James Fischer
PCS Member
A few photos from the show:
My 72 Superior
72 Interior
56 Cadillac
59 Impala
My 72 Superior
72 Interior
56 Cadillac
59 Impala
Ripon Emergency Vehicle Show 2015
- Thread starter James Fischer
- Start date
Wayne Krakowski
PCS Member
James your car looks fantastic,thanks for posting
Philip Scanio
PCS Member / Super Site Supporter
James, thanks for sharing the photos. Your car looks great. I about to get the road atlas to find Ripon.
Mike McDonald
PCS Member
A few photos from the show:
My 72 Superior
72 Interior
56 Cadillac
59 Impala
Jim: You have a Very BEAUTIFUL WELL EQUIPPED RIG!
(*) For those of you who don't recognize it, the '56 Meteor-Cadillac Ambulance is Hewy & Ruth Wick's... and the one we bought from a Farmer in Colorado circa 2002 and restored it. The Farmer had bought it circa 1975 at a Moffat County (CRAIG, CO) Surplus Equipment Auction for $500.00. He told me that.... "no one else was bidding on it, so I thought I could use it for something"..... but never did. He paid $500.00 for it, drove it to his farm and it never moved again until we bought it (27) years later. The keys were still in the ignition and it only took some fresh gas directly in to the carb, a jump start and air in a couple of low tires to get it on the transport for it's trip back to Southern CA. When I first contacted him (he was a very spry 83 years old)... I asked what he wanted for it? His reply was that I won't take one (XXX) (XXX) penny less than I paid for it. When I asked him what that was... he then told me the $500.00 high bidder story. I Fed-Ex'd him a cashier's check that day for $500.00. A couple of years later, I sent him a 8 X 10 framed picture of it completely finished with it's first car show award on the hood. About two weeks later I received a (barely legible) hand written letter from him thanking me for the picture and saying at the end that he made the right choice in selling it me.
After I got it back to CA, I was did some background research on it and contacted the local fire department in Craig and the Moffat County Memorial Hospital where it had been assigned along with a 1957 M-M/Cadillac when at that time had only (28) Beds. Both had been painted kind of a Mary-Kay Pink with a white top. One of the retired firemen I talked to said that they did that so.... "they could seen better in the snow" that also probably answers why neither ambulance ever had fender skirts... running chains a lot. Not ever having much snow in San Diego County I went back with a more traditional red and white to match our Fire Engines. MM
James Fischer
PCS Member
Mike,
Thank you for your compliment and also for sharing the history of the 56,very interesting .
I was intersted in talking with the owner as were other people throughout the day ,however no one stayed with it or even came to check on it.It also was not in the code 3 parade.....
Here are a couple of other pictures I took....
Thank you for your compliment and also for sharing the history of the 56,very interesting .
I was intersted in talking with the owner as were other people throughout the day ,however no one stayed with it or even came to check on it.It also was not in the code 3 parade.....
Here are a couple of other pictures I took....
Mike McDonald
PCS Member
Jim: The '56 Cadillac and the '62 Escondido PD Ford Galaxie were hauled up to the event on the red Peterbilt Transport marked "Escondido Fire Museum". I was tied up down here with October Fire Prevention EXPO Events. MM
John ED Renstrom
PCS Member
some nice looking stuff there. in defense of tire chains I have had to put any one in a number of years now. more clime change I guess or a thicker wallet and newer 4x4 you pick.
James Fischer
PCS Member
Thanks Mike,I did see the Peterbilt but not till I was out on the street later in the day and then put 2+2 together....sorry you could not make it,But..there is always next year !!:thumbsup:
Also,I am curious were the 2 front fender "ornaments" there originally or did you add them ?
Tim Prieur
PCS Member
James, with your overall presentation the 72 is a beautiful show piece. Well done!
Mike McDonald
PCS Member
James: The siren on the RF Fender was original equipment and there when I bought it from the Farmer, just had in re-chromed. The Light on the LF Fender I bought from John Dorgan to "balance the look" I believe it's called a "Solar-Ray" (not sure... Steve Loftin will know).... it goes back and forth at about a 30 degree angle, but does not turn around around inside like the ones that were tunnel mounted on our Our 1st '74 Criterion from the Norfolk (NE) Ambulance Service.
(*) I was honored to have Walt McCall drive it (with Evan Butchers riding shotgun) in a Code-3 Parade at one of the Go-West PCS Conventions when it was first finished. MM
It's a #18 Solar Ray, which wasn't introduced until 1958.
If the Norfolk '74 had #19 Propello Rays, they had to have been taken from an older car.
Mike McDonald
PCS Member
Steve: I guess if the Model 18 wasn't introduced until '58, it is still somewhat era correct for the '56? At the time to me it was more of a similar look, size, age and shape of the Siren to "balance" the front of the car.
Regarding the "Propel-O-Rays" on the Norfolk (NE) '74 Criterion... would they have still been in production then and-or possibly available as NOS to be spec'd by M-M? If I recall correctly?.... on the Northland Chapter's Criterion Registry, it shows them being on that paticuliar ambulance from new.
BTW.. the Escondido PD '62 Ford Galaxie that was shown at Ripon (and won an award) this year had the Dietz Siren-Light and Controller you sold me probably 15+ years ago...still working fine. THX-MM