Here’s something you don’t see every day squirreled away in a garage (or an airplane hangar). Different strokes for different folks as the late Sly Stone said in his song, “Everyday People,” seems like an appropriate theme song. Here’s a rare 1968 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Ambulance that’s looking for its third owner. The current seller bought it in 1990 with everything in working order and only needing a repaint. It’s always been kept in a climate-controlled garage and even though it hasn’t been on the road since 1993, it’s been on blocks and started several times a year. This instant conversation piece is located in Frackville, Pennsylvania, and is being sold here on eBay at No Reserve. As of this writing, this rare ambulance hasn’t generated any bids with a price set by the seller of $16,500.
As with many projects, the seller had plans to repaint his Caddy Ambulance when funds came available, but life got in the way as it sometimes does and now he needs the room for a business he’s starting soon. As with most vehicles sitting in a garage for decades, it’s surrounded by stacked wood and other stuff, the tires are dry rotted, but you can still see what the ambulance looks like. The seller describes it as unmolested, Bondo-free, “99.9% original,” and still needing to be repainted. As with most 57-year-old original paint, you see chips, rusted places around trim pieces, and the top is flaking and peeling in some areas. All of the roof light lenses are said to have no cracks, fogging, or damage, and the glass, trim, chrome and badging look good for their age.
The ambulance’s original interior is described as being in “near pristine condition” (except for a ¾” tear in the rear headliner). There are no tears or stains on the seats or cracks on the dash, but it could use a cleaning. The seller includes a long list of what’s included in the sale including a gurney, stair chair, oxygen equipment, a refrigerated compartment, two jump seats, plus two siren options and a PA system.
Under the Caddy’s long, long hood is the original, untouched 472-cubic-inch V8. As is the case with most professional cars, it has low mileage (66,801 original miles) and is mated to its original 400 Turbo Transmission. The seller says, “The vehicle starts right up and purrs like a kitten. I started it again today!!!” The only parts the seller has replaced in 35 years is a NOS ignition coil last year (found sitting on a dealer’s shelf since the 1970’s) and a new battery. I sometimes criticize sellers for their skimpy descriptions and history of the vehicles they’re selling, but not this one. In fact, over 300 words are used by the seller to describe the history, rarity, and engineering marvel that the 1968 Cadillac’s 472 V8 engine is. So, what do you think? Sure, it’s a narrow, niche market, but all it takes is one interested buyer to take advantage of a No Reserve auction. On the surface, it doesn’t appear to need a ton of work to get this unique time capsule roadworthy again.
Just because a vehicle is old,and rare,that doesn’t mean it’s desirable. If you find that one buyer, a repaint,detail,and put it in a museum.
This is the 3rd time in the last month it’s been run through an eBay auction. The first time it ran, it started at $13,000 and finished at $21,000, with 13 bids and 3 bidders. Since then, nothing. It makes you wonder if any of them were scared away if they saw it in person. It’s in Pennsylvania and a few pictures show signs of rust, how bad is it?
At a minimum, the sellers ad isn’t working. They need to get it outside and take better pictures. If you want to get paid, you’ve got to put in the work.
Steve R
Correct Mr. R if you wanna sell something, you may have to make it look pretty.
Couldn’t agree more Steve, just because you’re selling a car doesn’t mean you’re gonna get any takers UNLESS you put in the
effort to clean it up and show the vehicle in a positive light. If he did that, he may just get a buyer here in the South that would maybe use it for it’s intended purpose as many communities here simply can’t afford to buy a
later model ambulance. I once heard of a small town in Alabama
that used a ’50 Cadillac hearse well into the 2000s until a collector of hearses actually went out and bought a late 90s Ford
ambulance to trade them for the Cadillac. That hearse also doubled as the town’s ambulance
too. The town was so poor that they couldn’t afford to buy even a
surplus ambulance from a bigger city at that time. That was 2017
or 2018 I think. All ended well as
both sides got what they wanted..
