ambulance rescue(s)

Grumpy, dragging, and exhausted after a 21 hour road trip yesterday. Short report with my more typical verbose detail laden prose upcoming. After a PM requesting I start naming these type of excursions, we'll start with this one: Attila's Adventures 30.7 (AA30.7 for short).

One of the cars being moved, '74 S&S Victoria with extend table.

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Weeds were taller than waistline so there wasn't much to see prior to unburying. Frankly lowers are better than I had anticipated seeing. Owner is keeping windshield and hubcaps for another S&S. Rollers are already gone. Remaining parts available.

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S&S was 1 of 3 vehicles that had to be moved getting to this. After using both a commercial weed whacker and a chainsaw this capture happened immediately before a significant swarm of yellowjackets enveloped entire front end of Superior. We figured nest was under sheetmetal somewhere but couldn't pinpoint where. They were p_i_s_s_e_d and not leaving.

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With exception of not breaking a winch, everything that could have gone wrong up to and including loading - did!

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Darryl Thompson will sell '75 Superior Pontiac after it is once again running. Direct inquiries to him and not me.

Items learned yesterday:

1. Repel has higher DEET concentration (40) than Deep Woods Off (30). Liberally applying over entire body enables sticking head into a bee swarm without being stung.
2. DEET 40 on a freshly shaven head when mixed with sweat rolling into eyes provides for a long slow burn. Taking gloves off to wipe eyes makes for a much more acute albeit shorter burning sensation.
3. New gasoline is a decent old timers trick for dispersing bees. Stale gasoline proves less volatile.
4. Everyone should stop and listen to Darryl when he says the driveshaft is bent.
5. Carrying backup camera is crucial.
6. Most funny hearse bumper sticker ever~ My zombie ate your cat.

To be continued.
 
Attila,
Do you happen to remember if the back bumper was good on that '74 S&S? It looks as though it might be in the photo. Glad to see Daryl get that '70! Looks to be a very solid car! If you get a chance, check the door hands in the rear of the '74 S&S to see if they have the screw in the center holding them on as the 3-ways did. It would be much appreciated.

Also, good to hear you are applying Deet aggressively in your adventures. My Father is currently in St. Mary's Hospital(Mayo) in Rochester, MN recovering(hopefully) from the West Nile Virus. He has Meningitis, Encephalitis, and Septicemia as a result. Nasty stuff and he is not yet "out of the woods". He has been in ICU since last Thursday. Dad's current battle has definitely taught me a lesson on using Deet!
 
'74 Victoria rear bumper ends had each been scraped hard. Darryl agrees both horizontal blades and center section should be good. (For some reason I forgot to run my hand along underside lip feeling for rust as done on virtually every other '65-'76 coaches instinctively.) Passenger side inset light housing is damaged.

Sorry to hear about your father Kurt. :(

Kevin, are you looking for emblems on sail panels behind C pillar? I don't recall seeing any external Victoria badge.

Also note this Victoria has lower profile slender landau irons and mounting knobs that more frequently were mounted on removable panels.
 
Attila,
I think Kevin is referring to the front fender "Victoria" name plates. I see that it has one on the passenger side anyway.
 
Everything to this point has been a joint effort on several behalves. Some of you know owner and have been to his property. Property is 13 acres. 5 of those acres are being leased. This means those 5 acres are being cleared. In clearing them, any units being saved must move to remaining 8 acres. Remaining 8 acres are full, so that requires scrapping off of that portion to make room. In short, there's a pressure-ridden race against clock to get stuff out. Without the land leaser (and his relationship with property owner), Darryl dropping hard cash (and quickly), and both of us being good for our word, none would be happening. Every step in place has enabled action. Try calling owner and you'll likely make little progress and/or receive higher prices.

Of course even now that's being oversimplified really. There are other factors too, like desired units verses accessibility or order wanted to transport in. Logistics within yard itself are being taken into consideration as to not make extra work for anyone. 2 trips down, 3 more 50' trailer trips scheduled currently.

Here is the aforementioned '70 bent rear driveshaft. Only after Darryl's suspicions had been confirmed was the articulated loader used. Even after disconnecting today, rear wheels still have not broken free. At least you can see she's fairly solid down there.

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There is second suicide door(!) '70 Superior 51 Darryl is buying, missing engine and windshield. Can't decide which '70 will prove better builder until it has been freed. (I personally like seeing white over blue with a blue interior rig. Orange & red become so monotonous. Not mine though so irrelevant.) Ultimately he will keep one and sell the other.

Haven't started counting how many cars need moved for this one yet...

