1953 Cadillac Ambulance

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

Hello
I'm Benjamin Clavel from Lyon, France...
I'm the founder president of the Blue Blood Car Club, which is mainly about old US cars (but not only)
I'm about to buy a 1953 Cadillac Superior Ambulance...
This beautiful beast needs little restoration, and we are going to work on it with all original specs...
Therefore I need any data and pictures I can find t do it good...
I already mailed Superior Coaches, no answer...
The car is supposed to have been delivered to Cuyahoga Heights Fire Dept, Ohio on August 13th, 1953
Engine number 5386-68627

Does anyone know how I can have any infos ? How many were made ? What was the equippement ? Original colors ?

Anyway thank you for reading this post and long live the standard of the world !   

Best regards from France

Benjamin Pierre Clavel

[m-mman]

First question is Superior the coachbuilder? You mentioned them, but it wasn't exactly clear. When talking professional cars, the coachbuilder is more important to know than the chassis.

BTW when talking about professional cars the proper way to identify them is by listing the coachbuilder first. "1953 Superior ambulance on the Cadillac chassis".

Second question is it really a ambulance? Coachbuilders offered hearses, ambulances (high and low top) and combination cars.  For 1953 Superior offered a 'standard' ambulance, a Landaulet ambulance and a Rescuer ambulance. (priced from $7,167 to $7,868. What body type number is shown on the Superior coach tag under the hood?

Superior built a total of 760 cars on the Cadillac chassis. (34 on the Pontiac chassis)  There is no breakdown for each style. Superior's records were destroyed in the 1980s after several mergers.

Hopefully your car is very complete. There are more non-GM/Cadillac parts on your car than standard production Cadillac parts. Basically from the cowl forward is standard Cad but behind that everything is either commercial chassis or unique to Superior coach. If you are missing anything it is basically irreplaceable.

If you have information about the original Fire Department owner writing to them would be a good thing to do. FDs commonly have old records.

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

Whao this Is an answer !
Thank you very much !   

I still haven't seen the car, I go and see it on June, 6th...
It's located 1000 km from me , and I'm supposed to trade it for my Buick Riviera...
Everything looks to be there, lights doors and handles are not broken...

From what I found, I think it's a standard ambulance (see pictures)

Thank you again !

[m-mman]

Whew! Looks like all the damage they did was on the outside. (painted chrome, flared headlight rims, baby moons, etc.)
Yes it is a standard ambulance. (not a high top rescuer) The fact that the back area has NOT been destroyed is where the value lies. Commonly people make professional cars into trucks by removing the cabinets and other features. Yes it is all worn but that means it is present and restorable.

The only thing I see that might be a problem is the 'chrome vent' molding on the rear quarter panel near the rear door. IS IT THERE? or just painted over. I believe that for 1953 it is a pro car ONLY part not regular Cad. (it is on my 1955 Superior ambulance)

It does NOT have the original lights & siren. These things are ALWAYS removed when a ambulance passes from the emergency service into the world of civilian used cars. What is there are cheap replacements. But that is OK quality lights & sirens are available. (albeit not cheap) There are hundreds of varieties of lights & sirens and collecting them is a hobby in its own right.

Professional cars (especially ambulances) are NOT easy to restore. (Exmple:you have a piece of etched glass that needs replacing) but when you are done you always have the only one at the show.

[Jay Friedman]

Benjamin,

Very interesting.  Would it be possible to get photos of the driver's compartment and the motor?  Thanks,

Jay

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

About the interior:

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

Engine :

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

Some video : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTv0HQKYTM

[m-mman]

As an FYI the two 'pegs' on the dashboard would have held a cast metal sign that said either "Ambulance" or if it were a hearse "Funeral Car".
Example attached.

They might also have spelled out the name of the owner/operator.
There are companies that still make them for the funeral industry.

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

FYI ?

[m-mman]

Sorry. Forgot the translation factor.
FYI = For Your Information. Just a restatement of a general fact.   

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

I'M sorry, a little French guy trying to write English !   

Thanks again for all those informations...
It's the perfect spot for a club plate ! 

[kav]

nice vehicle Benjamin , looks like it has been converted to run an alternator , rather than a generator under the hood . not sure that the round black gauge in the dash would be period correct . but wow nice car .I think the bumperettes on the rear are from possibly a 49-50 model , but if they were a 53 model ,you couldn't open the back door . great pics thanks for sharing them . you buy that thing .

[Jay Friedman]

I'm not familiar with 53 ambulance/hearse bodies and trim, but 49 hearses and ambulances have rear bumpers that differ from those used on all other models so the rear door can open.  Regular 49 bumpers have holes drilled in them so a license plate bracket and light can be installed, but hearse / ambulance rear bumpers don't have these as the license plate bracket and light is installed elsewhere.

[Benjamin Pierre Clavel]

Hello guys

Thanks for your informations and advice

I go and see the car on Monday...
I'll let you know how it goes...

By the way, the Cuyahoga Heights Fire Department sent me an original picture...
Now I have to find the light and siren !! 🚨
Does anyone know what is the small thing behind the siren, on the fender ?

[Eldovert]

Benjamin,
That might just be a reflection of the siren on the hood..Nice car!
Cheers,Pat MacPhail

[m-mman]

There is a Federal Beacon on the roof and it looks like a Federal Q2B siren on the fender.
Yeah I will agree with the reflection theory.

Also Yes, professional car rear bumpers are commonly very different from a standard Cad.
1974-76 used El Camino taillights
1961 used only a single 'taillight lens/ bumper end' unlike the double on passenger cars. (a totally unique, one year only, hearse/ambulance, try to find another item) 

[signart]

Very nice, congratulations.
Looks like the etching on the windows are correct for that Ambulance service.
Very tasteful graphics for the period.