And yes, a friend of mine’s father
started the first private ambulance service in my hometown by buying surplus units, getting the up to what the
current specs were, and putting
them to work. In fact, he bought
a ’68 hearse in 1970 to get into the funeral trade too. On my last
trip home 20 years ago, AAA Ambulance was still going strong. The closest I ever got to
owning one of these was through a 1/25 scale model made by Jo-Hann that I put together as a kid.
Used to see them on Emergency!
or Medical Center too. And no, Ai don’t think he really wants to sell it either.
I recently saw a 94 Fleetwood based HEARSE with sides lettered *WE put the FUN in Funerals * This one makes me cry 😢
I think it’s cool at but its overpriced by about $8-$10k because its in a part of the Salt belt I would be concerned about the frame and it probably had rodent damage, if it was closer than the 2450 miles away I would be contacting the seller to see if I could make a deal I think it would be fun just to get it back on the road for hot August nights car show, with Halloween around the corner you could get some posable skeletons and for yard art have the lights flashing for the kids.
Those Vu lights are probably worth as much as the whole vehicle.
I couldn’t agree more. If this guy wants to sell this car, it needs to look it’s best. Once it’s been cleaned up and sorted, it could be brought up to current specs for ambulances and sold to small town South that’s too poor to buy
a late model ambulance. I once
heard of a town in Alabama that ran a ’50 Cadillac hearse for almost 70 years. The hearse doubled as the town ambulance as well. A hearse collector saw the car and went out and then a
late ’90s Ford ambulance to trade
for the old hearse. It was a win win situation all around for both the town and the collector. A friend of mine’s father bought surplus ambulances to start our
hometown’s first private ambulance service in 1967. Each year, he’d go the auction and buy
an ambulance, upgrade it to the
current specs for that year, and put it to work. When I last went home 20 years ago, AAA Ambulance service was still going strong with my friend and his brother running the business.
You could also use it for cadaver
transport and make over $70K a
year too. That’s what I’d do if I had the right partner. Angel, are
you in?
Someone from the Professional Car Society would be interested and probably snatched it up.
I agree, it’s over priced for what it is and being a nich subject sellers need to learn how to sell.
This reminds me of a story my mother related……. she was a member of the volunteer rescue squad in the small town I grew up in in NJ. After many years of using the 1957 Cadillac ambulance the squad purchased a new 1968 one. She was one of the first to drive it. The story goes that on a run she couldn’t find the switch for the siren and had to use the horn to move cars out of the way. The way she describe it it was a dainty high note horn that didn’t say “get out of my way” but more like “excuse me, sorry to bother you but could you please move over for me?”
I don’t think it was the the triple note horns most Cadillacs came with back then.
Lately I have seen several of these for sale. If I find one the right price and condition. I would be hard pressed not to buy it and do a Ute conversion. Plenty of bed length and reinforcement in the body and chassis. It “could” look cool. (Although it may need a top chop to make the proportions correct.) Maybe have to use a standard height windshield?) Anyone else’s thoughts? Angle? Have I lost my mind? The other thought I just had was to make it a Euro style van? It could definitely haul the product! Ok, maybe I should take my meds now! (lol)
Wayne,
Please double up on your meds
cool ride but a long-winded ad.tired from reading it
Those people who collect ambulances and hearses are more than a bit macabre IMHO
Thanks Angel! I’m old and have to be told these things! Just like when I’m having fun, I have to be told I’m having fun!(lol)
You’re too funny, Wayne. Im glad you laughed.
…Or, you could use it as a cadaver transport rig and make over $70K a year. I may be turning 71, legally blind, but by God I’m willing to give it a go if I can find the right partner. Lemme tell Ya’, retirement ain’t all
it’s cracked up to be. Ya gotta keep going and doing something
constructive or you slowly die.
I know folks that retired and died
within two years of doing it. And
heart condition be damned, I’ll still keep working as long as I can. Any takers?
.
Hi Ken Carney! If I wasn’t in the middle of building a new home I might go into business with you! I retired early because I wanted to make sure I had some fun during retirement. I had too many friends pass way right after retirement. (One happened the next day!) I have been retired now fir close to ten years now, but can’t seem to get completely retired as old bosses keep calling me fir help or advise. It’s kind of nice, because I can still keep my fingers in it and not have the pressure of the day to day. I’ve had fun racing the car at the track and now building hot rods my way. (My own kind of hot rods.) Anxious to get my house/garage done so I can get back in the garage and play again. As I’m having garage withdrawal! Take care!
