Considered a procar?

Additional forwarded Chrysler shots, including jump seats.

PP-NY.jpg

6494497771_9d66887c73_b.jpg

6494482703_c7fc62e35f_b.jpg

6494486879_6ea69b44cc_b.jpg


Reverse hinged decklid holds top that attaches to second cowl.
 
sharp car but for our proposes the answer is of course no. it would not be a typical car used in livery service. it is a limo it's not a professional car for "our" purpose
 
I can't think of any entity other than a government who would ever have had a need for an open parade car.I would think those Imperial phaetons are a very specialized kind of limousine and strictly speaking not pro cars....


But I do go around pondering things like how many angels can dance on the point of a pin,so I got to thinking about President Obama's "Beast".Is that more closely related to professional cars than the Phaetons are?:YesNo:
 
I disagree with Ed, as far as I can see, this is a custom built stretch, driven by a chauffeur, which holds more than the regular number of people in a sedan. The fact that it wasn't used in funeral service is immaterial. As far as I could say, the Imperial is a limousine, and a professional car.

We need to find more reasons to include cars instead of to exclude them.
 
Steve Lichtman said:
I disagree with Ed, as far as I can see, this is a custom built stretch, driven by a chauffeur, which holds more than the regular number of people in a sedan. The fact that it wasn't used in funeral service is immaterial. As far as I could say, the Imperial is a limousine, and a professional car.

We need to find more reasons to include cars instead of to exclude them.
Click to expand...

On many levels, I agree with you Steve.
 
and that is what other clubs are for. you have to draw the line some place or all you become is one more gang of old and new car lovers. or the place all the orphans go. yest most of these cars are limos or custom built cars no they are not pro cars. according to George our guide lines have not changed since we started.
 
the light truck clause lets in the suburbans IHCs and the ambulances built by Pinner on truck chassis. . as of yet we do not recognise the ambulance boxes mounted on a pickup chassis and I have not seen a van judged at a meet. we have not since I have been attending meets turned away any car or truck or van from displaying at any meet. they are welcome as long as they meet the guide lines for desplay, just not judged. the board meets twice a year and as long as I have been attending board meetings the subject of adding additional cars or trucks or vans has not come up at one of them. it has been bashed around some informally. it could come up and might and the board may decide to expand our definitions. but the Question of is it a pro car or not can as of now only be stated as not buy our definition.

ask any member of the Cadillac LaSalle club if the Imperial and Lincoln are Luxury cars and they will say yes. doesn't mean they will even allow them on there show field. does it drive members away? only those that don't want to be part of that group. as with us ownership of a car is not necessary to join only to have a interest
 
Love how they slapped on the Cad fins and bumper at the rear of the cube! Why are you thinking paddy wagon? Looks like it just served as an ambulance to me.
 
Owner told me so. ;)

Did you also notice those are '57 fin ends (sans chrome trim) grafted onto '58 taillight body? '57 fins extend down to chrome taillight assembly, no gap.
 
that would be a Franklin body and and yes it a pro car and a fairly rare one at that. then did a lot of civil defense rigs in these style bodies. that one would be a great one to restore
 
Ahhh! It still exists! :657: Does it?

First, yes, it is 100% a professional car, built on a Cadillac commercial chassis.

Second, it is an ambulance, it was never a "paddy wagon". (For those that don't know, "Fire Police" is, in some states, a part of the fire department that controls traffic and access at fire and accident scenes, and they frequently use retired ambulances for their vehicles. But they don't arrest people. One earlier seller didn't know that and assumed, since it said "police", that it was for transporting criminals. It wasn't. But it was advertised that way and that rumor has persisted. The designer told me so. ;))

Third, this is not something someone "slapped together", this was one of three custom-built ambulances, built by Franklin on Cadillac chassis for squads in New Jersey. NJ was at the time on the forefront of first aid innovations, and it was felt this might be a new design for all ambulances in the future. (In essence, they were right.) These ambulances were designed by Bud Smock, who later founded PL Custom Ambulance. There was one '55 and two '58's built to this design. It's not a modern alteration.

Where did you find it?

Photo of this when new, and the '55, attached.
 

Attachments

  • 58FranklinCadPP.jpg
    58FranklinCadPP.jpg
    58.4 KB · Views: 811
  • fleetSpringLakeNJ55.jpg
    fleetSpringLakeNJ55.jpg
    86.1 KB · Views: 624
Last edited:
I understand these Franklin-Cadillacs were built on a Series 75 chassis?

Did they retrain the original floor/rocker panels (behind the cab area) and place the body on top of that?
 
I just talked to the current owner of the '58 Franklin Cadillac ambulance yesterday. It is for sale. And I was interested.

He says it does run (though it has no gas pedal, and someone has rigged some kind of lever to control the gas instead, oh and it has no brakes). But he has, I think, a very inflated idea of what he wants for it as it sits currently. He said it will be listed in Hemmings coming up for $18,500. Said he might take $14K.

So once again, it will pass me by. Anyone else interested? I have the info.
 
I agree I also spoke to the the owner, as neat as that car is I can not justify the money he is trying to get. I think he will be hard pressed to get 14k. If it does go onto ebay, we will see what the ebay market will bring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top