More Fodder...
Thanks again to everybody for all your work on this..
Hard to get back to you today, as we are slammed here and expect to be through May.
Here are answers to some of your observations and questions:
a. The yellow faded sticker states as posted: "Caution unplug engine warmer before starting". Which backs up the story I heard from everyone I spoke to out in CA. They were quite proud : "the Ambulance was always kept indoors and on a engine heat pad".
b. The diamond plate bumper was indeed removed and this old fellow put on chrome.
c. it never had a AM radio so, the only "holes filled for an antenna" would be the ones for the short lived, aforementioned 'whip'.
d. I will try and get time to give you better pix of the rear 'couch' seat. The hangars and stanchions removed were stored in either cabinet so the seat would be used on the right side only. The left cabinet is strictly for storage (due to the proximity of the gurney), judging from its ease of operation (lid almost impossible to lift) and contents -it was seldom ever used. The upholstery and floor linoleum is all mint original (as is the headliner).
e. So no one gets too excited(!) The resto shop found the 2 crowns in the ashtray (which was stuck shut- No smoking in Ambulances, maybe?) so, thinking they were Ford interior Crowns, they got mounted. As far as decals, Emergency foglights, license plates , on& on- My wife doesn't dress our cats up in little outfits but, we DO tend to 'accessorize' our cars. For those of you screaming 'sanctimony, sanctimony" (like the "IV bottle" comment)... last time I checked~ this is a free Country- not everybody is into plain jane, bare bones, stock
. Note:The folks that go through the Museum don't care...in fact, they LOVE it.
f. As posted before : the build date is "4F' which according to my Standard Catalog for Ford books decodes as 4th week of June.
g.the side glass. Thanks Steve-Sure looks like the 'arrow' pointed version of a Miller back light. However, since Miller was absorbed during a merger in March 1956- way before this was built...highly improbable Miller built it, or had
any hand in it. Maybe purchased as left-over stock. Who knows?
h. Entirely possible Superior cursive fender script was removed during the 2nd owners involvement but, I haven't been able to confirm its being there BEFORE he bought it. No one can remember (nor was it important to them). The old, orig. driver for this rig was suppose to find me pix but, has been very ill. So, maybe someday -if found- I can close this book.
i. Superiors own website states that
"major designs came in 1957, 1965, 1971 and 1977.." so, we also considered the fact that it's possible the
Pathfinder Coach Division of Superior out of Kosciusko, Miss. had their hands in the project (kind-of our conclusion). Perhaps a one-off 'mule' to test the waters. Possibly too costly to build and dumped. I have owned 18 vintage coaches from Miller-Meteor, S&S [Hess & Eisenhardt], Meteor, Henney, Barnette and Superior and despite __'s low opinion of 'Superior' I found them just that- in quality of construction, accessories/features, design and rust prevention. and I'm not trying to inflame anybody. Just one man's opinion. I've never bought a Pontiac Superior- maybe that may be different. Speaking of:
j. Pontiac has the PHS-Pontiac Historical Services but, Ford only has the Marti Report. However, its only available from 1967-2007 and on 1962-1967 T-Birds. I did put a call into Ford Historical, trying to locate the gentleman I helped there before, but no call back, yet. I do have a client who has been a Ford Dealer out West for over 50 years so, I can always ask him about 1958 engines in 1957 cars. Hey, I'm open to anything at this point.
k. I am NOT
trying to make this coach anything other then whatever it is. If it turns out to be something other than Superior- its; probably even rarer. I was convinced after researching for months and from all the folks I spoke to... it /was what I posted. Until I can find time to possibly discover some secret /hidden stamping that reveals the true identity, I will keep it posting as "Superior Equipped".
l. Yes, it has a color change from Colonial White to Bright White but, in all my years I have seldom seen any car this
pristine...I mean
'come'on' it's a service car that should have been "ridden hard and put away wet", yet they kept it in amazing condition. I have a pristine 62 Cadillac 6-window Sedan pampered
Passenger Car with 19,000 miles all original, that just barely stands-up to this coach. Thanks again-your time IS appreciated.