Hi Ken Carney! If I wasn’t in the middle of building a new home I might go into business with you! I retired early because I wanted to make sure I had some fun during retirement. I had too many friends pass way right after retirement. (One happened the next day!) I have been retired now for close to ten years, but can’t seem to get completely retired as old bosses keep calling me for help or advise. It’s kind of nice, because I can still keep my fingers in it and not have the pressure of the day to day. I’ve had fun racing the car at the track and now building hot rods my way. (My own kind of hot rods.) Anxious to get my house/garage done so I can get back in the garage and play again. As I’m having garage withdrawal! Take care!
I hear Ya’ Wayne! Would love to build at least one or two more cars before I meet my maker someday. But now, I’d have to rely on someone younger to help me with the wrenching. After my
1st heart attack in ’84, my doctor
emphatically said “Absolutely no
more working on or building cars.”. But finding that special young person to share my knowledge with us hard to do these days. As for a cadaver transport business, here in Florida, you must take and pass a
4-hour funeral director’s course and be totally certified before you
even start a business like that. You can pick up a really nice hearse for under $20K. And, if you’re disabled like I am, you could get a government grant to help you start the business. I learned how to write business plans 20 years ago so that’s not
a big deal. Used to write ’em as
easily as I eat steak and potatoes. The only thing that’s hard is figuring your projected income 5-10 years out. One thing’s for sure, you’ll have a job that’s depression and recession
proof. And while you may not get
filthy stinkin rich, just filthy stinkin
comfortable.
Hi Ken, yes I figured there would be some kind of licensing involved. I had an uncle that had a funeral home. Back when I was selling commercial vehicles I got hooked up with a national company that delivered oxygen bottles to your home. They were growing like crazy then and ended up selling them a little over 400 vans all tricked out with special “legal ” racks. (Most delivery places don’t have legal racks for O2 bottles) At the same time I got hooked up with a conglomerate that owned controlling interests in hundreds of funeral homes. I just figured that if I could get hooked up with some company like RJ Reynolds. I could have the complete life cycle of smokers, anyway. I could stand to be comfortable, but I think I will just have to be satisfied with being able to play once in awhile.
Hey Ken,
Cheatin’ on me already? I thought I was your prime partner?
Its ok, at the moment I can’t contribute financially to the business anyway, but, I’m glad you said you know how to write for grants. We will have to do some serious talking.
The cadaver business is tempting but I’m also thinking something else.
The truth is I could move down to Florida in a year. I was actually contemplating North Carolina but I have a little time to figure stuff out.
Ghost Busters, anyone?
No bids and 20 minutes to go.
ACQD, you better get your bid in!(lol)
Wayne,
I wish I could! I’d love to have this but alas, I guess it’s not meant to be. (Again!)
Wait…. can I bid $1?
Oh no dear, just throwing it out there. And you’re still my prime choice for a partner. When we talked about this last year, you weren’t really sure if you wanted to try it. And yes there is room for more than one partner. In a
situation like this, it’s to your advantage to surround yourself with competent people so that you get the benefit of their knowledge and experience to help you see the big picture in any business endeavor you wish
to try. They say that two heads are better than one so how about
adding more heads to the mix. As a disabled person, I understand that there are things
that I just can’t do myself and that’s why I would surround myself with folks like you and Wayne because you each bring
different skill sets to the table and I feel that I could trust you both implicitly. And as far as writing grant proposals goes, that’s not my cup of tea. But business plans, that’s my strong suit. 20 years ago, I worked as the point man for my ex BILs corporation. My mission was to write back business plans and to seek out other corporate entities
to partner with. I even worked with Donald Trump’s team on a
potential partnership in developing a small town in Alabama that was about to partner with Boeing Aircraft in the
construction of a testing area for
KC-135 strato tankers. I was able to negotiate a 60/40 split between our company and Trump’s people. And my ex BIL,
stupid fool that he is, declined their most generous offer that surely would’ve put our company
on the map as a builder of homes
and other buildings that would be needed to fill the needs of the town as people would be coming to live and work there. Not long after that, Boeing lost their contract and the crash of ’07-’08
happened. The investors he lined
up all left and he lost the company. Long story short, I could still write a mean business
plan today if the need arose. The
only thing you can’t really do is
estimate how much money you’d
be making 10 years out. Banks and government agencies wanna know that kind of stuff before they open their checkbook. Yeah, I can still see this car as a cadaver transport rig. After all, it only takes one vehicle to build a
business.
