Two Commander Ambulets

[stevel200]

Well, it looks like my photo of my Ambulet has been lost to the mist of computers. Oh well. Here's something more interesting.

What could be more interesting than a Commander Conestoga Ambulet? How about two of them? Here they are.


This is probably the only time two restored Ambulets have ever been together. It occurred at the Professional Car Society International Meet in Mt. Laurel, NJ on 8/9/08. The blue '54 Commander Ambulet is mine, the "salmon" colored '55 Commander Ambulet belongs to Jeff Beyer of PA.

By the way, most Ambulets were Champions, though obviously they were available as Commanders as well. These are the only two Commander Ambulets I've ever seen or heard of.

This will happen again in a month, at the SDC International Meet in Lancaster. Both cars are scheduled to be there.

Enjoy. And who ever thought that two restored Ambulets would ever be together? I certainly didn't!

[hi-per al]

Mr. Steve...That is sure some Kool history. Truly a pleasure to view. BTW I believe that the color of the 55 is Pima Red and not Salmon. As usual I could be wrong but somehow I dont think so. Al

[BRIZ]

very cool!
if ya have photos of each of those, i'd love to add'em to the registry!

[stevel200]

You are correct, the name of the color on Jeff's ambulet is Pima Red. But it's not really "red", nor is it really "orange" or "pink". The best I can call it, genericly, for a color is "salmon".

Briz, I'll e-mail you a photo of Jeff's car shortly. You can use this photo of my car for the registry: .

[Mike]

Hey Steve -

Is there anything unusual about the interior of either your car or the Fire Dept. car?

Nice work..by the way (both cars).

Mike

[stevel200]

Yes, there are several things that "make" an Ambulet.

First is the split back seat. Only on the Ambulets, the rear bench is split 60/40. The drivers' side must be folded down to accommodate the main stretcher, while the passenger's side of the seat is left up to be the attendant's seat.

Other interior modifications are:

• A hinged plate with a spring to cover the space between the tailgate and the floor, to allow the stretcher to roll and not get caught in the space
• Mounts for the stretcher bar
• Mounts for a second, folding stretcher
• Dome light over the tailgate
• Switch on the dashboard for the siren & light (on mine, the "starter" switch is used for this, it has a floor starter)
• Red cross decals for the side windows.
• The red lights and siren were also installed from the factory.

By the way, Stude is the only manufacturer to offer a factory ambulance. All the Cadillac, Pontiac, and Olds ambulances were built by coachbuilders. Packards were all built by one coachbuilder, Henney, in an exclusive arrangement after '37. You could buy a complete ambulance from a Ford, International, GMC, or Rambler dealer, but those were still contracted out to be built. Only Stude actually built the ambulance themselves.

Interestingly, the Rambler equivalent of the Ambulet was called, believe it or not, the "Rambulance"!

[Mike]

Thanks for the info.

Ramublet...?

Mike

[Studeblu]

Steve thanks for the pictures and the ambulance history. They are both beautiful.
I will be watching for them in Lancaster.

Jerry (studeblu)

[s2dwagon]

I really like the visor on that 54. Is that a Studebaker part or is from an outside vendor?

[Mike]

s2dwagon -

Yes, they are Studebaker parts.
Finding one might proove to be a bit difficult.
One was on my car when I bought it. I had 4 people asking for it...I never even advertized it! Word somehow got out. I sold it to a guy on this board...along with a bunch of other parts.

Good luck.

Mike