1970 Superior Cadillac

You had better grab it! I know that it's worth $5000 all day long! Looks like there are some goodies inside too! Extremely complete looking 51" ambulance! Looks to be very solid with the exception of the fenders. Toss those and replace with a pair from the desert southwest.
 
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My guess would be your looking at a few problems around the rear wheel openings.enough has rusted away that the skirts will no longer stay on.I would want to look it over well. If the equipment that is there is in the shape of what you see in the picture ? None of it might be worth bringing home one might be better off spending money on a better car. They sold a lot better stuff at that estate sale under a grand.
 
Buying the car is the least expensive part of the restoration process. Plan on spending a minimum of $10,000 + for the body and paint work, without any sheet metal purchases. A pair of rust free fenders for this is going to a difficult task to find, even in the desert areas, because just about all of them rust out at the bottom. Kurt got lucky, when Dan found him a perfect rust free pair for his car, but that doesn't happen very often. $3000 for chrome on the bumpers, and as you can see it is going to add up very quickly.
 
70

Paul is correct on this....
my 70 was not nearly as bad as this unit and I had to have both sides of the fenders done,(after being "cheap"and not purchasing a pair of good clean fenders for the asking price of 2000.00 from a guy in San Jose)

Then body/paint,new windshield,some rechroming,tires, new front seat upholstery and I was in it for well over $12K.....:eek:
That does not include any "goodies" for the ambulance (new siren,beacon etc)

I feel very fortunate to have been able to purchase this rig for $3K plus $1k shipping.....2 photos on arrival after going over Sierras in December of 2012 and one as of 2016.

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Paul is correct on this....
my 70 was not nearly as bad as this unit and I had to have both sides of the fenders done,(after being "cheap"and not purchasing a pair of good clean fenders for the asking price of 2000.00 from a guy in San Jose)

Then body/paint,new windshield,some rechroming,tires, new front seat upholstery and I was in it for well over $12K.....:eek:
That does not include any "goodies" for the ambulance (new siren,beacon etc)

I feel very fortunate to have been able to purchase this rig for $3K plus $1k shipping.....2 photos on arrival after going over Sierras in December of 2012 and one as of 2016.

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Wow what a difference
 
yes it is. but notice how they are showing up rougher. this car looks complete. that alone makes it worth looking over. but he asking a lot for it. just saying if your in the market you best go look it over will and know what your up agents. and check the equipment out you can easily get a grand in that stuff. I would guess that it will take a front clip because it the right fender is that bad in the nose the front edge of the hood will have problems. a clip will run you around 1500. but if a car you would like to have then go look at it make the man a offer and see if you can get it home worry about the small stuff later. cleaned up and running smooth that car would be as good as some on the show field I have seen.
 
I would still rather have one in this condition than one that is poorly "restored". At least, with a rig in this condition, you know what you are getting and you are not paying for someone's else's bad work that needs to be re-done anyway. I agree with Ed. Cheapest to just scrap these fenders and get good ones. Those may take some time to find. It amazes me how many 51" ambulances there are to be had out there! There couldn't have been that much of a difference in price between a 51" and a 54".
 
I would still rather have one in this condition than one that is poorly "restored". At least, with a rig in this condition, you know what you are getting and you are not paying for someone's else's bad work that needs to be re-done anyway. I agree with Ed. Cheapest to just scrap these fenders and get good ones. Those may take some time to find. It amazes me how many 51" ambulances there are to be had out there! There couldn't have been that much of a difference in price between a 51" and a 54".

According to the SUPERIOR book:

A TOTAL of 367 units were built in the 42",51" and 54" platform for the 1970 model year.

Pricing for BASE models:

42"=$13,672
51"=$14,123
54"=$14,727

So a difference of $606.00 between the 51" and the 54".
 
Take the skirts and wheel covers off of any Cadillac and it will look like a **** box.... even when it's in nice condition. I will never understand most eBay sellers! I would never attempt to list a car looking like that! Hose it off and put the caps and skirts back on it!
 
You had better grab it! I know that it's worth $5000 all day long! Looks like there are some goodies inside too! Extremely complete looking 51" ambulance! Looks to be very solid with the exception of the fenders. Toss those and replace with a pair from the desert southwest.
Kurt; surely you jest? $5,000 !!! He's way better off spending double or triple buying a much better car. I read some of these comments and often wonder if the cost of restoration is WAY different in different parts our great Country. This 'beauty' would cost me a fortune to re-build and make 'new' again.

I see the listing was REMOVED by the seller, hopefully it wasn't Mr. Henry who bought it. Gleep. :eek: Let's not forget the pain and psoriasis of waiting and waiting months (sometimes years) for the end result, sending off checks, when work is, or is not being done and in the end, the work is Not Up to the Standard. Sometimes, the younger workforce lacks the quality workmanship of the Old Timers. Just my input, member to member. A. Buyer Beware. B. Don't buy a car from a few pictures
 
I just know that most "restored" examples that I have seen are not the quality of work that I would find acceptable. I would not want to give $15,000 for a rig that had mediocre paint and body work and upholstery work "similar" to original. I have seen examples sell for much more that really need just as much money spent on re-working what was poorly done.

There was a "restored" '70 Superior 51" ambulance that sold in Florida in the last couple of years for close to $15,000 that needed $10,000 in re-work, in my opinion.
 
you mean in over restored condition. I would not spend 5 then move a car I have not seen. "not again" not off e-bay or crags list. darn sure not from pictures taken from who knows when. that is whey we have buddies that can drop in a look at one for us. that save me from a big mistake a couple years back.
 
I agree with you all, but I'd also like to point out this is obviously a highly optioned survivor, probably ordered from the local dealer on the Superior Coach order form:

  • Optional lighted front roof sign
  • Optional lighted side signs
  • (unknown if there is an optional lighted rear-roof sign from the pics)
  • Optional side front-quarter corner blinking lights (I'm convinced very few customers checked this box in the early 1970s)
  • Apparently original "whip" antenna on the right front quarter panel
Whomever the original purchaser was, they appear to have checked many of the "add this too" boxes without adding the easily installed/after-market/40 years after last in-service date/nowadays type options like red headlights, wig-wags, Q and electronic sirens both, 12 additional beacon rays (without proper skirts so they're all askew), etc.

To me, this old girl is a true Superior beauty begging to be saved, and I have already fallen in love with her.

How could I not, seeing all the original options on this old girl that could never be replicated!
 
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