New deliveries, coach dealer inventory ads

Steve Loftin

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As many of you know, I have a large (but sadly, incomplete) collection of funeral service magazines that go back into the 1920s*. These include MORTUARY MANAGEMENT, SOUTHERN FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER'S
MONTHLY, AMERICAN FUNERAL DIRECTOR, and (my favorite) MORTICIANS OF THE SOUTHWEST.

One of my favorite features of MOTS (published 1947-2001) was the "new delivery" photos. Attached please find two pages from their August, 1972 issue. Although the caption isn't totally correct, my favorite photo is that of the Central cars.

Here also is a Crain's ad from the August, 1972 issue of SFD.
 

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Attached is a copy of a Gordon K. Allen Co. (GKA) ad from the August, 1964 issue of MOTS. The '65 models are on the way, and they're trying to sell 35 '64 model coaches that are in stock...EVERY ONE a combination!

This is a page from the August, 1965 issue of MOTS.

The Superior ended up in Central's fleet as unit 43. Note the double-ended bullets; most cars that were delivered with bullets on all four corners had
single-light versions. Well-lit for her day, she sported a #174 beacon and a #78B sirenlight. Central added dual CP-25 speakers as well as a red lower paint job. This car replaced a very similar '62 model at Moore's.

The Abernathy car is a GKA conversion. In 1965, their advertising claimed that they built more "emergency cars" or "hot shots" (also known as station wagon ambulances) than any other company in the southwest combined. Their standard conversion included cot hook, split center seat (if not offered by the car builder), cot hook, and oxygen brackets. Standard warning equipment included four lollipops, a Q2B, and a #17 (such as Ninde F.H.'s Ford, seen in the wagon thread). The Ninde car sports optional curtains, as well.

The Denver M-Ms are very similar, with only a few minor differences.
 

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Randall Noe was the M-M and C/B dealer for Texas and Oklahoma (and maybe another state or two) until sometime in 1965, when Stan McCampbell took over the franchises. Mr. Noe had been a Eureka, S&S, Meteo,r and Comet dealer previously.

I'm sending these ads (1/65 and 12/65, MOTS) just to stimulate your fantasies...imagine walking around his lot and looking over these cars! I'm guessing, by the calling times listed, that he was working somewhere else when the later ad was published and just trying to clear his leftover inventory. In 1965, an air-conditioned car was a big deal. Most procars of the time still didn't have AM or AM/FM radios. Note that he called his Comets "C/B" for some reason. And yes, "emergency" means station wagon ambulance!
 

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MOTS - July, 1961

Bram Limousines was a used limousine dealer in northwest Missouri (where they also operated a funeral home). Note the interesting sedan ambulance conversion, complete with 180-degree rear door opening (and oxygen bottle)! Cot shown is a Washington #54.

Until a few years ago I thought 1962 was the first year C/B offered their limousine (through the 1967 model year). Could this have been the 1961 prototype?
 

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I have one of the military hospital in Denver receiving there new 73 cb a man at the meet down there was kind enough to send it to me as we were discussing how my 72 would have looked as delivered. I used the pictures to get he signage made up correct for the car.
 
1/63 MOTS - Note the use of Federal "Kojak" lights on the Greenwood (three) and Hassell-Foster (four, plus a #17 and rear marker lights) Sevilles.

8/61 MOTS - The short '61 Chevy is interesting, but I REALLY like that Cotington combination!
 

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If any one else has coach dealer ads and/or new delivery features like this to share, please post them here...we'd sure like to see 'em!
 
MID-CONTINENT MORTICIAN magazine goodies

3/64 - Mr. Oliphant, do you recognize any of these cars?

1/64 - Note that three of the funeral-home-for-sale ads mention that they're still in the furniture business.
 

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Nye Brothers ads

From MCM - 2/61 and 1/64
 

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Mcm - 11/66

The undertakers in this part of the country, as did most of the rest, wanted out of the ambulance business. Ironically, note that all of the new deliveries in this month's spotlight were combinations!
 

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More MOTS goodies...

...from the November, 1956 issue.

Note the '56 Chevy wagon-based ambulance in the Comet scan. That's a well-done and good-looking conversion, complete with rear quarter windows! Just when we think we've seen em all...

I wonder what the cars on Baldwin's lot might sell for today. That Jitterbug (Weller sedan delivery ambulance conversion) is a bargain, and even includes new paint for $650!
 

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AID & Haley

Attached is a copy of a Gordon K. Allen Co. (GKA) ad from the August, 1964 issue of MOTS. The Denver M-Ms are very similar, with only a few minor differences.

Steve, thanks for posting the ad featuring the ambulance deliveries in Denver. That really brought back some fond memories. When I was a young kid I'd make occasional trips to Denver with my parents. I would always beg my Dad to drive past the Aid, Haley, Reed, Ambulance Service Co. and Denver General Hospital ambulance stations so I could get a glimpse of their ambulances. I'll have to admit I didn't realize Winter-Weiss was the M-M dealer back then. It wasn't until I was a bit older that I became aware of Fred McPeck's M-M dealership and the Superior dealership at the Ogden Street Garage.
 
3/64 - Mr. Oliphant, do you recognize any of these cars?

1/64 - Note that three of the funeral-home-for-sale ads mention that they're still in the furniture business.

That sure is a handsome coach in the lower right corner. Does anyone know why the funeral home sold it to Clay Center Nebraska only three years after they had purchased it?

Steve, since this is your scanned document I'd like to ask permission to include it in the coach book that I'm putting together on my car.

By the way, please call me Bruce. All of the Mr. Oliphants were old and have passed on.
 
Steve, since this is your scanned document I'd like to ask permission to include it in the coach book that I'm putting together on my car.

No, sir; absolutely not! I will, however, send you a higher resolution copy that will print out better. PM me your e-mail address, please.
 
Here's a two-page Meteor ad from the May, 1924 issue of THE PACIFIC COAST UNDERTAKER:
 

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Ads you won't see in the AFD nowadays

These are from the July, 1968 issue of AMERICAN FUNERAL DIRECTOR.
 

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Seeing many of the new delivery photos over the years, I always thought it would be fun to be in one. My opportunity came nearly three years ago when we took delivery of our new Eagle Lincoln. The funeral home owners are not "car people" per se; they didn't have much interest in posing for a photo, but suggested I do it. As you can see, we were able to make it a little extra special by recreating a scene from over four decades prior. This appeared in The YB News.
 

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From Post #11

Interestingly, both of the 1966 C/B Oldsmobile limousine combinations still exist! The one from Silver Lake, MN is restored, painted silver, and has a loving home at a funeral home in Illinois. The one from Phillip, SD is still around the NW Minneapolis metro, is painted lime green and in very sad shape. Two cars, two survivors, entirely different fates...
 
Seeing many of the new delivery photos over the years, I always thought it would be fun to be in one. My opportunity came nearly three years ago when we took delivery of our new Eagle Lincoln. The funeral home owners are not "car people" per se; they didn't have much interest in posing for a photo, but suggested I do it. As you can see, we were able to make it a little extra special by recreating a scene from over four decades prior. This appeared in The YB News.

I wish funeral homes would do this more often now days. Remember when a new coach was something to be proud of and how they always sat outside on nice days during business hours? Now it seems most funeral homes hide them in the garage all the time as if they are ashamed of them.
 
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