Sad Pro-Cars

[Steve Loftin]

More salvage yard photos taken last week.
Kurt

Interesting; I shot the same three cars - at the same place - over 30 years ago.

The '64 M-M combination is ex-Pyeatte's in Siloam Springs, AR. It was given to the SSFD when the funeral homes there exited the ambulance business in about 1970, and kept as a transfer/trip car until 1977.

I don't know the lineage of the Superior.

The '63 Paramount Ambulandau is ex-Schurman F.H. (dba AA Ambulance) in Baxter Springs, KS. I don't know who the original owner was.

(SL photo, 1973)

 

[Kurt Arends]

'63 & '64 Coaches

Steve,
Oddly enough, the '63 Superior had a bunch of her original paperwork and manuals still in the glove compartment! The Clark Funeral Home at 120 Illinois Avenue in St. Joseph, MO bought it new on January 26th, 1963. It was then owned by Mullens Superior Coach Co. in Shawnee, KS on Feb. 1st of 1966 when they had an ARA under-dash A.C. unit installed. No information after that date. The Paramount looks much better in green than white. Even in her current condition.
Kurt

 

[Steve Loftin]

Interesting; I shot the same three cars - at the same place - over 30 years ago.

The '64 M-M combination is ex-Pyeatte's in Siloam Springs, AR. It was given to the SSFD when the funeral homes there exited the ambulance business in about 1970, and kept as a transfer/trip car until 1977.

Correction; this '64 M-M is ex-Wassom F.H. in Siloam Springs. (The car Pyeatte's gave to the SSFD was also a '64, but a Superior.)

(SL photos, 7/26/81)

 

[Steve Loftin]

The '63 Paramount Ambulandau is ex-Schurman F.H. (dba AA Ambulance) in Baxter Springs, KS. I don't know who the original owner was.

All three of these girls were still in pretty good shape when photographed. I'm surprised they're still there after over 30 years!

(SL photos)

 

[Kurt Arends]

'63 & '64 Coaches

And you guys could have saved them!! Just kidding. I totally relate as I personally parted out a '58 Eureka 3-way landau and a '56 Superior 3-way landau in the early '80s that should never have been parted out. The '58 Eureka was originally copper in color with a copper crinkle finish roof. Her greatest fault was that she had broken leaf springs! Both cars still haunt me today!!

 

[Steve Loftin]

This '62 Richards Bros./Chrysler ambulance was behind the Wheels'n'Spokes MoPar museum in Hays, KS (no longer there) in 1991. It resurfaced again in western Kansas about 10 years ago, but I haven't seen or heard of it since. This Briarean had the optional full hinged rear door instead of a tailgate.

Here's a '73 Lifeliner - lineage unknown - that was in a Garden City, KS junkyard in 1996.

(SL photos)

 

[Richard Vyse]

Saw this on another site and just had to share. I guess in it's own right it's pretty cool!

 

[Steve Loftin]

1964 Superior 6x6

Correction; this '64 M-M is ex-Wassom F.H. in Siloam Springs. (The car Pyeatte's gave to the SSFD was also a '64, but a Superior.)

When the fire department acquired these cars from the mortuaries, they quickly painted them white over red (I don't know their original colors). When the time came to sell, the city had them repainted black on the bottom thinking they might bring more money.

Here's how I found the ex-Pyeatte car in 1986...what a shame.

(SL photos)

 

[Russell Street]

When the fire department acquired these cars from the mortuaries, they quickly painted them white over red (I don't know their original colors). When the time came to sell, the city had them repainted black on the bottom thinking they might bring more money.

Here's how I found the ex-Pyeatte car in 1986...what a shame.

(SL photos)

Looks like that was transplanted onto a military 6 X 6 chassis. Car appears to be in pretty fair shape, but then again I'm not seeing real well right at the moment.

 

[Richard Vyse]

Looks like that was transplanted onto a military 6 X 6 chassis. Car appears to be in pretty fair shape, but then again I'm not seeing real well right at the moment.

Car does appear to be in great shape and there you go again, a roof rack on a hearse. Perhaps they thought they could actually "Take it with them".

 

[Steve Loftin]

Another old procar with a luggage rack...

1964 Volunteer - United Methodist Indian Church A.S., Stilwell (volunteer service provided to area Indian community)

This car, seen here as found in northwest Arkansas in 1986, was virtually rust free and complete except for the warning lights and whistle. Even the glass was good, including the etched side glass which is difficult to replicate.

(SL photos)

 

[Richard Vyse]

Wow, what is it with roof racks on old hearses? Seems there are quite a few.

 

[Jon Power]

'Wow, what is it with roof racks on old hearses? Seems there are quite a few. '

Over here we call them wreath rails and use them for hanging flower displays on.

(picture from google images)

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1848/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1848-209768.jpg

 

[Steve Loftin]

These photos were taken in the early 1990s:

Individual (Oklahoma City, OK)
1941 Flxible/Cadillac combination

Individual (Oklahoma City, OK)
1946 ?/Chevrolet combination

(SL photos)

 

[Bill Leverett]

1970 Pontiac/Superior

I found this quite a few years ago in Mill Bay, BC at a tow yard. Entire front clip/engine/tranny/wheels gone. I did manage to salvage many parts for Art Gregory's 54XL that Matt Taylor now ownes.

 

[Steve Loftin]

These 1949s - a Eureka and a Meteor - were in a Great Bend, KS salvage yard when I visited in 1991. Miraculously, the glass was good in both of these cars.

The Mercury wagon seen to the left of the Eureka used to be an ambulance. It had nameplate brackets in the passenger doors and holes in the roof where the lights used to be.

Check out the vehicles in the backgrounds. At the time, there was something in this yard for almost everybody!

(SL photos)

 

[Jacob M. Fournier]

1972 Miller Meteor Cadillac

1972 Miller Meteor Cadillac ambulance - ex- Canaan, NH Fast Inc., and previous to that, Beverly, MA Civil Air Patrol. I was told that until Canaan purchased the car, it had never hauled a patient, only run in parades.

As a side note, this car started my love affair with pro cars, it was the first Cadillac ambulance I ever saw in person, approximately 15 years ago, sitting in the same spot, the trees a little smaller, and maybe a little less rusted, but it was love at first sight.

 

[Jacob M. Fournier]

1972 Miller Meteor Cadillac

Probably the most valuable piece of the above car is the key chain laying on the front seat. The photo didn't reproduce too well - but it has the M-M logo on top and it says "Funeral Coaches - Ambulances, Miller-Meteor Division, Wayne Corporation, Piqua, Ohio 45356". Not sure how common they are, but it's the first one I've seen.

Is the thermostat factory installed, or was that an add-on? It's mounted on the divider above the window.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

The thermostat on the top of the division wall is to regulate the fan in the rear compartment. Once the rear compartment reaches the preset temperature, it opens the contacts and the fan stops. The hot water valve is controlled in the drivers compartment by the use of a cable operated water valve.

 

[Kevin M. Lyons Sr.]

Jacob- that was the last Beverly Police Dept. ambulance before the city went to private contractors - Beverly Civil Defense ( now emergency management I believe inherited it) under their ownership it would not have been used much- large gathering standby's etc. When the P.D. got it new it was the first line ambulance for a city of 35-40K people and saw plenty of abuse- Kevin