This is a '60 what exactly..?

A

Attila Bethlenfalvy

Here is another Mexican coach I've been looking into for about 6 months. Was told '59 Superior ambulance all along. First couple pics finally arrived and I'm stumped:

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Obviously, it is a '60 and not a '59. Now I am thoroughly confused after staring at dozens of pics comparing the rest!

Drip rails are too low to be ANY of the 4 dominant coach builders and the doors do not go into the roof. Drip rail height matches that of CB or Superior Pontiac, neither of which match the side glass curve or height.

Only vehicle that comes close to matching the flat upper edge of the door glass is a limo. 'Cept a limo has a flatter roof curve.

Side glass moldings do not match S&S or Eureka.

In fact, the windshield height looks suspect - doesn't even appear to have the height commercial glass. Station wagon a possibility? S&S only made a handful and again - glass moldings don't match.

Where is the vent window? Is there an optical illusions hiding it from sight? (I know the car was recently painted, some moldings have not been put back on yet, which may hold true for side mirrors as well.)

I have yet to see ANY '59/'60 Cadillac procar with drip rails lining up with the vertical portion of the windshield. (Okayokay...a 2 Door McClain flower car doesn't count!) This '60 looks like it has the roof from a Flxible Buick.

Obviously a full photo set will definitively reveal the correct answers - which should happen within the next two weeks. Until then, thoughts..?
 
It is possible that the vent window division channel has been removed and what we are viewing is the door with no glass showing. This is the only explanation that I can figure out. The picture is taken at a very strange angle that is distorting the vehicles true visual appearance.
 
60 MM.....Im gonna go eat lunch and will post something VERY interesting I just noticed for the first time after studying my photo database.....:eek:
 
60mm

I whole heartedlly agree this must be a 60MM. The little flag or arrow at the top of the drivers door vent window is an MM item.
Mike
 
Ok.....got sidetracked and worked in yard a few.......It looks like MM did a design change sometime during the 1960 model run is my guess. What threw you for a loop as well as myself was the drip rail......
Here we see a 60 MM with the door assembly going into the roofline...



Note the extension above the aluminum trim on upper door.

Now in studying the photos I have of 60's....most limousine style cars (I noted the extentions existed on "most" hightops) DID NOT have the raised door that went into the roofline.



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I'm not going to say that it couldnt possibly be something else....but it looks to me like a MM. Interesting to note the drip rail issue as being a stumbling block. I sat here for 30 minutes looking at various 60 Cadillacs before I noticed it. We learn sumfin new daily:p The roofline that was evidently adopted for most limousine style MM's in 60 was carried over up through 64.
Thanks for todays challenge Atti!
(BTW...from endless web surfing found 2 60's vintage flower cars by mistake, will post more later....after almost 2 weeks of rain here its too nice today to sit in front of the pc.)
 
Miller-Meteor doors

Cary and all,

If I'm not mistaken, Miller-Meteor used the top "extension" in the side doors for hi-top ambulances and 3-way hearses, hence giving extra room to enter/exit a hi-top and the necessary extra room for a casket & spray to enter/exit through the side of the coach. Combinations, low top ambulances, and end-loading hearses did not have this "extention" in the tops of the side doors.
 
Tony...I just looked through all my 59 MM Pics and cant see one that DOESN'T
have the extensions above the door. I suspect what we may have in 1960 was a design change that was later incorporated into 61 models as most 61 models did not have the extensions other than the sideloading cars and hightops. From a manufacturing standpoint you can see where the non extended door frame was much cheaper to build hence saved costs.It is always interesting to study these cars as some of us do......It's what makes this all so much fun.:thumbsup:
 
There is a '55 Chevy panel blocking it in which is to be moved by this weekend. These are all the pics he could muster for now.

Looks like original color was Norman(?) Grey overall. Last body tag line is the only one really illegible.

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the last three are the paint numbers. the gray was the top. then they list the middle then lower. all that is on the lower is MM numbers.
 
Yep - paint name, area, and number code on last 3 lines. Logical if one color is being described where there is room for 3, it was one color to begin with. My statement referred to not being able to read the paint code - not that I couldn't read. :D
 
if I'm reading it correct it was gray overall and the last line is the MM numbers
which you can't make out in the pictures but do you no good if you could as no one has a cross reference for them. it's a interesting way to fill in the blanks. shows you have much leeway the workers had in the plant. with any other car builder the gray numbers would just have been repeated. I would bet that if you had two side by side the same thing the tags would read just a little different. they would have the information on they just presented differently. but if you ever go to clean up one of them don't use any lacquer thinner as the black is lacquer paint and you'll wipe off all the lettering not stamped.
 
Surprised to see 140 pics sent overnight. Guess the owner finally moved it! I'll upload over the next few days as time allows.

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Interestingly enough, paperwork inside includes import documentation from Dallas! It sold for $20k US although I've yet to see what year but it sure wasn't recently.
 
r all the caps...

Are all the wheel covers Eldarado items? I don't think that right front wheel cap is the 'standard' Cadillac item. The Els had a special cap.
Mike
 
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