'65 Studebaker Ambulette?

Saw this one in the local paper - didn't know they made these this late.
Not sure the writer has the facts 100% correct, I wouldn't call it the height of technology.
Here is a link to the original article:

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100629/NEWS01/100629429

Looks like next time I'm heading towards South Bend, I need to take the camera along.....

Very interesting, great to know there's another restored Ambulet (no "te" on the end) out there. I'd love to go see it someday.

More interesting is the fact that Studebaker's station wagon at the time was the Wagonaire. This had the sliding rear roof section, so you could "open" the roof for large loads. While you could order a "fixed roof" wagon, this one clearly has the sliding roof. So it would be interesting if you were the patient riding with the roof open on a nice day!

I doubt.

I doubt that this is really an ambulet. This would be a 4 door wagon and the four door wasn't marketed as an ambulet according to everything I can find out.

They sure were. After '61, Studebaker only sold 4-door wagons, but the Ambulet was available through '65.

Here's a picture from a '63 ad for Ambulets, showing a 4-door Ambulet, with the sliding roof open as well.

That sliding roof is pretty neat feature for that smaller wagon. Thanks for the pic.

I learn something new everyday.

Thanks Steve. I would love to see anything else you have on 4 door ambulets.

Reading that article I get a kick out of the historian talking about the "Proud tradition of South Bend." While I agree with him, he needs to talk to the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of South Bend. I did a few years ago and to them Studebaker is just an old defunct car company that they have no use for whose buildings and remnants are just eyesores to be demolished and replaced. I'm afraid he and I did not part company on good terms.

I thought the whole "proud tradition" thing was a bit interesting. I'm sure the Studebaker fans here will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe by the 1965 model year, all Studebaker production had ceased in South Bend. That ambulance would have been made in Canada.

With a sort ofChevrolet engine.

Made in Canada with a Canadian made engine of GM design.

Steve, Nick, & Brady are all correct. The '65 and '66 Studes were all built in Canada, not South Bend. And yes, the city wants all the derelict buildings gone and are succeeding.

Now, that said, in spite of the fact that I'm a Studebaker fan, I'd hate to see the Stude factory buildings go the way of the Packard factory in Detroit - a huge complex of vandalized, empty shells with almost daily fires set by vagrants inhabiting the vacant buildings. So all in all, if there's nobody who wants to re-use the buildings for something else, perhaps it is better if they are demolished.

Brady D Smith said:

Thanks Steve. I would love to see anything else you have on 4 door ambulets.

Click to expand...

So would I. I think you've seen just about everything I have on Lark-based Ambulets, besides book references to the model being available and an Ambulet model number existing in lists. So far.......

I can remember seeing an ad from Studebaker that touted the sliding roof and showing one transporting a Refrigerator home from the store standing up.