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Next trip will probably see this pair of '67 Superiors come out. They're easiest to get to currently. Further suicide door rig has been stripped more, bodies appear similar (both crusty low), both need windshields, closer regular hinged door rig more complete. Again a toss up which body will prove better builder until freed. And again Darryl will likely keep one and pass other along.

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'47 Superior is my favorite coach here, which is probably why image magically got all artsy-fartsy. Darryl bought it. Another that will take moving many vehicles to reach.

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Downsized '78 Superior owner will listen to an offer. He's up front about having $3500 in it between purchase and transport. He knows it isn't worth near that anymore after sitting like it has. Request is that an offer comes from someone who will actually do something with it. She's crusty and you best want a downsized ambulance to commit.

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3 rigs in this post are completely off limits for various reasons. Ever see M. Night Shyamalan's The Village? Consider these like the mysterious creatures they did not speak of. Nothing good will stem from it. Money does not matter. They are not for sale. Best course is to respect owner's wishes.

Only posting pics as a courtesy to share what he's keeping.

'79 Superior downsized is second last produced. Serial number is one before Dr. Roger White's well known ambulance. '79 is in better condition than '78 shown in previous post.

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'73 S&S Medic 1 was custom ordered/built for town of Wellsboro. Talk about no expense spared!!! Roof corner lights plus a beacon in center. Side pod warning lights and ditch lights (x2). This thing must've lit up like a Xmas tree.

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Lights not on unit are inside. Look at that console, all those switches - and a rotary dial. Great fun dialing 911, right?

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Really enjoyed seeing cast nameplates on a gurney. (Other side has one too, which has slipped down.) Purely awesome detail. Refer back to 'no expense spared'. Do any of you have such nameplates?

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Wellsboro actually had 2 identical '73s made. When one was totaled in an accident, this '75 was ordered to replace it. Note lack of side windows from S&S. Very rare. Appears to this untrained EMT eye being an early advanced life support rig. This gurney also has same cast Wellsboro name plates.

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This rough MM was shown early on in Richard's Criterion thread. Owner has someone buying cabinetry and will not do anything with rig until those have been removed/retrieved. No timeline provided. I imagine other parts are fair game.

Second Criterion has already been scrapped.

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Now we're getting into procar stuff that is on short list to be scrapped. A very simple equation has been used pricing them complete by property owner and property leaser. Ready? Scrap value + $150 labor for digging out. Scrap value is up ($10.50/hundred), articulated loader has only been rented for a short period, their time is worth money, and they don't have to be 'nice' removing vehicles for crushing (meaning ability to move faster). This equates to the following being under $1k. Don't try to get crafty thinking you're able to negotiate. Won't happen. And expect to assist them digging something out. If they do all the work, price could be higher. Their rules, their game. Abide by them or don't bother trying.

Darryl Thompson has a friend that owns a recycling business. He also happens to own a '68 MM landau 3-way and has a soft spot for procars. Plan is any hearse/ambulance left out of these he'll buy, transport, then hire Darryl & myself to strip/label usable parts before he crushes on site. Direct all inquires to Darryl, not me. He's point man and can relay status.

Early postwar bathtub Henney flower car.

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3 different early postwar black Henney hearses.

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Superior presents as a decent parts donor.

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More on short list. Lifeliner. Sorry Jeremy, not a decent door topper anywhere. This one had already been repaired with pop riveted galvanized steel.

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'76 S&S.

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Another '76 S&S. Note more planked off side windows from factory. Darryl got close & inspected while I climbed to a higher vantage point for shooting. Jacob, thought of you on this for some reason.

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Really nice doors on '62 limo. Front clip was already gone. Windshield sold since photo was taken.

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Another we couldn't get very close to. Think this MM is a '66.

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'65 MM is already spoke for. I place 75% certainty at moment.

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Same goes with this decent parts donor '76 Lifeliner. It's largely intact but sat in a flood up to windshield posts. An interested party is currently checking shipping quotes.

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The Wellsboro 73 is simply fascinating (among the buttzillion options note 2 power window switches on the Passenger door). Also I spotted a rare late 70's GMC motorhome in the background of one shot. I am actually itchy and sweaty from living vicariously though the pictures. :yum: Thanks for the post Atti.:applause:
 
Fairly confident Chris that every ambulance remaining on property has been shown. This means 10 rigs +/- have already left, either sold or crushed. A Superior 54XL went to NC. That the unit you're thinking about?
 
The Wellsboro cars, back in the day:
 

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These two? Not yet. Again fallback plan is for Darryl's friend that owns a recycling business to grab up whatever ambulances other people don't want/buy. At least that way they'll be properly stripped before death.

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