New ride, not for the introverted

[datachicane]

1955 Ford Courier (sedan delivery) ambulance conversion, started for the first time in decades a week or so ago, 272 Y-block runs like a top. PO swears 50k miles is original, and it might be. St. Maries (pronounced St. Mary's) is a small town in Idaho, not far from Couer d'Alene. Great patina, I'm not going to do anything to the cosmetics but clean it up and replace the rubber floor mat.

I've been half-heartedly looking for an old body-on-frame wagon to tow the canned ham trailer I'm about 50% done rebuilding, when this thing cropped up at a price I couldn't pass up.
It'll do double duty as my daughter's college ride for a good chunk of the year, and she's pretty thrilled. The Thunderbird Blue firewall is a remnant of the original color before the coachbuilder repainted as part of the conversion. Even has the original two-way radio set, although I'm going to need to add a defeat switch for the siren- it's a bit too close for comfort to the dimmer switch.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EBhX0SnB95hS8qC30cd91jCuGA3beTJLrD-pNKUoAs-mj0LsvfioDXOJID5EuwJHQKEGpdmjDhCHWyC_erIpCvurAcvG7 4He8KdXY1eHrXLdoiJVqgglu8jpNf__SQKsvUQW9cOAJh5TEsi aPDcu-QQTh3wiDTolNfPyAogX_0iTxBr6_zgQOeEJxkjHRBCOWDffq_D UvwPS_vjaSf37o_bqvoL3dKAhLipTZNjAjYv5IyB_z8cTDQfXW rKUmmIviiWPp2zwRSBd-xKWBTnhPWO3f2GKx5ct-9CKoigeDaG32zT1ccwAWHs6bf-_eShPRkqkPjuZUMntXSpELymkWOn-rJCMN__wFi9o9kaAVK-TZFd1jsWiQZMpYu51YqDZGBXwUWBex03e4jqZ8E0zX60IQU4kn WRCrK6x-uE7tnROTjMppbGi5qO3RZgg3l4aSZ7nm9nb9qxvlyzuRwNqLOs 7iOKfzaroOReCfBAeuLcxktsIw9bkOINq7kIQpHHRKrt2l3ECz WGzrSw8b_4HijjLQRq0VT37PAiQyNRc5zAwngrERtS8kPcHlJ2 hEXXh02kbdnw92YRtFZy0MtRq3HN3pKHohoCx4m_WpVPoDLTKf 9PNK8herc1Z8vz0IBABECV-_M8K08Jmxdg7jWdpJPHNdSiMbFbTaJDJ505x4Vvfbg_ICPF5By 6Z0luTn5fQf-WvbTI2-HoswqZvRajO1qgf=w1200-h900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NtfqpRcR_WRHU6XPNziM8SS3eoo4es2MRKJPIZjWxPdST0e2KN G3f8I1gJqXwctCegUH2fv1-6spe4FgAD1s9GDWuwfakn2EcJMrB3TjRbHM0MWqIpPuokDyIOq kW6RfLvtoXap0QCHUZm1dezCzkiAjhVupoKWpa1BfcrYkBlFSF ZQ8C0x6AWJOFwZOP39andCa1kTSrbcxyM9qZCoMxU4bxcXVMyN VGC9JriWOc42ghPGNDZ0hwx8Xzp0naZz25GZE8R9g3zMRMepvR rHD8OtTypk13zzWBiORXElDFKrK2X6NTHthZZ78LhK_31swTKw