Former Pleasant Gap, PA 1969 Superior-Cadillac "Rescuer"

Nicholas Studer

PCS Elected Director 2022-2025
The PCS Facebook group saw a few photos posted recently of the current whereabouts of the 1969 Superior-Cadillac "Rescuer" formerly of Pleasant Gap, PA and last in PCS member hands with Steve Diamond of MetroCare Ambulance in the Austin area. The vehicle is parked on the lawn at Harmony Family Health in McKinney, TX - which is located near Dallas. http://www.harmonyfamilyhealth.com/about/ The clinic is owned by a family medicine physician who uses the ambulance as a "billboard."

It is interesting - the car is well-known for its unique gold and red paint scheme. Steve Diamond stated he didn't repaint the car and sold it in good condition. However, according to a 2010 news article "It was orange, rusted out and had engine problems, but Chartrand got it refurbished. He painted it red, white and silver and parked it in his driveway as a landmark for his medical clinic." http://www.harmonyfamilyhealth.com/2010/08/25/mckinney-doctors-ambulatory-business-sign/

I had a chance to visit the car late last month and take some photos. Sadly, the car is deteriorating outside in the Texas weather. The car appears like it hasn't moved in a while, there's rust pieces lying in the ground underneath it, the chrome is bubbling up on the trim and emergency lights. A wood block was rammed into the track of the passenger side window to hold it up. I e-mailed the owner's office twice to offer my personal greetings and invite him to the PCS - no reply.

I did note two oddities:

1. The "Med-Ox" manifold by E.L. Purdy & Sons - oddly hooked up with a possibly non-original E&J suction canister hooked up to an oxygen flowmeter. I've seen these a few times in photos - rather neat to see in person. Seems the company doesn't exist anymore.

2. There's an assortment of switches on the left rear wheelhouse by the rear door, with a port/connector of some kind next to them. I'm unclear on its function.
 

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You can tell in just looking at this car that the current owner is not an ambulance enthusiast. No pro car enthusiast would leave a rig in the front yard to just rot away. These "doctors", clinics, lawyers, etc. are not concerned with preserving these old ambulances. They are merely attention getting tools for them. When it starts to get really rough looking, he will dump it for whatever he can get.
 
That port would appear to be vacuum port. I has a similer one on the 72 cb I had. The older superior do not last long left out side. There construction lead to developing a lot of water leaks as the seam sealer dried out just painting on on the outside did nothing to improve this condition.. Then you leave it parked in one spot 24 -7 and the water comes in the same spot Pools in the same place and keeps doing that till it can finally make a hole to get out.then the mice get in.

The old coach is cheaper then a sign and doesn't come with the regulations the sign would.i would over to spend day swapping parts. I could use some of that trim.
 
The port near the rear door looks like a valve stem for the air shocks. I've never seen a suction line that far back in the patient compartment.
 
Did all of the Superior ambulances have the air fill there? Seems like every one that I have seen has it.
 
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