Although the idea of owning a seventies ambulance hasn’t crossed my mind until now, this one’s kind of cool, at least as cool as a medical emergency vehicle designed to treat injured patients can be. What began as a 1973 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight was transformed by Cotner-Bevington, a company that apparently once favored the Olds 98 as a platform to build on. While this one would be interesting to keep as-is, I’m guessing some of our readers may have other ideas for its future, so let us know any visions that come to mind! This custom coach is in Virginia, Minnesota, and can be found here on Craigslist. It’s also priced affordably, with the $3,700 tag sounding reasonable. Our thanks go out to T.J. for spotting this retired life saver and sending in the tip!
Though it appears somewhat aged and weathered, the outside doesn’t look all that bad overall, considering it’s over five decades old. Plus, it’s the type of service vehicle that generally doesn’t get pampered the way an ordinary Ninety-Eight sedan from the period might have been. There’s some rust, including the rocker areas on the passenger side, but it doesn’t seem extensive, so maybe the exterior will be ready for a new paint job after some minor body work. If the next owner decides to stick with the ambulance theme, all the lights and sirens appear to still be intact. They’ll need some repairs, but once functional again, these would be fun to activate in small doses at auto gatherings.
It appears this one never transitioned from anything other than an ambulance, as the medical equipment, stretcher, and mattress are all still there. It might be wise to replace the curtains, as who knows what sort of germs or fluids might have contaminated them. However, I believe that fake-brick linoleum floor is the exact same pattern we had in my parents’ kitchen in the seventies, so for nostalgia’s sake, I’d probably want to leave this alone. If everything in the back was removed, this would also make a decent hauler, especially since there are 54 inches of height to work with.
Other than the addition of a CB radio, the front passenger section is pretty much all stock Ninety-Eight components. Just vacuuming the carpet would help the appearance a lot, and replacing it with fresh threads would be even better. The seat, dash, and one door panel we can see all still look pretty good, so hopefully, only minimal attention will be required in this area.
Olds buyers only got one engine choice for the Ninety-Eight in 1973, but it was a big one. The 455 provided a factory horsepower rating of 250, which was enough energy to move a family around nicely in a sedan, or patients and emergency personnel inside this ambulance. Some exhaust work and a new fuel pump are needed, but for less than four grand, this 1973 Oldsmobile 98 coach seems like an interesting novelty to own. Is this something you’d consider buying?
Mike…… I think we may have grown up in the same house lol. I was thinking the same exact thing about the vinyl floor. We had it too. Along with wood paneling in the rec room and basement too. ( what house back then didn’t have that???) This is a neat Olds Ambulance, great choice to build a professional body onto. That Rocket 455 will get you there rather swiftly too. I enjoyed your write up Mike. ( Now I need to dig into some family photos and see if I can find any kitchen pictures with that floor.)
-Dave
Yep, first thing I thought of was posting, asking how many of us here had that linoleum in our kitchens in the 70’s.
And, yes, Dad installed paneling in every single room of the house. We drove by that house shortly after he sold it in 1982 and all of that paneling was sitting at the street, waiting for junk pickup.
Funny you should mention your dad paneling every room in the house.
I grew up in a 200 year old farmhouse that my father purchased in 1954. It had sat empty for many decades and was quite dilapidated. He fixed it up and mom made it a home. (think “Its A Wonderful Life”)
Around the mid sixties he went crazy paneling the downstairs rooms. He switched the master bedroom and living room so that the living room would have the working fireplace. He sanded and varnished the wide plank floor. Tore down the ceiling to expose the wood beams. Some still had the bark on them and some old corncobs came down too. Then he paneled the room. Talk about wood overload. It was like living inside a tree trunk.
It stayed that way until he sold it in 2008. No, the new owner didn’t put the paneling out for pickup. The entire house was demolished. 😢
Actually the Parks Commission bought it for the land, not the house.
After seeing this, and prattling on about the Suburban, which I should have added, by the late 70s, many fire departments had their own ambulances and paramedics. The ambulances used in the show “Emergency”,( 1972-1977) were much more like this. These were the private companies called for transport. Many times, vehicles like this were parked at sporting events and thankfully never used much, as I suspect the case here. Specific purpose vehicles generally aren’t much good for anything else but the intended purpose. I hope I’m unconscious when, not if, I have to ride in one.
“Start an I.V. with D5W”
“With Ringers”
I wasn’t unconscious when I drove around in my 1973 Olds/Cotner Bevington ambulance, Howard- it was a great car, but it needed more work than I was willing to put into it, so I sold it to an Oldsmobile collector in Ohio, who loves it. It was featured on BF in November, 2021.
Here’s one Angel 😇 hasn’t seen
yet. Looks like something my friend’s father used in his ambulance 🚑 business back then. One thing you COULD use it for would be cadaver transport as
the gurneys are both in place. Or, if you do it right, it could make a
really awesome camper. When I
started playing music 🎶 cars like this one were sought out for
use as instrument 🎸🎷 haulers
for local rock or country bands. You could pick ’em up all day long
at Farm Bureau Field there in Bloomington for a few hundred dollars a piece. That’s how my
friend’s father founded AAA Ambulance 🚑 in the late ’60s. And lest we not forget that one of
these was used in the movie 🎥
Mother, Jugs, and speed with Bill
Cosby and Racquel Welch in 1977 (I think). And it would also make you a good home 🏡 if your
significant other kicks 🤛 you to
the curb for buying it! LMAO!
…And Howard, when are you gonna take Angel out for lunch?
