1937 Chevrolet Ambulance
Manufacturers tried to use as much of regular production as possible to fill the order. Hence, the Special Models Parts List (below).
For this article I'd like to draw your attention to the 1937 Ambulance, specifically Job #271. At first glance it might look like a one and one half ton Panel (Job #871), with an extra side window. #254, 255, & 272 were available with tailgate and heater. Mine has Panel doors and no heater.
A
closer inspection revealed it was (Job #271), an ambulance with panel doors
and no heater. The stretcher tie downs in back were a clue that is
wasn't just a panel.
When I first purchased the ambulance, there was a 500 lb roof rack
overhead and skid plates underneath. It also had 7 wheels and 2 sidemounts.
All of which I removed. I discovered old maps of
Equador and Peru inside a door panel.
Years later I met the second owner who said it was a movie truck in South
America and never used as an ambulance. This
may explain some of the accessories they purchased with the truck to make
their trek less hazardous.
He stated it was manila and peach when he sold it.
I couldn't stand the colors so I painted it original colors Export blue
with Armor yellow fenders, similar to showroom brochure below. (Link
to view Paint chips)
By 1941, they really had some color combos:
Click either Panel above for link to Panel trux.
Click either page below for
link to Paint & Color.
Please note the
paragraph above right, "Panel
trux . . . may be . . . . two colors . . . "at no extra cost".
Some of the Accessories
purchased
with this truck are cause for concern with the novice purest. They
have glanced thru thepassenger car accessory book
but have never heard of theSilver Book.
They first assume the paint is incorrect, but that is explained above.
The optional wheels are the next thing they question.
The rear wheels are "Budd
Duals". It has 9.00 X 20" which gives good ground clearance necessary
for trips thru pre-war South America. Click page below for
link to accessories.
To cover those wheels and tires, GM made
oversize fenders and running board flairs.
12 Volt electrical systems
were available. You could buy about 4 six volt batteries for
the price of one $60 12 Volt in 1937. This is an alternator
so has 3 wires on the regulator. Click
here for more electrical information.
Click on photo to reach more truck accessories.
The Ambulance has been anything but a sit in the garage, show queen since I've owned it. When I first purchased it, I anticipated a top speed of 45 MPH and a grunt to drive. But it would be better to pull the cat trailer than the Sedan Delivery I had been using. I was quite pleasantly suprised to discover it has a higher top speed than the half ton and passenger cars and is easy to steer.
(Below) Photos taken at 7 AM in Rohnert Park loading a spare rear axle on cat trailer. (with halp from Dave Anderson of ATHS and his GMC.) At 8 AM Ambulance and Trailer (with load) joined an old car tour in Santa Rosa thru the wine country.
I went to a car show in Colorado and photo (above) is me on top of Pikes
Peak. (I had more hair on my peak 20 years ago). A friend who flew
in , saw my truck at the show, & waited for my return. A naysayer
commented to him that some fool must have hauled this piece of junk to
the show from California cuz old trux don't go over 40 MPH. My friend
let him stick his foot a little further in his mouth, then said, "Last
time I drove this at 70 MPH, it was smooth and quiet."
Using this vehicle, I hauled a Toyota and an apartment full of furniture
to Chicago with the cat trailer and trailered back a 37
Carryall-Suburban with "Minor rust" from Michigan. That trip is another
story. Click here to view the rusty Burb.
Driving thru Ukiah recently, a guy yelled, "I didn't know they made Suburbans
in 1937". When I caught up to his Camero, I said they
only made half tons burbs, this is an ambulance. He bought a 41 Burb
from me.
The photo below was taken
in Berkeley where the 40 Chev/Wayne from Humbolt County has a new driveway
to live in. I broke 2 towbars in this
expedition.
Tail wagging the dog might
describe the adventure. The ambulance
is perhaps a bit more than a "driver".
An unknown body maker added windows to this Panel to use as a School
Bus or "Big Burb". Click
here to view more Panel trux. Click
here to view Busses. Click
here to view Suburban Carryalls.
Here's a 1946 Holden Ambulance. I have no
information on Holden Data. Restoration appears challenging.
For
a link to more on my ambulance , click < http://www.stovebolt.com/truck/lou.html
>.
You might like to view pages on: Panel
trucks, Canopy Express, Suburban
Carryall.
Sorry,
Still under construction!!