about them. :( Don't these people know these are extremely rare cars? Even if they're not pro car buffs, don't people at least appreciate their historic value and all the custom work and craftsmanship that went into each and every one of these cars?
 
Abe I agree with your post and the frustration you feel

This vehicle looks very restorable. I have seen vehicles in a lot worse condition missing entire sections that have been saved and restored. I understand the frustrating and maddening aspect of these cars sitting for years unseen only to pop up like this and then be cannibalized and scrapped when they are able to be restored. Especially a 54 hightop like this which when restored is one of the most beautiful vintage ambulances out there in my opinion.

Let’s see what the owner of the wrecking yard says and what James can come up with. I wish there was some way to help save this car even if it only means saving it from the crusher and the demolition derby guy and just parking it for another year or so until a proper buy can be found.

I sometimes think people who have these cars use the “It’s going to the crusher” to strike fear in buyers to pay up and help sell the vehicle but when its actually sitting in front of the crusher it tends to be a little more real (and scary).
 
James Douglas said:
Abe I agree with your post and the frustration you feel

This vehicle looks very restorable. I have seen vehicles in a lot worse condition missing entire sections that have been saved and restored. I understand the frustrating and maddening aspect of these cars sitting for years unseen only to pop up like this and then be cannibalized and scrapped when they are able to be restored. Especially a 54 hightop like this which when restored is one of the most beautiful vintage ambulances out there in my opinion.

Let’s see what the owner of the wrecking yard says and what James can come up with. I wish there was some way to help save this car even if it only means saving it from the crusher and the demolition derby guy and just parking it for another year or so until a proper buy can be found.

I sometimes think people who have these cars use the “It’s going to the crusher” to strike fear in buyers to pay up and help sell the vehicle but when its actually sitting in front of the crusher it tends to be a little more real (and scary).
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Thanks for your post James, and that does make total sense. I wish there was a rescue fund that we could donate to, for just such an emergency. Even if no one has a need or desire for a coach like this at the moment, the so called rescue fund could be called into action to rescue the coach and store it somewhere until someone has the means to buy it outright, and start restoring it. Of course that's not a realistic idea, just a pipe dream. But it would be so cool if it could work!

Another thing that gets me is these coaches that have been rotting away for years in someone's barn, completely dis assembled and taken apart but then left for dead until they decide to try to sell it as/is so it can be hauled off in buckets.
 
Well a rescue fund is well intentioned but what’s the saying about the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Like a rescue society with animals, any organization can rapidly find themselves spread too thin, lacking funds, or outside of their main area of expertise if they are not careful.


What professional cars would qualify? What price limit? What condition? Also if the scarp yards learn of the “rescue fund” then they would want more money for the cars they sell knowing they could probably get it, etc.. the Pandora’s box is then open. I do hear you with the idea but managing such a fund would be challenging as well as the decision making on what vehicles to save.

People would also have to step forward to provide towing costs and storage for the saved vehicles. There is a lot of work involved in such an effort but it’s not possible just a very complicated and burdensome proposition.

I’m sure some junk yard owners who have special cars in their possession would even hold off on a vehicle if they knew a car club was trying to save the vehicle and raise the money needed to purchase the vehicle. Some might even go as far as financing the sale of the vehicle if they knew they could get a higher sales price. Stranger things have happened.

As for this particular vehicle now that the owner knows there are interested parties they might hold off but we still need to find someone locally that can save the vehicle before it’s too late even if it means parking it under a tree for another few years with a tarp over it. Let’s hope this one gets saved and if not it will only make the remaining ones more valuable and rare which is a sad way to look at it.

I’d like to know the price of the vehicle so we have a better idea of what the owner wants for it.

I think this would make a fantasma Ecto 1 Replica . ok just kidding on that last part
 
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