1968 "Restored" Pontiac Bonneville High Top Ambulance

Here is the story. -  I had been looking for a couple of years for an ambulance. and found this one in Missouri and believe it was in service in Table Rock. Nebraska. I actually talked to a couple of older gentlemen at Table Rock. and they did remember this ambulance from the late 80”s.   The inspection sticker from January 9. 1993 was still on it and was good thru December 31. 1995.  

The way I found it went like this. -  There was a gentleman going around taking pictures of old EMS stations. The day he was at this Station. the ambulance would not start. The guys at the station pushed it out of the bay and the gentleman took a picture of it. From there it was sold to a young man. who intended to redo it. He stored it in a barn until the time he decided he could not afford to redo it and decided to sell it. That is when I bought this beautiful ambulance and started my project.

Here is what I have done. - The original motor is a 350 Pontiac that was taken out and painted. All the seals have been replaced. new water pump. timing chain. oil pump. all new fluids. new 4 barrel carburetor. and aluminum intake. then put back in the ambulance. I lost the original breather so I had to use the one you see.   The compression and all internal parts looked just like new. My mechanic said it didn't look like anyone had ever been inside the motor. Keep in mind this ambulance was all original. I put manifold headers and stock mufflers to give it a deep throaty sound. I found another Pontiac Wagon for parts. So. we cut the floor pans out of the wagon and then wielded them in the ambulance for a factory look. The floor pans were sealed and painted. There were several small rust spots on the ambulance that my body man cut out and used my parts car for replacement metal. The new metal was sanded and primed. From there the ambulance was taken to a professional paint shop and disassembled and painted white. This ambulance was blocked and sanded 4 times. The paint job was very expensive and it shows. Both front and rear bumpers were rechromed. Around the bullet lights and the 2 curbed pieces on the back of the ambulance do have pitting. Also. 4 new hankook radial tires were installed using the original hub caps. The upholstery has been replaced with the original blue.   Other important items are all new brakes. drums. seals; actually everything from back to the axle is new. The air conditioner works so good it will freeze you to death. I spent over $2000 just on running down wires. fixing switches. and being sure most everything works like it did when the ambulance was new or better than when it was new. It has the original metal medicine cabinets that still have the instructions as what to do when the patient needs something! The sending unit sometime acts up. The Undercarriage of this car is VERY clean and has been painted. What saved this car is it was sealed by the factory with undercoating making this car very solid underneath.

This ambulance runs like a dream! I took it this year on the Hot Rod Power Tour and drove 2700 miles with my buddies. It had a few bugs – I had to put a new coil. a new starter and 2 new belts on the trip. Over 10 days on the tour we saw over 3. 00 cars and I was the ONLY ambulance on the tour. Needless to say. I was the hit at every stop. I had ladies wanting to jump inside and take all sorts of pictures and a few men too!

I want to keep my cot and the Federal Siren Box because it came from my local Rescue Squad. And the whip antenna too!  I feel anyone could drive this ambulance anywhere.   However. there is always a chance anything could go wrong or blow up in a thousand pieces.

Here are a few things that need to be done that I haven't gotten done. – The carpet in front is new but is not the correct cut. It was supposed to be. but it is not. The vinyl floor in the back is the original. it needs to be taken out and probably a new piece of plywood put in and then recovered with new vinyl. The bottom storage bin is rusty. I planned to cut it out and replace it with a new steel pan but have not done that yet. The vinyl lettering I put on it can be taken off easily with hair dryer in a matter of minutes. The lettering has only been on there 6 months. I have always store this car in my building. It never sits outside.  

Now the million dollar question…. Why are you selling this beautiful ambulance? Well. just after I started this project I found a Cadillac Ambulance. now that is the ONLY reason! Once I sell this one. then I can start on the Cadillac.

Please ask any questions you might have about this car. I have taken this ambulance to Christmas parades. delivered Meals on Wheels. carried toys to needy children and much. much more. Whoever buys this car won't be disappointed!  I will not disclose my reserve. but I do want to move it to a new owner. Bid with confidence! 

Also published at eBay.com

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