Fleet shots

Nashville Hearse Service, 1961.

In front of the Miller-Meteor plant in Piqua Ohio, Bernie (B.W.) Bland and Perry Lanius along with drivers for NHS take delivery of 7 Miller-Meteor coaches for Nashville Hearse Service Nashville, TN.

A recreation of this photo was posed with the attending cars at the first Miller-Meteor reunion in 2004!

From the files of Perry's M-M Sales, Lebanon, TN.
Jeremy D. Ledford collection. Copyright Ownership Retained. Please don't take this picture.
 

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Is it a Guardian?

In the Midland Park, NJ, photo, if that 60 M/M Cadillac is actually a "Guardian", then this is first and only photo I've ever seen of that unit, other than in M/M advertising...............:myopinion:
 
Here are some fleet photos from the department I started with, Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad in Wheaton, MD. They frequently shot fleet photos - I was the photographer for a fleet photo in the late '80s. All photos are from the WVRS website and are copyrighted to them.

1963:
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1966:
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1968:
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1970:
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1975:
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The vans in the last photo were all home-built, bought from a local dealer and outfitted with plywood and plexiglas cabinets. And the Lifeliner was the first ambulance I, and Dad, ever rode in - Dad fell while ice skating with my Cub Scout den and needed to be transported to the local hospital for stitches, probably in 1974.
 
What an interesting evolution of vehicles over the years! Low top '56 Pontiac and '58 Caddy, followed by high top '59 Pontiacs and '63 Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, followed by a string of low headroom '65 and '66 Oldsmobiles. Then back to a fleet of higher dollar high headroom Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles in the late '60's and early '70's. Following that impressive, though inconsistent, lineage of rigs, they follow up with basic Ford Econoline vans with plywood and plexiglass cabinets. I bet the EMTs were impressed!

Great photos, Steve!
 
In the Midland Park, NJ, photo, if that 60 M/M Cadillac is actually a "Guardian", then this is first and only photo I've ever seen of that unit, other than in M/M advertising...............

There is a second 1960 Guardian shown in Tom McPherson's Miller-Meteor book on page 231. I knew I had seen one before, even suspecting the Midland Park ambulance was that same car, but it's actually a second car I think. The paint scheme is different, and while that's easy to change, there is additional chrome side molding on the TMcP one. So I think at least two must have been built. But like you, until seeing those, I thought the Guardian in 1960 was just an ad model, and M-M didn't actually build any.
 
In front of the Miller-Meteor plant in Piqua Ohio, Bernie (B.W.) Bland and Perry Lanius along with drivers for NHS take delivery of 7 Miller-Meteor coaches for Nashville Hearse Service Nashville, TN.

A recreation of this photo was posed with the attending cars at the first Miller-Meteor reunion in 2004!

From the files of Perry's M-M Sales, Lebanon, TN.
Jeremy D. Ledford collection. Copyright Ownership Retained. Please don't take this picture.

Hey Jeremy, can I snag this M-M factory photo?
 
I find my self at a lose I have most of these fleet photos from one source or another all ready. here is the repositioning of the cars at the MM meet. just to compare them. I did not take it it was handed out after the meet. some on that was there please add the names and cars to it the first two were taken at the 04 meet the third at the 07 and the last is the 61 factory photo.
 

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Can someone please fill in the owners names and car models from left to right ?!

The first is a: '61 MM Futura - Mike Stevens / Ohio
The second is a: '66 MM Combo - Sarah Snook / Ohio

I think I see Jerry Jacobson's there too but can't make out the others.

A wish I had of been there. Hopefully next time. I have never actually been to the old location, even when I was in Piqua for the last MM reunion. Doh !

Darren
 
What an interesting evolution of vehicles over the years! Low top '56 Pontiac and '58 Caddy, followed by high top '59 Pontiacs and '63 Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, followed by a string of low headroom '65 and '66 Oldsmobiles. Then back to a fleet of higher dollar high headroom Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles in the late '60's and early '70's. Following that impressive, though inconsistent, lineage of rigs, they follow up with basic Ford Econoline vans with plywood and plexiglass cabinets. I bet the EMTs were impressed!

Great photos, Steve!
They had quite a variety, to be sure, but almost always two of each. Looks like whatever they got a good deal on that year. The '75 Ford van in the last photo had a Turtle-Top camper top and plywood cabinets - I rode in that and could stand up straight in the back. I almost bought it when it was retired.....

Hey Steve Lichtman, was Wheaton's crash truck a Ford or a Mack?
It's a '60 Ford, with an American Lafrance body (really, or so I was told). The red/white/blue squad was a '71 Imperial/Providence, repainted in '75 for the Bicentennial.
 
