Station wagon ambulances

[Steve Loftin]

1961 Rambler; unknown converter:

(from an eBay listing)

 

[John ED Renstrom]

if memory serves me, you bought them converted from Rambler.

 

[Adam Borkat]

The "Rambulance"

if memory serves me, you bought them converted from Rambler.

 

[Skip Goulet - Deceased 1945 - 2018]

I've seen one Rambler ambulance in operation.....in the early '70s. The car, if I remember correctly, was a late '60s model. It belonged to the then-private ambulance co. in Snyder, TX. I only saw the car once, as not long after the owner rolled the car over on a return trip to Snyder from Lubbock. He died in the process. His successors replaced the Rambler with a '73 C/B Seville combination purchased from a local funeral home, and it was followed by a series of low top Suburbans.

 

[Steve Loftin]

The one shown on (and in) this brochure is an Amblewagon by ACC. They probably used packages from various upfitters ("ship through" converters) over the years.

 

[Steve Lichtman]

I've seen a couple of the brochures for the Rambulances, and the inside page, with the options, has all the same part numbers as in ACC's ads. So it seems likely that Rambler had ACC do the conversions, but Rambler did the marketing.

I think of these and I think of the Johan scale model of the drag racing Cadillac ambulance, called the "R-R-Roaring R-R-Rambulance"

 

[Kyle Martin]

It's hard to tell in the one photo, but I seem to remember the whistle being a CS8B:

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle.php?id=240148

I'd sure like to know what firm owned this car. It likely belonged to whichever funeral home was closest to where this scene was shot.

Martin Ambulance Service, Houston, Texas OX4-4332 later whip antenna and radio dispatched on front fenders

 

[Skip Goulet - Deceased 1945 - 2018]

Martin Ambulance Service, Houston, Texas OX4-4332 later whip antenna and radio dispatched on front fenders

Nice, Kyle. What did Hyde Park run? I seem to remember a Chevy wagon of theirs I saw once.

 

[Steve Loftin]

Wynne, AR - 1964 parade

I search eBay regularly for fire apparatus and procar items that need to be in my collection. I recently found this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150996944788?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The Ford wagon had lights on the roof and what appeared to shaded rear windows - as might be seen on a station wagon ambulance - so I bought it to find out.

This is a 1956 Country Sedan with what appears to be a pillow (on the cot) behind the driver:

 

[Kyle Martin]

yep

Nice, Kyle. What did Hyde Park run? I seem to remember a Chevy wagon of theirs I saw once.

you are right skip. we got it when we bought the funeral home. mostly used to run flowers and occasional call.

 

[Skip Goulet - Deceased 1945 - 2018]

I search eBay regularly for fire apparatus and procar items that need to be in my collection. I recently found this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150996944788?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The Ford wagon had lights on the roof and what appeared to shaded rear windows - as might be seen on a station wagon ambulance - so I bought it to find out.

This is a 1956 Country Sedan with what appears to be a pillow (on the cot) behind the driver:

Nice, Steve. I loved the '56 Ford wagons. Rix F.H. in Odessa and a red and white '56 Ford wagon that looked somewhat like this one. It had a single short-skirted 17 on the roof and a stripped-down Sterling 20 behind the grille.

 

[Martin Harvey]

From the public Archives de la ville de Montréal

Here is few pictures of 1959 when they introduced the first "free" public ambulance service. Back then until mid 80's Montreal police officers were usually EMTs too. Here is the inauguration of the service with their first cars, 1959 Plymouth Suburbans.

The 2 other pictures are from the 1968 Terre des hommes Expo, Police pavilion. Montreal police cars changed from black to blue with a white stripe in 1965-66 but we have a very interesting example of a police-ambulance car; one of their last station wagon, a 1968 Biscayne. To my point ov view the cot seems to be locked there backwards ...? Note the traditional Dominion-Auto 4 way alternative flasher, they used it between 1960 and 1973.

 

[Martin Harvey]

Sorry, their last station wagons were '72 Fords.
Stills from the documentary "Station 10".

 

[John ED Renstrom]

a little of that back pressure arm lift going on in that first picture. it must be a mass training type demonstration. something different going on at each rig

love those old shots shows what the carried . that is one loaded wagon.

 

[Chris M. Kelley]

Holger Nielsen Method of Resuscitation May as well call the funeral director.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

in reality this is what they went back to. only from the other side and pushing a little faster. still it beat rolling them over a barrel. carting that barrell took up a lot of room

 

[Bruce Oliphant]

Not much to see but....

Poe Elementary School bombing, Houston, Tx. 1959

 

[Steve Lichtman]

Poe Elementary School bombing, Houston, Tx. 1959

I never heard of that incident. I found some info on it.

 

[Skip Goulet - Deceased 1945 - 2018]

I never heard of that incident. I found some info on it.

Thanks, Steve. First time I'd heard of it either.

 

[Rick Franklin]

Now youse guyz have really done it! All i gotta do now is find a 60's era Station wagon & buy period correct emergency lighting and a siren and Im set.