ACQD and Ken, As much as this is a cool vehicle. The funeral homes switched to cargo vans. I know as I used to supply them with the vans and “family ” cars. (mostly Caddys) You can easily transport 4 bodies in one by going double decker. You can order cargo vans with rear A/C and you can get 15-18 mpg (or more) with the cargo van. No way you are going to get that kind of fuel economy with the unit advertised here.
Well Wayne, that’s thinking with your head. I, on the other hand think with my heart and just LOVE Cadillac ambulances and hearses. But I know they switched long ago. Gotta boost that bottom line.
Tell you what, I’ll just sit in the office answering the phone and looking cute. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh, by the way, Wayne call me Angel or Diva.
Got it Angel!
I don’t see why we couldn’t have both of them. Even though you’re
in the cadaver transport business, there’s no reason why you couldn’t have a conventional
ambulance 🚑 AND a hearse to go along with the cargo van. It simply expands the reach of your
business to be able to rent yourself and your hearse out to a
funeral home that double booked
a service accidentally. And that’s
where you”d make your extra cash by partnering up with local
funeral homes to handle their overflow. And Angel, you wanna
talk about divas, I’ve got a story
about me and Tammy Wynette that
I”Il tell you sometime
Ended with 0 bids.
Angel and Ken, I don’t disagree. Particularly if you are based in a large metropolitan area. Offering/marketing cadaver services AND a presentable additional hearse to funeral homes gives them flexibility. Which makes your service is indispensable. Also provides a backup for when their main transport is down for maintenance or repairs. I had a hearse in for a rear wheel bearing issue that ended up taking way too long because of the Caddy Indistrial suspension and previous damage. So a back up unit (I believe) could be in demand in a large metro location. However, research would be a key thing. In providing “family” cars to funeral homes all over the country. Vehicle colors are very Important. In certain areas, certain colors have the connotation of different things. Plus, the funeral homes want their vehicles to at least kind of match. Toledo Ohio area uses silver cars. Nevada County Arkansas uses white cars and Prineville OR uses dark red/maroon cars. And the Chicago area uses mostly black cars. So the better you fit in. The better you are to have your services used. Most funeral homes prefer understated very nice looking newer cars. So an older silver hearse may work in Toledo Ohio. But ot so much in Chicago. Just food for thought. Have a great day!
Wayne,
I so wish we could exchange emails. Have i got stories for you.
Not gonna do it here cause it upsets some people.
You’re very knowledgeable and helpful in this area. We have a few on here who were involved in the funeral business in some sort of way. Whether an uncle had a home or they themselves dabbled in it.
If you want us to send your email address to Ken, just let me know, and I can send it to him.
Yes please and to Angel also.
THANKS!!
Hey Josh,
Im still waiting on Wayne’s email addy
Hey Josh,
Im still waiting on Wayne’s email addy
All the more reason for that chat
romm thingy you mentioned last month. Then, it would be up to us
whether or not we wanted to swap email addresses with each other. And it would only serve to
strengthen our family group here
on BF. Now if they could do something about these damned
pop up things I get, getting here
would be so much easier. And as for the horn on the ambulance your Mom drive, they didn’t put a
New York horn on it that screams
“Get the eff outs my way!”. Check
your email dear, I sent you that story about me and Tammy Wynette that I promised you yesterday. And we need to talk about this other business venture
that you would like my help with.
And like you, I have a ton of both
knowledge and stories to share
with our friends and younger readers. And your Mom’s horn was wimpy, wimpy, wimpy too LOL! Well Honey, it’s time for me
to finish the ’64 Mustang on my
freezer (sigh) and get on to something a bit more exciting like
a ’38 Chevy rumble seat Cabriolet
with accessory twin side mounts.
