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Old 09-09-2017, 07:14 PM   #1
Bob from Northport
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Default Ambulance question

Has anyone ever seen an original or restored Model A or AA ambulance at any of the car shows?? Someone asked me at the Old Car Festival. We were parked next To Querfields Model A Hearse, but I couldn't answer the lady asking.
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Old 09-09-2017, 08:04 PM   #2
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Well a model aa is not very fast, so maybe that is why there are hearses, but not ambulances. No need to hurry in a hearse.
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Old 09-09-2017, 10:23 PM   #3
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Depending on the geographic region dedicated ambulances were typically rare. In small towns and rural areas the local undertaker often provided ambulance service using the hearse.
Think how far ambulances have come with the life saving services they can provide now. Growing up in Chicago I well remember the 1957 Cadillac based ambos whose attendants could only provide rudimentary first aid at best. I can't recall, but as the Caddys were taken out of service the city must have purchased van based ambulances.
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Old 09-10-2017, 12:23 AM   #4
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Yes Bob, there was a green ambulance at the first national meet held at French Lick. I'll post some pix of it Monday when I get to the shop.
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Old 09-10-2017, 01:22 AM   #5
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Default Re: Ambulance question

There were only 85 AA 280A Ambulances built. All were 1931 models. I actually owned one of them when I was a teenager. Didn't have a clue what I had. It was just an old truck that weighed 4500 lbs and was powered with a 40 horse engine. It was originally used in the coal mines in northern New Mexico, then as a church bus, a grocery truck, then as a farm truck before I bought it in 1955 for $45.
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Old 09-10-2017, 06:52 AM   #6
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As Fordors stated, early ambulances were not easily recognized. The small town furniture stores also had the funeral home. And the hearse did double duty. Sometimes it was the local garage with the tow truck. They'd get a call for the accident and drop their "customers" off at the hospital along the way. In Ontario Canada, ambulance service was officially recognized in 1967 by the province. The first ministry ambulances were 1967 Ford Econolines, painted blue and white.
I worked Ambulance for 15 years. One fellow who helped with my early training, started by working for the furniture/ funeral store. They'd get paid $2 for the call, an extra $2 if the person was dead, and an additional $1 if the deceased was a local using the funeral home you worked for.
There's my history lesson for the day.
Now back to your regularly scheduled program. . Jeff
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Old 09-10-2017, 08:03 AM   #7
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Quote:
Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C View Post
Yes Bob, there was a green ambulance at the first national meet held at French Lick. I'll post some pix of it Monday when I get to the shop.

That meet was probably the largest display of AA trucks and body styles of any meet I've been to. Does anyone know if that was from one collection or who owned them. It was indeed a cool display.
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Old 09-10-2017, 09:19 AM   #8
Steve Plucker
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Default Re: Ambulance question

I would like to see the first ambulance that Ford put on a commercial "A" chassis in late 1928.

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Old 09-10-2017, 10:49 AM   #9
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Our local Furniture/Funeral was also the Chevy dealer. There is just something about buying a new car with corpses in the next room gives me the willys.
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Old 09-12-2017, 10:12 AM   #10
Bob Bidonde
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Default Re: Ambulance question

I do not think that Ford produced an ambulance in 1928 or 1929. There were likely some specialty non-Ford ambulance bodies for 1928 & 1929 Ford frames.

I also think that the Model AA Ambulance, the AA Hearse, the AA Police Wagon and the AA Panel Delivery may have common body parts like doors, roofs and rear fenders.

The first photo may not be a Ford Ambulance, but a specialty body.

One of the photos shows a Hearse.
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File Type: jpg 1930 Model A Ambulence.jpg (54.9 KB, 105 views)
File Type: jpg 1931 Model A Ambulence.jpg (64.2 KB, 102 views)
File Type: jpg Model A ambulence.jpg (52.6 KB, 111 views)
File Type: jpg oo1930Ford_Funeral_Car.jpg (13.3 KB, 99 views)
File Type: jpg AA Police Patrol (1).jpg (12.7 KB, 94 views)
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Old 09-12-2017, 07:58 PM   #11
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Default Re: Ambulance question

You can see one at the Elliott Museum Stewart, FL
They are presently closed due to the Hurricane Irma but their phone # is
772-225-1961.
Their collection is spectacular although most vehicles are displayed behind glass and very difficult to photograph. I have visited and was disappointed in the fact I could not get some good pictures because of the glass. There are a few that are displayed from behind the glass.
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Old 09-12-2017, 08:39 PM   #12
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Quote:
You can see one at the Elliott Museum Stewart, FL
I visited a private Model A museum a few years ago in Palm Beach that was owned by an individual who had probably 100 or more A's. The caretaker told me the owner was donating them to the Elliot Museum. I took a lot of pictures and this may be the one you are referring to. A lot of them were restored but several others needed to be restored.

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Old 09-12-2017, 08:48 PM   #13
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Another interesting A. I can't remember for sure what this one was used for with the sheet metal contraption on the side. I'm thinking maybe a camper is what they said it had been.

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Old 09-12-2017, 08:54 PM   #14
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Default Re: Ambulance question

A Police Wagon and a Hearse that was owned by a local funeral home.

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File Type: jpg IMG_5526.jpg (50.9 KB, 71 views)
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Old 09-12-2017, 11:09 PM   #15
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Default Re: Ambulance question

What length chassis would they have been built on? I'd love to get my hands on a chassis a little longer than the standard but not a truck.
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Old 09-13-2017, 11:28 AM   #16
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Terry, I purchased the hearse you have in your photo at the Ford Lauderdale auction earlier this year. Don Snyder
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Old 09-13-2017, 09:02 PM   #17
TerryO
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Quote:
Terry, I purchased the hearse you have in your photo at the Ford Lauderdale auction earlier this year. Don Snyder
Good. Are you going to restore it? John Peeples owned it and wasn't going to sell it but when contacted he priced it pretty high and the buyer said he'd have it picked up later that week. He regretted selling it immediately.

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Old 09-14-2017, 02:15 PM   #18
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Default Re: Ambulance question

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Originally Posted by don3527 View Post
Terry, I purchased the hearse you have in your photo at the Ford Lauderdale auction earlier this year. Don Snyder
Don,

Will you display it at the store?

R/ Roger.
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Old 09-14-2017, 03:03 PM   #19
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Ambulance question

Quote:
Originally Posted by larrys40 View Post
That meet was probably the largest display of AA trucks and body styles of any meet I've been to. Does anyone know if that was from one collection or who owned them. It was indeed a cool display.
Larry
Don't know.

Here are the pix I promised Bob....

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Old 09-14-2017, 03:09 PM   #20
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Ambulance question

...and here are the pix of the Querfeld Funeral Home's (-located across the street from The H/F and Greenfield Village) hearse. I know Bob has seen this truck numerous times, but maybe others have not.

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