1930 Lasalle ambulance

I talked about this ambulance on another thread, my good friend Hervé Fortin restored a 1930 Lasalle ambulance, converted by General Auto Body Ltd. This ambulance transported the Brother André (St-Joseph oratory in Montreal) few days before he died. the complete history of the car is incredible, the ambulance from George Godin was kept intact in a garage of the Oratory during 60 years, what a barn find!!

Hervé took almost 6 years and something like more than 250k to restore perfectly the car, Hervé is a perfectionnist, I remember him sending the original screws to the chrome shop Duh !! I did some jobs on it, I helped it as best as I can for a correct 1930 restoration, the 1940's Godin ambulance driver in the video is from my personal collection

check this out:

http://lesgrandsdefis.historiatv.com/vehicules-durgences.html#1936

(click on the 1936 video)
"Jouer la vidéo" means play video

it's in french but enjoy the images!

What a beautiful restoration,even in french you could feel the passion for this work,thanks for posting.

great video

Awesome vehicle, he really did a full restoration, it looks amazing! I heard about that ambulance but have never saw pictures until now!

missed a word, the 40's Godin's ambulance driver HAT is from my personal collection !!

I did not drove it but I followed and helped on the resto during the 6 years! This ambulance was spread in boxes in a whole warehouse back in 2001 when I met him. Hervé is a master of patience, his son is a stringed-instrument maker and re-build the major part of the framed body... which is in wood !! Back in 1930 Cadillac and Lasalle used oak to build their frame I was amazed of the job, it's not every day you see the re-bulding of a 80 years old professional car.

Montreal Worlds Fair

Wow that's awesome stuff. I recall seeing green "George Godin" low top ambulances all around the Worlds Fair (1967??) I took a few polaroid pictures of them...think they were C/Bs??? After I joined PCS I looked for those photos but never found them.
Thanks again!

LaSalle ambulance

Martin,
Like music, it does not matter what language it is in to feel the passion. That is one beautiful coach.
Thanks for sharing.
Mike

Kevin Lynch said:

Wow that's awesome stuff. I recall seeing green "George Godin" low top ambulances all around the Worlds Fair (1967??) I took a few polaroid pictures of them...think they were C/Bs??? After I joined PCS I looked for those photos but never found them.
Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Godin (father and son) used a lot of cars back in 1967, mostly low top or modified combinations but always with the same two tone green between 1930's thru 1976 when the provincial law asked to paint all the ambulances bright yellow with blue lettering, as today!

Thanks Martin for sharing the images of such a rare and beautiful ambulance. It is amazing to know that there are people that are so talented, who take the time to restore and preserve these magnificent cars out of love and the rest of us are the beneficiaries.

Kevin Lynch said:

Wow that's awesome stuff. I recall seeing green "George Godin" low top ambulances all around the Worlds Fair (1967??) I took a few polaroid pictures of them...think they were C/Bs??? After I joined PCS I looked for those photos but never found them.
Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Several (six, I think) 1967 Seville ambulances were ordered for use at the World's Fair that year - better known as Expo 67 - in Montreal.