ib48Ze5asO0zzKiMyQ4iVnPjufGa3-sr7opt9S9VhM7LmenBQdUySBcv2U8tSR46XMAxQ-8gd_wSycUAYbe_A6zAAwWzgLwBylD4-2dMj1En0FBXYQZ3849015Z-_NB3ewDhn62mkrkJUQIdLDV8WTU8bkmzyYnOAYP8adbAknLMtm ySP6vttD356efHQzj2k6GYqJrEJkWJ8TLsQzcd7SUmVVoaZXTy RwukB6TWIvTg0mQCI6ypIl5Qr2cBm5nM6i4nYo31YENjc6TaHQ iAoflutK6uPLRvEGvanzPvZ1baZpx2iIkx0wNR6zSluCyNW1lr bQvXmoFvSQogs8S20bl_L3wKtLGbzxVDXo5ODYuEzVIF_b0E0-3lm2TFp2HpeMPQBJZGhow4dKjBfep-r=w1200-h901-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/20_ToKbPKxCA3lxvOmCixvMjKRx1Tx5oRj-BIdRfxr_SWzPLGbKyGbayA7tHYaosQJ403puQF-1giEtwrzYsnSiSwz3LeYgRVJ4Oa-zbF5OM5f_sa_jkcwLf7VSVyTQow2dRACG0Qx60OemQtjwE5hxD lS1VC9GhEOp5uWUrZGrqrstBDOEn-zxPOjmTiZ2Mb1P_yPXsvYadyXacN4Ae5iftEEQuNDeDxJUjs_a numaEAHYjMEXHBxnGqHXyvuY2OEmsTps31vpUwvYDPWMSUg2At 2uJTPTlWdST5oKY7KGf17dDxPMvWTFLA1WDczpK-eZEzax7rPuOAbnVicWSCVVwm4Jj0lZT-msWxNyTnxjVlqqUJnblz2ou-FhnPPB5oA3fKearg1H0H8ypIXsWVxOi_o6N771txJCJqQQWO4s 60ebtakctKygYyDoQyiFpO4Eebpr9wyw9vaEh1ri_ApzoWmmh3 7RDi9LGzw2Vua1AW5OiCCXxi6UmsdpQ5HyGIGLvJRr-nALUCp63nqevFiIuIDq1lX0AaysP1jaI42u-nqmSODmFIVe2QpA3JR3qqUA36l8Zuaz-ipXq9c6Sc8a81AwfkGMU-d6rui9PSib6ae1-GCTE6ynnCWXLkjZDO7IwlgsK5721fqDjWvzrQGoMg8A2twNh_Q DXjKd5MO1SjHZo6L46kPZMkulQ8__evXvqik9MYXDICfpdbZIq Je-m=w1200-h900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jKKXclmgmbfrMrYg6n0tQXkqyAJ9rgM72bcIh8HANSBc29TsRv LfJ4zSv3UVCXnkkao85rMMyctB7u6WmBppnWaf5fwGcXoLHGcs MWe5lqCNXbTTIaY2-2gxwP6BaPDUpfc7POuKIuJ_O6fCvms4FnGQ7ac7ISEVMwM9p6C HohH2IwEVnozCijhgnO47jlKOHcXHVv0r_DuKzm1ntd1Cnx5lz jYUMJNKuJamy_Jb34gq8mv3IdNm1Jb9MsUjPopC7FPgfB4wa_K ThhUi7gmFZ483IECV-7RD8kd3MyoMtZXU1_IUP8MhviTK0drcIF_pnn4jIwTYGCuSK5F 92onogmsQy3jzZBqMd_Kxig43LLmrZ2Vj9Blvl5qchMI61eggg F8SWeBJpeOnQGo_qlnALtYe7uNf6Gh6jZb7hm5RJUZRJPZkI-n8LvrLXly8ALr82-vhsQi5GeBCxyedlZFkCYz91xi0qtyggLlJ366GMV2_qBGgENxu iHCCMFVLZF6EZmsl5BedktXtO82fueUDox9w_s1XEmJRHLsXGr HxFurCcGe2Y9Sv9xGx_iUub4slzqJ9kliNx4RJ83LWtNW18YRz VJ_Mh0Mf29gkogkxqYzIvEHxKuaBlCgQtJxRlPR42EQMBH_o6a OsfoioNCW-sSa3ZYFkf6erD8kWncoeXU_YliTBTFP-PLxtqayHBPS7v1KEHO0ccTZzIYtzIOjsjR98=w1200-h900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Aw48NDs6OB8nLagUGTpSPJ8R_JMaNfUJ65seU2gScLMoEgc1Ar TQCSY7e91na6kY6b6CTA-gQOsC04sO7dcFDSKq_WqQ5tVPhi5exKjFnf8lFK1ypmbPp7JRc