I find my self at a lose I have most of these fleet photos from one source or another all ready. here is the repositioning of the cars at the MM meet. just to compare them. I did not take it it was handed out after the meet. some on that was there please add the names and cars to it the first two were taken at the 04 meet the third at the 07 and the last is the 61 factory photo.

The 04 M/M Meet

1 61 Futura Mike Stevens OH
2 66 Combination Sarah Snook OH
3 70 Volunteer Steve Lichtman MD
4 74 Combination Jerry Jacobson OH
5 76 Combination Larri Dirks IL
6 ?
7 77 End Load Jeremy Ledford TN
8 79 Combination Chuck Kramer WI
 
I find my self at a lose I have most of these fleet photos from one source or another all ready. here is the repositioning of the cars at the MM meet. just to compare them. I did not take it it was handed out after the meet. some on that was there please add the names and cars to it the first two were taken at the 04 meet the third at the 07 and the last is the 61 factory photo.

07 M/M Meet

1 61 Futura Mike Stevens OH
2 66 Combination Sarah Snook OH
3 70 Volunteer Steve Lichtman MD
4 72 3-way Landau Mark Adams OH
5 74 Combination Jerry Jacobson OH
6 74 Combination Brian Vaughan IN
7 77 End Load Jeremy Ledford TN
8 79 Combination Chuck Kramer WI
 
Photo captures from '61-'65 of DeBaun Funeral Home in Terre Haute, IN.

Courtesy of and permission granted from Curt DeBaun III. Copyright DeBaun Funeral Home,Terre Haute, IN

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More photo captures from '61-'65 of DeBaun Funeral Home in Terre Haute, IN.

All photos courtesy of and permission granted from Curt DeBaun III. Copyright DeBaun Funeral Home, Terre Haute, IN

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Prairie Creek Funeral Home, '39.

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Prairie Creek Funeral Home, early '40s.

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Idaho Street Chapel when first opened, early '50s.

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Metropolitan Ambulance Service Vancouver BC

This fleet shot was taken just after the Provincial Government took over all but 3 of the ambulance services in BC. Metropolitan Ambulance Service in Vancouver was the largest fleet by far. Onthe far right you can see a prototype van ambulance. It's a modified 1970 Ford Econoline body on a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado front wheel drive chassis. Great concept but poor engineering.
 

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Dug this out of the shoe box this week

Here is a photo of the fleet run by Jamieson Funeral and Ambulance Service in Glenboro, Manitoba. When this photo was taken, Glenboro had a population of less than 700 people, but Bill Jamieson loved his ambulances. Many of his transports were high-speed runs into Winnipeg.

'59 National Dodge
'68 C/B Oldsmobile
'72 Superior Pontiac 54"
72 Superior Cadillac 54" (based on color scheme, an ex-British Columbia rig).
'75 Superior Cadillac 54"
 

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The '59 Dodge National

Hi Terry...the '59 National Dodge was originally from Salmon Arm BC. Morey Jamieson still has it...I saw it a few years ago when I was visiting the inlaws in Brandon, Manitoba. As you know, Glenboro is only about 40 minutes from Brandon. He still has the '68 C/B Olds as well (or did have then).
 
Found on a vintage limo site... fascinating:

Yellow school buses are a familiar sight on the roads taking students between home and school in any locale and it is the same at The Milton Hershey School. The private residential school in Hershey, Pennsylvania serves children between the ages of four and fifteen who come from families of low income, limited resources, and social need.

To enhance the family home concept, in 1962 modified station wagons designed to hold fourteen students were ordered for intermediate level student homes. The vehicles were regular Chevrolet Biscayne wagons that were sent to Stageway Coaches to be modified into fourteen passenger vehicles. The wagons were cut in two, an additional seat was installed, and then the frame and body was re-welded. In an article from the April 1962 issue of the student produced Spartan, it states that “each station wagon, similar to a family car, is equipped with power steering, power brakes, three-speed transmission, and a 250 horse-power V-8 engine.” The fourth and fifth seat folded down so to allow meals could be transported from the central kitchen to the student homes. When asked about the new station wagons in 1962, the School Superintendent stated that the change in transportation "brings to a fuller realization the family organization of homelife created here."

One alumnus remembers that the station wagons were a welcome addition. Because each home had their own transportation, there was no more waiting for a bus that was shared by two student homes. The rear facing back seat was the prime spot to ride and was claimed by seniors. The students called the cars “cattle wagons.” Later, they were called “limbo wagons” because of the swinging feeling that came from riding in the rear seats. It was discovered that the wagons were too light for the older boys, so in 1968 heavier Pontiac Catalina wagons were ordered and converted by Ambruster/Stageway Coaches. The wagons were fazed out in the mid 1980’s and replaced by the nine passenger vans that are used today.

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