If you keep standing her up, you’re gonna need one of these
when she catches up to you!
Hi Ken, I don’t know, she looks like the dangerous type, a high class gal from Vegas interested in a gargoyle from some back hick mountain town,,,hmm, it could happen. I’d plotz if she actually showed up. :0
In no relation whatsoever, I too thought of that show, (Speed was Harvey Keitel) I believe they used a Cadillac, although Oldsmobiles were used in many Hollywood hacks. Ms. Welch died Feb. 15, 2023, she was 82.
Ken, thanks, but I can get my own dates for lunch.
And as for Howard, if I showed up he probably wouldn’t need an ambulance, but more on the lines of a hearse as he’d probably drop dead of a heart attack.
I like Howard, I like sparing with him here on BF and he’s a wealth of information. But, Howard, there’s only one place I’m dangerous, and most homes have two to four dedicated rooms.
………
Now, keep in mind all General Motors full size station wagons between 1971 and 1976 were “clamshell” wagon design. Ambulance and hearse were commercial chassis custom designs usually made with fiberglass.
From the rear of the front seat back was all custom. But they usually tried to keep the basic rear comparable to the original design. The 1973 Olds Custom Cruiser station wagons had the taillights of the 1971 and 1972. The 1974 Custom Cruiser had similar but not the same as what’s on this car. After some research I found out this car has the taillights of a 1973 Oldsmobile 98 sedan.
Little stuff like this drives me crazy and being so detailed orientated I always need to do research to find the answer. OCD? Maybe. Analcompulsive, definitely. LOL
This is a value at this price! The most important pieces are intact. Locating and purchasing the correct lighting fixtures is a daunting task, also very expensive! Even if this needs a complete driveline rebuild as well as the obvious need for paint, one should not be seriously under water, just look at what these are going for in PCS circles!
BARGAIN!
Who ya gonna call?
Son of a gun. I was going to take issue with the Ninety-Eight reference until I saw the rear flank and recalled that the professional car was not a Custom Cruiser (different taillights). Where did those door cards and seat come from? Ug-ly. Alas, I like it if only for being a big GM car from the 70s. Even an AM radio which I didn’t expect to see.
I also notice that it still has it’s HEAVY DUTY alternator. Fun vehicle for parades and shows. But unfortunately no longer relevant in the first responder business. And yes Ken, it could be used for cadaver transport. But many other “van style” vehicles can that get at least double the fuel economy.
It’s like a retired fire engine. What are you going to do with it other than a parade vehicle or massive rebuild/modification.
@Wayne
Well Wayne, I normally wouldn’t say this, because, as you know I like to keep things intact and original, but things being what they are, like that other vehicle that was on here not too long ago, but I believe that was a converted 3-way hearse we saw a few months ago, turn it into a “house”. That one had a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Really, that’s all anyone needs.
Lately, when I look at trailers, ambulances, heareses, boxtrucks, my first thought is conversion. Am I worried about future living? You bet I am!
As for Oldsmobile, I had a 1972 Olds Nighty Eight LS which I think became the Regency in ’73 or ’74. Ride smooth as glass, comfort of a cloud and style that was riviled ONLY by a Cadillac.
I tend to never want to trash a vehicle (actually/not figuratively) I am all about recycling/repurpousing a vehicle (or major parts of a vehicle) When I see a vehicle that was built with a specific purpose that has outlived it’s original intent. I immediately try to figure out a new purpose for it. And yes, an old ambulance is perfect for modifying to a new use. And an RV is ideal since it was designed as a heavier use/reinforced vehicle. So if cutting off part of the body or modifying the current body (raise the roof some more?) Fits your needs for personal pleasure, or need. Then by all means modify away. (in my opinion) As I mentioned before, hearses and ambulances might make a cool UTE that also has sleeping capacity. I go to great lengths to recycle a vehicle that sometimes is worthless (like no title) I will maybe trash the body (try to part it out) but put the chassis and drive train to good use with a different body.
I still have not figured out a real good use for an old fire engine. (Very heavy duty AND very heavy, so major weight reduction is required)
Good luck on your camper/ambulance!
Always a pleasure!
The first thing that came to my mind was to convert it into a Ghostbusters (sort of) clone. Yeah, I know, I’m weird but I think it would be cool.
Do not destroy a rare limited production, custom built vehicle by turning it into a transitory cultural piece of trash. Too many of these have already fallen victim to the overconsumption of alcohol.
Clean it up and start a mobile dog grooming service with it
The more I look at this vehicle. The more I think raise the roof another couple of feet. There is that 6″ band above the doors and rear 1/4 windows. A perfect body line to work from. Gut the back portion and build your camper (a la class B camper) (Can you see the look on their face when you show up with this at SportsMobile for conversion?) It would be worth the cost of admission! Also when you try to make reservations at the campgrounds when they ask the year and make? (many don’t want business from anything older than 12 years old) Anyway, done correctly it could just be really cool to make it fit your specs, be it a camper, dog grooming or mobile hair salon for one. Any thing that needs some headroom. How many ice cream cones do you think you could sell from an ambulance/hearse? Maybe a bunch at Halloween!
You’d more than likely sell a lot of
them just on the novelty alone! You could use the PA system to
crank out some really great tunes. And yeah, it would make a
great camper for Angel 😇. Then
she could travel around the country and visit with us. A Queen mobile with all the accoutrements fit for a Queen! 👑. Only thing is, I don’t know where to put her throne!
Not sure who bought it, but I just saw this beauty on a flatbed riding down Old Shakopee in Bloomington today while out on a bike ride!