dwp1apBTBN4GKgM6Vg73W1HBi090_WCzCJTD72GrDKppAON5wj YMxRiq9_x7nyVxruWXxu1l486ieGPlUGXz9wu56MvTtpASWS1e aENdK6gYSENgvON8UTAisEtk9OM1HJPaRGeANnq9zCCYGJXFEI 9mBoOeHfQKTOyWVv_9vhv3Zfvm_7mCVelpdc8G3OnCxrls5Lu6 U5LbhETC1YGET2me_T5oWcMwGtf4vOMBHPqluzCg4f30Vwb4sk lA9f_W6rcpKtIgiHo3b7lDg4hc3zCebTt7aUP3hLeaar6dolJg JOUETSEV1gtlVcuAsxRTvOxbTPeB2SW2by1JHgV6swvD-0gTysep2EpjwKzKr4BFJqbbwcRMvwbiCGxJ7r5ZbTNVTJNDBQl 4GdzKy024VKdDOZ_Tum6_Sp14QtZl567acB-FTGHmbeWNaEO2XKoGs1kW5UkLuUV3CtV8I-6ZW2k54f1hVeZUnFK7TBNZ84ys7xAtTm9fYLscI3YR4HDSIOW9 TnGPm4JPsaOS8ZgxE58pP0VBjLBsKBC6EltAug-ydrN-BwBQxMaDijf-vVlpwuZlKMMKUUDfuzi8fse3QCOZtcnTs8W=w1200-h900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xC5ricL5GyYUZ0HLaWW9rbQ-v3cB8uzJmCq27J6Xea8c2IGNW4v0lckxVJkszChl7u8RwdlOym tDEG-NU1N8LwxZdpfqwghwnHFIkbDmGx-lnltbeEr3O2W8-Lw2fx0PO5savzl76ujSN9vOTWkWBJ8qiBGqubDNsX1hApFOnEG 5p1Sph991HIJh3jQ0pk3wSfKZaKUppYeDdq7oB034jBBEb92iT fPYMNlWxe9Jn34U7O49gEqhNauE3ijcFCoz80SOnzMZOZlAVEX nB3SaK8h_KTJ9g3Z9Qp2x577NyU8H2XYpbbI_e_UwTyCivsqRP zx4LNlApFLAM58wgcipqsR8dyueSPs0PhHN9akVfoRVHt-gGXr3IgBlzeuGgzcSGmQmi9PaW65WoPLtq_E9exL8N-0WwpISaAXmLYFvKCB_iY9uVCBSEMX0g3wFmTN8w2Z05XYIozQG l07UAaI0mOpFhDzLv1pRYzf_SdE44FLdnGoQ7tRpEuKkOrhSLW sy6UsQFLck4snTHYekhPU2kPX3pcLhuhZ47abITMUDZBjzsAdB DdJG0opgOuS-dMY4GNsRscBM91Vcr8d577lE4UiIlTSd1tQk1-P-0tSLcLHsKfgdggX2mEmto7NtO79Rt3zm9nZquVjFyLd-wpQ4Fb3fFlFjEAfwp5bgNwaM6Z7pktXb1__Zx3_CZMQckZbp5c T1NEBdHRq_jwBcxs0FJRjc=w1200-h900-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/x6PszCJE1Rw4Vt0X9kK0TYIGWbbUcua5sx2gasBk8_lmsqwq0D zI-k1WW0GgBBJqnYEgyuX5veW8uFUqdyGjm5r_cKgxl0xk8v20A53 bnY9sugb4fcPYXONqsRdpgqvndkIy99MpIgDWbEBOq8HJGw2bL F9t7id4stBS1A06s-SResC9LVwjaFoYkDRP6EzL5yLYByy3B2bFmBqbyx95NfSaXL5Q rgRKZvsczBEfYic2L7kmeJ4XCTL4IFOwxYx8rF6CV_uHj5Ayhr utk7qZhLM6OAyB7S5UF9zuKtn2mBKn-byd0psKWRVcnXRPqAI3lhbp5Qbsr8ScQtAn0WJOXykPeRy8yUZ odCozdOBCdZaCAqB6QyqE571V0hSM1sSALzB4cUrufrqwfuDK1 IQuc-gUT1UM_F6HwPA6m7Sj4HvFFWpE5wRXwqRE1Mb3c7OVskbhu_R8 p9LyPDHfbOEG_h5282ekTo2t2GlYNfQHOKDicnu9-YdlsCf8afHageaOKuPlIIRWWGJ58DbjhPHEB8IQdgxLc1AKXo1 cJpJj8ANItnr4dQWEuNdFwuvIIpnQwEtx8p1vF5y536AI0YSvs vEkHO4PJ-L3QwGSXrZkHOAcCy1mS0tSicfPGiSZpeEfSeo4BZdO-HOKbwoB_EEaoGmP92EYfAPP4zUVG2Y_7jW_2Swki-kb-2VjVV2UF27mlGkkeBQFBZa3POMWfXL5gZ13=w1200-h900-no