Have a great day! 💋
Sign up for a membership and then you can browse ad-free.
My sight won’t allow me to use a
regular computer so I’m pretty much confined to either a phone or a touch screen tablet. But thanks for the heads up. Maybe
they might have something for one of those devices I use now.
I find it easier for me to use a touch screen device as I can hold
it closer to my face so that I can see it better. Then all I have to do is touch what I want and Boom! I’m’ there. And yes, I’m still waiting for a driverless car too!
I’m not as familiar with those devices, but if I find something that can help you, I will post it.
@PRA4SNW
That is one interesting avatar you have there. What is it?
Thanks! I sure could use it. In fact, I’m posting this with an Alcatel T3 phone that is 7, maybe 8 years old. And I gotta say that it’s one of a few phones that I can
really see well enough to do something with it. My late nephew picked this phone out for
me before he passed away in 2022. Today’s phones are getting
smaller, thinner, and made for only young people to use. I wouldn’t mind the having a phablet if they still make them, but I wanna say they quit making them a few years back. So, I use
what O have, no matter how old it
is.
@PRA4SNW
That is one interesting avatar you have there. What is it?
It is a 1964 Chevelle Malibu that was in the movie Repo Man. The car was the center of the story. At the end of the movie, the car starts to glow and fly. My avatar is a picture of the car painted white and then lifted up in the air, and then the special glowing and flying effects were added.
It’s a great movie for car spotting, but is a bit strange. It has a great So. Cal. 80’s punk music sound track and was produced by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. I still watch the VHS copy of it that I have.
https://www.imcdb.org/movie_87995-Repo-Man.html
Thanks for asking about it!
@PRA4SNW
That is one interesting avatar you have there. What is it?
I was wondering that too. Haven’t seen anything like that before. Honey, I don’t think you got his attention though. When he comments again, he might just tell you what it is. Hold on a minute, I think I know what it is.
Looks like a ’59 Ford Anglia flying
Through the air. Thank God my
nephew put some kind of super
enlarger into my phone so that I
can blow things up big enough to
see them. Now, if I could only do
that with those color charts for the Ohuhu markers I got for my
birthday 🎂, I’d really have something. Those damned things are so small I can’t even read them with my glasses on.
And they’re 10.5 power reading lenses! Folks used to call ’em
Coke 🍼 lenses when we were kids. Might have my SIL drive me
down to Office Depot to get them
blown up king size so that I can
REALLY see them. It’ll take some
time, but I’ll get it done. Oh, before I forget, have a look at the ’78 Eldorado with only 3K miles on it! I think you’ll like it. And I left you a story about me and Tammy Wynette in your in box too. That’s all I have for now, hope that helps! Night Angel 😇
💋 Night all.
I did reply to it, but I added a link in the reply, and sometimes doing that blocks the reply.
Here is my reply without the link:
It is a 1964 Chevelle Malibu that was in the movie Repo Man. The car was the center of the story. At the end of the movie, the car starts to glow and fly. My avatar is a picture of the car painted white and then lifted up in the air, and then the special glowing and flying effects were added.
It’s a great movie for car spotting, but is a bit strange. It has a great So. Cal. 80’s punk music sound track and was produced by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. I still watch the VHS copy of it that I have.
Thanks for asking about it!
I got the reply, PRA4, even with the link. The only “Repo Man” movie I know about is the one where in the future if you needed a new heart or lung or limb, you got it, but if you didn’t keep up the payments, they sent guys out to repo them! Scary, huh?
Yikes – talk about a sci fi horror movie! Way different than the movie I know.
Looks like it still has the original 200 amp alternator. I can rebuild those but I bet it would be something trying to buy one.
I had one of those 30 years ago to put on my 65 Cadillac but I decided to put ( 2) 65 ampere alternators on instead.
