hate when this happens

A

Attila Bethlenfalvy

Coming across derelict vintage iron elicits the same feelings in me as assisting in animal rescue. Finding, delving into history, assessing/diagnosing/isolating issues, transporting, fostering, nursing health, investigating more permanent homes, adopting...the steps (and skill set) run eerily parallel.

The old adage of "can't save them all' rings true. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't perform within capabilities or try.

And each one not working out still leaves a bad taste in your mouth to varying degrees.

Such is this case. A lot of the stuff I find exists because it is so far off the beaten path. When outdoors and not near a highway or heavily trafficked route, falling off the radar becoming encapsulated in time results. That same inaccessibility permitting existence can also be a hindrance when it comes to removal.

I purchased my '60 Crown out of Aztec, NM in '09. High altitude desert provides an excellent area of country for preserving old tin. Substrate is so loose that moisture is whisked away. The wonderful temporary custodian before me, Carl, saturated with knowledge, was able to provide history going back decades for many of the cars on his property - about 450. Among them were a handful of procars. More importantly, Carl's prices were borderline cheap.

Russ Austin's '63 Superior Royale Landaulet came from a neighboring town. He visited Carl, saw his stash, and can validate.

Yesterday Carl informed that his three best remaining procars (along with many other cars) sold to a dealer in El Paso. I fell short telling people repeatedly about them.

'65 Miller Meteor endloader:

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'58 Superior Pontiac military high top:

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'58 Miller Meteor 42.5" landau ambulance:

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Carl's most valuable car was this '58 Eldorado Seville.

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For the Eldo, he had a $6k figure stuck in his head for a very long time. A potential buyer from Chicago area who visited a few years before had offered $5500. Carl relayed that he probably should have taken it. 6-8 months ago, this car was on eBay out of El Paso after being transported 450 miles south. Don't recall exactly what it sold for, but it was right around $10k. Nothing had been done to it.

Same dealer bought these procars yesterday.

So look for these 3 now at significantly higher prices, probably on racingjunk.com (where seller has dozens of others are already listed) and eBay. Hence difference between donating a small amount to rescue or buying a puppy at a mall pet store for full retail price. :rolleyes:
 
Carl is an old die-hard. No cell phone or computer. Only the land line in his house. I loved the 58 eldo, and waited too long to pull the trigger. He let me rummage through his yard pullling bits & pieces from 63/64 Cads. Even let me store my 63 Superior there for safe keeping while I arranged for transportation to Tucson.
 
me too...love that 58 Miller-Meteor..very different ....very cool ...love the roof lights and I'm not even an Ambulance guy !
 
so now someone else will move the cars from were they are, mark them up to cover expenses and get them advertised to a larger group of people. this way someone that wants one can see it and maybe buy it. there for making him a little money to. nothing anyone else that has seen the car could not have done. but as anyone that has one to sell will tell you, they are easier to acquire then to get rid of. we are limited here to just us. I'm trying to peddle a Q my only option on this site is to sell it to a man that is in the business of reselling. he has the name and the market. everyone here that wants on has one and one a car is all you need. now if one wants to rescue pro cars he better have a block big building to house them in and rescue them. buy them up move then in storge and then be able to pass them on to people they deam worth of having that car. same as they do puppies. of course things happen to them there to, just ask John E.
or you could post pictures with location and contack information hoping some one will be able to get it.

but me I got a puppy and to many cars.
 
One really cool thing I learned from Carl is a possible replacement for the never-replicated extruded aluminum that Superior used on the quarters & skirts of Crowns (also available as an option on other models). Size and height of similar ribs are found on '59 Ford Galaxie 500s. Although shape is marginally different, they are close enough that if used on different side of same vehicle it could pass.

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If/when time comes I need it, theoretically sourcing an uncut sheet from whomever supplies aftermarket parts is the way to go.

John ED Renstrom said:
or you could post pictures with location and contack information hoping some one will be able to get it.
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Funny. No other member since launch of this current site comes close to posting pictures of as many finds.

Original thread that contained all of these coaches.

'58 MM ambulance for sale post.

'58 Superior Pontiac ambulance for sale post.

Sometimes contact info is posted publicly, sometimes privately passed on, other times it goes through me - all situational dependent. Just the way it is~

The '61 Memphis Pontiac military ambulance remains there. With infrequency of ever finding '61 Pontiacs in junkyards personally, I doubt a good missing front clip can be found easily.

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Paul Steinberg said:
Have you taken to making up new words, or is this an actual term used by Miller Meteor?? :specool:
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I know I have heard this term many times before also. Cant remember off hand if its a coachbuilder thing or just a common reference to all landau ambulances, but its not a made up term.
 
going through a middle man carrys an inherent risk. alot of people prefer to go straight to the source. Knowing an asking price up front is always better than being told "make offer" or the seller is motivated.
 
I think it is correct.........

If my middle=aged memory still serves me, I do think "ambulandau" WAS a model term used by Miller/Meteor...........?
 
the truth is there is nothing wrong with being a bird dog. if you looking for a certain type of car. some one that gets out and maintains a lot of contacts is the most valuable friend at that time. especially if they can point out were to find what you want. a man doing this service for a fee is still a good buy if they can get you to what you want. even one that guards his contacts but is willing to get you the part you need is the man of the hour.
there was a early 60 Memphis in Oregon up on e-bay complete car missing the rear window for a grand that was a no sale as no one waited a old military rig. sometimes for what ever reason you can't give a 59 away. but if you sit on the information long enough the man that owns the car will sell it. then the opportunity is not there anymore to help out.
this last three cars it seams people know were they went to and that they will be up for sale soon. I did not see any contact info though. so if a man wants to sell that information put that information out. America is founded on people making a living helping others get what they want. every niche of the old car hobby is depend on people who do that to keep things going. but being up front on what your doing is the way to win friends and influence people.
 
Tony Karsnia said:
Looks to me like Paul was politely needling Adam over typing AMBLANDAU when he likely meant AMBULANDAU, which was indeed a name used by Miller-Meteor to signify landau ambulance.
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I wasn't trying to needle him.... I was just trying to broaden my knowledge base as to the different brand model names. It isn't as easy as Calais, Park Avenue, Sedan DeVille, Coupe DeVille, Fleetwood. :pat:
 
When explicit permission is not granted to post contact information online, it isn't. Had anyone bothered to ask for it, like Russ did for '63, it would have been passed along privately. Not a terribly difficult concept to follow.

Gaining friends or influencing people really doesn't interest me, sorry to disappoint.
 
Been informed this morning that a deal has been reached on the '58 MM ambulance for substantially less than what the seller was looking for. The buyer is currently restoring a '59 MM ambulance and is thrilled to now have a set of original Saf-T-Vu lites for it.

Plans for the '58 were not specified.
 
so she went for parts. better then just sitting. but it most likely could have sold years ago for the same amount when the money meant more. but then I worked for a dealership that there motto was, who cares ,that money has been spend long ago.

to me it's amusing as were I would have loved to see the car in it's Glory I did not have the interest in spending the time and money to do so. I still believe that you got a car to sell and you got a man with money in his hand you really should just take it. better to be a fool with money then a fool with a junk car your doing nothing but hoping on.
 
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