[SteveH]

Wow! A nice bath and it’s ready to go. You don’t find many like that. Very cool. :thumbup:

[WickerBill]

That's fantastic. I want it when you're done with it.

[nrc]

That's all kinds of awesome. Reminds me the old shock driver's ed films. Speaking of which... metal dash and no seatbelts? I guess that's one way to ensure defensive driving. :eek:

When we visited the big cruise up in Detroit last year they opened the event with a parade of classic emergency responder vehicles. Lots of cool old cop cars, fire engines, and ambulances but a couple too many bad Ghostbusters conversions. You can't make a proper Ecto1 without a Miller-Meteor Cadillac.

[datachicane]

Yeah, no seat belts of any kind, which while perfectly acceptable in 1955, is a bit odd considering that this remained in service until the early '90s. I've actually managed to talk to a gentleman from St. Maries who drove this for the local FD back in the day, they used it to haul their jaws-of-life around. Early '90s, jaws-of-life hauler, no seat belts. :eek:

[devilmaster]

beautiful... :thumbup:

[chop456]

That's all kinds of awesome. Reminds me the old shock driver's ed films. .

"You might remember me from such driver's education films as 'Alice's Adventures Through the Windshield Glass' or 'The Decapitation of Larry Lead Foot'"

Super cool ride. Very jealous. :thumbup:

[nrc]

"You might remember me from such driver's education films as 'Alice's Adventures Through the Windshield Glass' or 'The Decapitation of Larry Lead Foot'"

I still have bad memories of "Signal 30". Some things can't be unseen.

[devilmaster]

"You might remember such driver's education films as 'Alice's Adventures Through the Windshield Glass' or 'The Decapitation of Larry Lead Foot'"

"Bub, you picked two of my favourites."

[datachicane]

I still have bad memories of "Signal 30". Some things can't be unseen.

"Mechanized Death" was the one that got me. At 15 I swore I'd never drive an automobile after that one.
Needless to say, seatbelts are first on the list.

[datachicane]

You can't make a proper Ecto1 without a Miller-Meteor Cadillac.

Because I'm that kind of guy, my initial reaction when I saw Ghostbusters in the theater back in 1984 was horror at what they'd done to that poor old Cadillac. :tony:

[Elmo T]

Yeah, no seat belts of any kind, which while perfectly acceptable in 1955, is a bit odd considering that this remained in service until the early '90s. I've actually managed to talk to a gentleman from St. Maries who drove this for the local FD back in the day, they used it to haul their jaws-of-life around. Early '90s, jaws-of-life hauler, no seat belts. :eek:

I bet they have some old photos if you ask around.

That is a sweet ride. :thumbup:

[nrc]

Bumping for dc. No idea what the market is like but current bid seems high considering the condition.

1097

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1960-cadillac-superior-ambulance-hearse/

[datachicane]

Man, that is some serious rust, definitely not a Los Angeles car unless it lived on the beach. It's enough to make a brave man blanch.

My ambulance went to a new home a few months back, ironically ended up just down the road from where it started in Idaho. I wasn't in any hurry to sell, but the offer was substantial enough that I couldn't resist. Part of the proceeds funded its replacement, and it's a much better tow vehicle in any case. I bought it because it was dirt cheap and I couldn't find any rust, even problem areas like the bottoms of the doors and tailgate are perfect. I got it from a non-car guy who does estates, and he acquired it a few weeks earlier from an estate in Eastern Oregon he'd cleaned out. It sat outside next to a barn in Alfalfa, Oregon (I'm a native Oregonian, and I'd never even heard of Alfalfa) since some time in the late '80s, last registered 25 years ago. This is absolutely the filthiest car I've ever owned, no exaggeration, I must have vacuumed 50lbs of fine, blown, Eastern Oregon topsoil out of this thing.

1958 Ford Country Sedan, nine passenger, with a nice 390 4v (1958 was the first year for Ford's legendary FE family of engines). Judging by the logos that have been sanded off the doors, it probably belonged to a big ranch, or possibly the Forest Service, although it's a bit high trim for them.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLW70-9J4i4Dv0_e40T77Oq974IZnk2ZYZKCHp368CIs6o8QmeTfkKP1 VVTDZqO2N2HQRa6_f2FxpZj3kwA8JTjL6ohoX_A3W4BeY-4ChOa4-s69QPOD_5lNKuQN5Uz56MgBkjD6TxpVmIUltrVgKEdAug=w121 8-h914-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLWJppdGYuQMwuHfWN0gbmCET66rHp1xgFWKdh1VTEG4N30DD f3EP6eqzginZUTGzVIPkEMrBfEIOSYY1j48rmY56MqwYj025oP mmk-rswzvTfqqZfwa6aejt0cJ9tbbcSrWqp-2noGkwaTZC3eftWfhQg=w1218-h914-no?authuser=0

...and then I got a big surprise. I thought I was buying a neglected field car, and I ended up with something entirely different. I bought it as a non-runner, as there was enough crap in the gas that it would only run for a minute or two before completely killing the fuel filter. I put in a new tank and replaced the lines, and it runs like a top. Tooling around town my wife asked if it had a synchro first gear, and I told her no, no synchro first in Fords until the toploaders were introduced in 1963. Then I dropped it seamlessly into first to illustrate- yeah, the old guy had swapped a proper 3.03 toploader in, set up right with the factory linkage. Digging around, I found brand new balljoints and tie rods, new shocks, an exotic very early 4v intake with a 1957 :eek: date code, a perfect and freshly rebuilt Autolite 4100, including tags, from a '64 T-Bird 390, and a bunch of other very nice, thoughtful upgrades, pretty much the kind of stuff I would have done. This was apparently someone's much-loved project, not a car just abandoned in a field. It looks like a field car, but drives as nice as my wife's Mazda. It'll make a fine tow vehicle for the '57 Cardinal I'm working on.