Now THAT’S scary! But that’s where we’re going if they can’t get
the insurance mess fixed. Used to think that’s what they did if you
couldn’t pay your medical bills. I
recall the hospital wanting to pull
the plug on my wife after she had her stroke in 2003 when the bill hit $400K. The only choice I had
then was to sign away my marital
rights and make her a ward of the
state so that she could get Medicaid and stay alive. Gotta
tell Ya’ that was the loneliest night of my life meeting with those guys and signing all those
stinkin papers. At least she’s still
alive even though her mental state is such that we couldn’t live
together anymore. I tried it once
and all that stress gave me 2 heart attacks in 3 months! That’s
when my doctor warned me to stay away from her or she would
Wind up killing me. And even though I did the right thing for her, I still have this sense of guilt
that haunts me to this very day. And you never really get over it either.
Oh Ken that’s rough. I had to watch my wife die. But your situation is worse. So sorry to hear.
Wayne, Ken, PRA4SNW
This is the Repo Men I know
Different from Repo MAN
Wayne, Ken, PRA4SNW
Thanks Angel. I will have to see if any of the steaming services carries it.
This is the REPO MAN I am talking about.
Yes, PRA4SNW, I saw that one also as I was looking up the other one. Sounds interesting and more “car like” than the one I know. You can get both of them on DVD on eBay.
Sounds like you had it worse than
I did Wayne. I couldn’t bear to watch my wife die. You’re a greater man than I am for having done that. At least you were there til the end and not many men can
truly say that. Before her stroke,
we had 22 years together and then all at once, she was gone.
But I’ve learned that if you really
love someone, you have to give them up so they can live. That’s
something you never forget no matter how you try. And no, I haven’t dated anyone since then.
It’s just too scary. You get that
once in a lifetime person and I had mine. Will I try again? I dunno, maybe someday, I haven’t
figured all that out yet– and it’s
been 22 years since then Someday I might grow a set and ask a lady out to dinner or something. That’s why I’m so thankful that I’m working again so I don’t have to think about it.
Sorry folks. Got a little weepy there for a minute. Happens every time I think about it. As for this ambulance, I don’t think the guy really wants to sell it. If he did, he’d either drop the reserve, if any, drop the price, or both. As Angel said earlier, only a buyer of
professional cars would be interested in it. Still would make a nice museum piece or movie prop. Not much more that hasn’t been said about this car or it’s uses. As for the film you saw Angel, a website called internet archive.org may have it in their vault somewhere. That’s where I go if I wanna listen to an old movie when I’m putt puttin around my shop. And yes dear, they have all those corny old sci-fi Fi movies too! That’s internet archive.org. And now I’m off to
McDonald’s for another well rounded day of fun and insanity.
Have a great one folks!
Ken,
I am old school and not very computer literate. I don’t “stream” or any of that stuff. Don’t know how to and don’t want to learn.
If I want to see a movie, especially an old one I go on eBay look it up and buy the DVD or Blu-ray for $3.
I have approximately 1300 DVDs and Blu-rays.
I get that honey, I’m old school too. But the remotes on DVD and
Blue Ray players are far too small
for me to see and use normally. So that, dear, is the beauty of touch ‘n’ tap. All I have to do is type the title of the film I wanna
see, hit the search button, and presto! The title comes up, I touch it, and zing zow, I’m watching a movie. I gotta tell Ya’
that touch screens are the greatest thing since sliced bread!
The keyboards are very easy to use too. I can type something
using only one finger and I’m pretty good at it too. I often joke that I have the fastest finger in town LOL! It really helps when I’m making paintings of old cars.
I just st go to Google, type in the
car I wanna make, and BAM! it
shows me hundreds of pictures of that car taken at all different
angles. I pick the one I want and start drawing. I can even blow up
the image by moving my fingers
across the screen. If not for touch screens, I’d still be in the Dark Ages. I’d either have a whole slew of books, or I’d have to have someone go online, find the car I wanted, and then print it up for me. I’m waiting for a touch
screen TV remote or one I can talk to. That way, I can MAYBE
watch football this season. Sounds like you have library shelves filled with DVDs and Blue
Rays. But really dear, what you wanna do on a regular computer 🖥️ you can do much faster with a touch screen. They’re awesome 👍
The vehicle is now up for sale again with a no reserve auction price starting at $14,900.