Why we own pro-cars......

As I read these forums I find it fascinating to read the various posts about our vehicles. I watch as they are acquired, refurbished, restored, shown, and traded or sold. It got me to thinking, exactly what motivates us to collect these vehicles.

For me, it all got started over 50 years ago when I started working for an ambulance/livery provider. We had 1963 Pontiac Consorts at first, the graduated to Cadillac Superior combinations. Through the years while working for various other firms, and even owning my own service, I’ve worked on a lot of different cars. They ranged from combinations, to low-top “straight” ambulances, to high-tops, and at the end a van conversion. They were, for the most part, workhorses that looked like show horses. They did the job well, and looked good doing it.

Over the years I kind of forgot about them. I got “reacquainted” with them again several years ago when I ran across the Northland Chapter’s photo gallery. Wow, did the memories ever come flooding back!!! I got very curious and started searching for cars that I may have crossed paths with over the years. I found a couple, but they were not available, or just plain not worth fooling with.

I ran into the ’64 a few years ago at the Cruise-In By The Bay in Sandusky. Mike Yost (a former employee of mine) and his son, Dan, had it there. We spent a lot of time just shootin’ the breeze that night.

Shortly after that, I found the web-site and the PCS and really got interested again.

When the car became available in the fall of 2012, we weren’t in a position to acquire it, but were able to assist Ron Devies in getting it. Mike and Dan wanted to be sure it was going to a good home, we assured them it was. The understanding was if Ron ever wanted/needed to get rid of it, we got first dibs. The rest, as they say, is history. In June 2013 we acquired it and really enjoy having it. The grandkids think it’s the greatest thing ever!!!!

When we acquired the car we did so with the understanding and knowledge that we have a strong obligation to “protect” the car as best we can. By that I mean displaying it to PCS Standards, using it for educational purposes, and giving it the respect and dignity it deserves. We also feel it deserves the best care and period correct restorative efforts possible. When the time comes to move it along, we will be sure it goes to a good home. No “revolving door” buyers, sellers, and traders, no “rat-rodders”, no “Halloween types”. A good, respectful home where it will continue to be treated properly.

All of that being said, we’ve got a very full schedule of events for the next couple months. So much so, that we have a crew of three different drivers to handle them all. And, we’ve still got some other things brewing to keep it even busier.

Please, share your thought on pro-car ownership, I’m very curious if we’re alone in feeling the way we do.

I bought my S&S Lincoln on a whim. I had owned multiple Lincolns since 1989 but never even considered owning a hearse. In 2003, the PNW Chapter of the Lincoln club was hosting a National meet. I stumbled across the S&S Lincoln on the Internet & thought it would be a unique car to show at the LCOC meet. I sold a 57 Lincoln Premiere in order to buy it and it was a hit at the meet. I'm like Russell though; if it ever comes time to give her a new home, it will only go to a proper home!

what I want and what might happen may be two different things but I would love to get down to two cars one to drive one to work on. though I had at least one that I could drive only to have it turn into one to work on in about 10 minuets while I watched. so use it, enjoy it, don't abuse it and keep it in as good a condition as your pocket book will let you. any one of them does give a body a nice since of satisfaction just running it around the block

For me, it all started with a ChokeSaver.

I grew up watching C-B Oldsmobile ambulances from the Wheaton Rescue Squad drive past my house, and playing with my Matchbox Cadillac ambulance. I thought they were cool. I decided I wanted to be an ambulance driver. Eventually, I became an EMT.

Our ambulances in Canonsburg, PA carried ChokeSavers. This was basically a set of salad tongs with teeth, that you were supposed to use to blindly remove something that someone was choking on. I thought it was a bad idea, that you didn't know what you were pulling out or whether the person might need it or not (tonsils, uvula, etc) and eventually, the Commonwealth of PA did, too. The president came in and told me to "take the ChokeSavers off the ambulances, snap them like a wishbone, and throw them in the dumpster". I did for the first two. Then I thought, "wow, in 20 years, who will know what a ChokeSaver was?" I saved the other one.

And I realized it would be important to save ambulance history. The rest is, indeed, history.

And I still have that ChokeSaver.

Thanks Steve

Remember them all too well "to blindly go where no man has been" would anyone remember the plastic screws used to pry teeth apart to get an airway in?

Russell Street said:

As I read these forums I find it fascinating to read the various posts about our vehicles. I watch as they are acquired, refurbished, restored, shown, and traded or sold. It got me to thinking, exactly what motivates us to collect these vehicles.

Please, share your thought on pro-car ownership, I’m very curious if we’re alone in feeling the way we do.

Click to expand...

Too lazy to type my response again, but it is in this thread, along with many other replies when someone asked a similar question less than a year ago.

http://www.professionalcarsociety.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14196&highlight=interested+cars

Steve Lichtman said:

For me, it all started with a ChokeSaver.

I grew up watching C-B Oldsmobile ambulances from the Wheaton Rescue Squad drive past my house, and playing with my Matchbox Cadillac ambulance. I thought they were cool. I decided I wanted to be an ambulance driver. Eventually, I became an EMT.

Our ambulances in Canonsburg, PA carried ChokeSavers. This was basically a set of salad tongs with teeth, that you were supposed to use to blindly remove something that someone was choking on. I thought it was a bad idea, that you didn't know what you were pulling out or whether the person might need it or not (tonsils, uvula, etc) and eventually, the Commonwealth of PA did, too. The president came in and told me to "take the ChokeSavers off the ambulances, snap them like a wishbone, and throw them in the dumpster". I did for the first two. Then I thought, "wow, in 20 years, who will know what a ChokeSaver was?" I saved the other one.

And I realized it would be important to save ambulance history. The rest is, indeed, history.

And I still have that ChokeSaver.

Click to expand...

the picture looks like they have a hold of the tounge, I could imagine if someone is choking they would be fighting like crazy until they pass out