[WickerBill]

First, congratulations. That's an AMAZING find.


Tooling around town my wife asked if it had a synchro first gear

So is your wife, apparently!! :D

[datachicane]

First, congratulations. That's an AMAZING find.



So is your wife, apparently!! :D


Hoo, boy, long-suffering doesn't begin to tell the story. We got married way too young because the only way I could afford the old Mustang convertible I wanted was for us to get a joint loan. I'm not joking. It's been a long line of weird old iron in the driveway ever since, sending her off to work in ancient, creaking rides of every description, when all she wanted was a nice Subaru with an automatic. We've only owned two cars made this century (one of which was totalled), mostly '50s and '60s Fords. Pretty sure she didn't know synchro firsts were even a thing until I thoughtfully responded to her request (with a baby on the way) for a proper family car, when I picked up a 9-year old SHO+, my very first four-door sedan. It did make a heckuva kid hauler.

You know you've established a questionable pattern when she asks if the new car has all of the glass in it. Why she puts up with me I'll never understand.

[WickerBill]

We got married way too young because the only way I could afford the old Mustang convertible I wanted was for us to get a joint loan.

Wow. Just wow. What a story!

[datachicane]

Wow. Just wow. What a story!

That was in 1985- still have the car, still have the wife, so I definitely lucked out. Of course, I can never get rid of it after that...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jDfiZzVrq5kQnPHzXSfEZhYICMbiA7RBkxoWnnBWxA_JQWAjAK bxlEAQPmlcrjxLd0Ld9hhR9Hk37VM1yWUBtkDgystwdI6BaAIb 4hxBEzmF5eJwbAQEmBfF8snbi2VuLcweAzlB7BpzEoGc5rlnXk ix_oc1hf3ZZq3d__ZQi7bc2D18BENMa825RZMAlXK_C1NAV3bj 2GuFuRQu8r8WqNViOTxb6M3UyVkdJn42Q3RqI-5juGiNOjABhcmG83NT0cueLnKKr7lDopmOPZ64bxwKUfE3iEKt vQ3042xiAbkgzU9ImPobqaYLxpr_IloXIQ_kfQAe8YCdQ-l7uLv6R3FrpvbbeSFebACb_C_AwizkxG5qEIRTRUeCHxxW4asi TfJomtZs1dQzDfpmhIA-CuHaPh4AudXNFK9f9ZObJZwF23lnZTIRAwjLYN-jlpryG-kjGIyKkLHTL-tQnZnd70ERUu8MXVcX4mZYhgLcen833b03OE_rU75gEiS1e_si f7uOD-DZ5x8Ly7E5BtDp0gM-5BwklQr12myMgVAF7c-HCFLVdJ6J8TfwIRQI90Je67WpuiGUb-fUl7nOlTwV3iscxvB9Y09M4CvyVHiPUNpTBjIgVqvtln448DG1 WtJrGYkZYg0O-Y-i6ccIGol0BVbOzua9fho2zDYF7JUXe3vEqnSekWiwJgoYru3nk-hiMvqg6U31xphvYjxBRSnXlFBWZA=w1920-h810-no?authuser=0

[nrc]

Speaking of classic Fords, I made a run at this beauty this week.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1980-ford-fiesta-6/

1101

We had four Fiestas over the years and loved them all. I wasn't going beyond $5500. This one is a gem but I really want a solid driver and not something where I'm paying a premium for condition.

[RaceGrrl]

Speaking of classic Fords, I made a run at this beauty this week.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1980-ford-fiesta-6/

1101

We had four Fiestas over the years and loved them all. I wasn't going beyond $5500. This one is a gem but I really want a solid driver and not something where I'm paying a premium for condition.


Hey, it just occurred to me that that Fiesta is the same color as your suit at our prom! :)

[nrc]

Hey, it just occurred to me that that Fiesta is the same color as your suit at our prom! :)

Definitely on trend for the era. :D

[WickerBill]

I dig it. Don't know much about them, but that sure looks like a specimen from that photo. Good to see old sheet metal in good shape.