1959 Cad S&S Amb parts needed, side trim, etc

Joe Puleo

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I recently purchased a 1959 Hess & Eisenhardt model 1443 Professional Parkway Ambulance, and I have started restoration. It was painted about 6 years ago and the shop lost some of the side trim. Also need a stretcher/gurney, jump seat, jack, 2 steel wheels with rivets, and info on what should be on the front floor, carpet, rubber? I've attached a few pics of the car. It was originally built for the Deal First Aid Squad, in Deal, NJ. If you can provide any info on what else should be in the back. All of the cabinets are still there, but that's about it. Thanks.
 

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it going to make a sharp car. I have a set of the correct wheels for the 59. but I would need a swap for the 65 to 67 set. the difference is the outer lip. the early ones used a larger wheel cover I'm guessing if they were side by side one could tell but other then putting a wheel cover one I can not.

you get your out side trim out and fit to the panels it goes on then let us know what your missing. some of that stuff is S&S only the rest may be the same style as the caddy but will not be the same length. anyone of the other pro cars but S&S will not work on anything but the front fenders. as that is the only panel they share that is the same
 
... and info on what should be on the front floor, carpet, rubber? I've attached a few pics of the car. It was originally built for the Deal First Aid Squad, in Deal, NJ. If you can provide any info on what else should be in the back. All of the cabinets are still there, but that's about it. Thanks.

Congrats on a great car! What a neat historical artifact indeed.

This car would be more likely to have a full bench rather than flip-up attendant seats.

There’s a lot of photos of similar units on Facebook, shared from the Squads themselves. The sales brochures from S&S are out there too. I’d encourage you to search Newspapers.com - it is likely you can find an original photo of your car in the archives.
 
Hi Joe, welcome to the forum! As per our conversation last Saturday, I think you will get some assistance, possibly find some parts and you will tap into a vast reservoir of knowledge here.

As for the floor covering, I would think you will need rubber floor covering, however, I do not know for certain.

I am looking forward to meeting you and see your 59 limo, as well as the S&S.
 
Thanks. We are making progress, the firewall was painted today. We are doing all of the mechanical restoration now.
 

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looks goos here is the product you want to use on that frame http://www.hirschauto.com/QUART-MIRACLE-PAINT/productinfo/MIR-QUART/

it will realty do the a good job. just wash off the dirt and wipe the grease spots and brush it on. wear your rubbers you get it on your self you got to wear it off we did the top half of the 53 project with it last week. they have the correct blue for that engine also
 

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The front cabin originally had rubber flooring, however, that is impossible to replace. The next best thing to do is order a black carpet in the cut nylon pile, as was used in the upper end Cadillac in 1959. You should order the 4 door carpet set, and you will only be using partial of the rear floor. The ambulance portion of flooring was originally linoleum, and the pattern used by most of the body builders was Armstrong Colonial Classic in a subdued red brick pattern. This product has been out of production for about 20 years now, and it is extremely difficult to find, but occasionally, someone does find a remnant at an old flooring store.
For the side lower moldings, all the body builders used the standard Cadillac trim. If you have a good stainless steel welder and polisher, you can get the correct lengths by welding or splicing pieces together. Rocker panel moldings were sourced by using the rocker moldings from the factory limousine.
 
The front cabin originally had rubber flooring, however, that is impossible to replace. The next best thing to do is order a black carpet in the cut nylon pile, as was used in the upper end Cadillac in 1959. You should order the 4 door carpet set, and you will only be using partial of the rear floor. The ambulance portion of flooring was originally linoleum, and the pattern used by most of the body builders was Armstrong Colonial Classic in a subdued red brick pattern. This product has been out of production for about 20 years now, and it is extremely difficult to find, but occasionally, someone does find a remnant at an old flooring store.
For the side lower moldings, all the body builders used the standard Cadillac trim. If you have a good stainless steel welder and polisher, you can get the correct lengths by welding or splicing pieces together. Rocker panel moldings were sourced by using the rocker moldings from the factory limousine.

That is not correct. Miller-Meteor did not use any of the standard Cadillac body side moldings in the 1959 or 1960 model years.
 
Congrats on a great car! What a neat historical artifact indeed.

This car would be more likely to have a full bench rather than flip-up attendant seats.

There’s a lot of photos of similar units on Facebook, shared from the Squads themselves. The sales brochures from S&S are out there too. I’d encourage you to search Newspapers.com - it is likely you can find an original photo of your car in the archives.

This rig looks to have had jump seats. The original flooring runs the full width of the floor and the right inner well is covered with the red vinyl. It also had a built-in cabinet on the right side.
 
It might not be the rubber floor covering that was original to your car, but I had this installed in my ambulance in 2016 at Falls Automotive in Little Falls NJ 973 890 0268, you could talk to them, ask for Jeff.
 

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Thank you all for your suggestions. Kurt, I went on newspapers.com and I found the article dated 8/6/59. Great idea!
 

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This rig looks to have had jump seats. The original flooring runs the full width of the floor and the right inner well is covered with the red vinyl. It also had a built-in cabinet on the right side.

I am certainly willing to admit I am wrong here, but would be very surprised if the car only had a jump seat. I will post photos I have when I have access to my home computer. I would be interested to see a Professional High Body without the bench.

My 1963 Pinner-Chrysler and 1970 C/B-Oldsmobile have full length flooring under the bench. My 1961 “Hi-Boy” does not. The side “cabinet” appears to be just “extra space”, perhaps with the outside opening. Either which way. Note the lack of a door currently or clear indication of one missing. This is the same as my 1961 Eureka-Cadillac “Hi-Boy” and was one of the details which makes me suspect a missing bench. http://www.professionalcarsociety.org/forums/showpost.php?p=841910923&postcount=30 shows mine.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions. Kurt, I went on newspapers.com and I found the article dated 8/6/59. Great idea!

Glad to see. Keep searching and with patience more will come up. Perhaps at scenes. Another time to look for is when the car was replaced.
 
Squad benches were extremely popular with the New Jersey Squads that ran ambulances. Being that the Deal Squad is still in existence, they would be the best resource to ask. Granted it is 58 years ago that they purchased the rig, however, there are still people alive today that can clearly remember the cars that they worked in. That car might have served for more than 10 years before it was retired. You will only know after you ask the question.
 
There would be a very definite "ghost" on the flooring if there had been a squad bench along with anchoring holes.
 
There would be a very definite "ghost" on the flooring if there had been a squad bench along with anchoring holes.

The floor of that ambulance is thoroughly covered in dust. It would indeed help if shown cleaned up. Another clue to this is you can look at the rear floor compartment and see that it is not "full length," as it would be if there were no bench, instead stopping mid-way across the floor to accomodate a bench. This can be demonstrated for the Professional High Body at http://www.professionalcarsociety.org/forums/showpost.php?p=78238&postcount=13 and for the Parkway at http://www.phantomcoaches.org/literature/59ss03.jpg

I would be stunned if this car did not come with a full bench.
 
you might try these guys for the flooring.https://www.ocautocarpets.com/flooring/. I know I ran across a rubber mat for a 59 when I was looking for one for my car.

as for the seat arrangement I guessing the open hole is the rear AC looks like a double cage fan in it. it could have been pipes threw of under depending on the style of bench. one would need to get a good look at the floor cleaned up. but I would guess that flooring in the back is salvageable. the Armstrong has the pattern going all the way threw so you can sand out small scratches in it
 
I think that I would leave the second(lower) body side molding off. It looks much better without it! I never did understand how they came up with that '59/'60 S&S body side molding design.
 
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