I see some fine examples of maturity, grace and professionalism in this thread and I'd like to say thanks specifically to Mr. Lichtman and Mr. Marcy for their input and positive attitudes. So...
the decision of the group was that cars should be judged as they were built. there are combo out there that never were used for anything but a hearse never had a light or siren installed. there still combos. not Hearses. there are combos that have never carried a casket. don't have rollers and are painted red and white. they are still combos.
this is most likly the case of this car. for all practical purposes is it a ambulance. as that is what it was used for and because they did not use it for dual purposes it's set up and equipped as a ambulance. but the tag under the hood says it's built as a combo. there for, for judging purpose it's a combo. as that is what it was built as.
conversions cars are a different class all together. what the car started out as is different then what it left the aftermarket factory as.
after all most of the Cadillac pro cars all started out as the same commercial chassis. they were then altered into ambulances, hearses, combinations and flower cars.
so what this red and white car is, is a combanation set up as a ambulance. the same as the god fathers Buick.
we have see that you can paint a combo yellow and call it a taxie. it's still a combo though
Wow! I just checked on the auction and the price is up to $25,000.00.
I didn't mean the car wasn't worth more. It is a beautiful car. I was just happy to see a pro car auction where the price was progressing well. So often you watch some of these auctions and the cars seem to go for less than scrap price even though we all know that they are or should be worth more. As with everyone else on here I would like to save them all but in todays economy it's not realistic. Imagine what $25,000.00 could do for the person that recently purchased (for $1025.00) the only 1963 Buick Flixette service car manufactured.
The owner of this 1956 told me that the window signs are from Saginaw Mercy and they believe the car may have did service in that area.