Armbruster/Stageway is a custom coachbuilder whose roots go back to the latter 19th Century. Besides ambulances and hearses, they’ve also built limousines like this airport 15-passenger transport from 1968. General Motors has been a popular supplier of base vehicles, like this Pontiac Catalina which began as a 4-door station wagon. It’s a nice survivor that looks to have plenty of life left, depending on what you would do with it. Located in Middlefield, Ohio, this interesting find is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $22,500. A most unusual tip brought to us by dennis house!
You could write a whole book on the history of the firm responsible for this limo. They began as Ambruster & Co. in 1887, an Arkansas-based output that built and repaired horse-drawn carriages. This included stagecoaches which were still a viable mode of transportation in those days. With the birth of the automobile, this company modified its business plan to include the internal combustion engine and other forms of movement such as buses. The construction of stretch limos seems to have begun in 1928 and we believe the company merged with Stageway in 1966, hence its current name.
The seller seems to have an affinity for these types of vehicles and has owned this limo for 20 years. That includes two 8-door vehicles and the other one is needier than this one, so that’s the motivation for the sale. We don’t know the history of this limo other than it’s had at least three owners and was in service for airport pickups and deliveries. Inside you can fit 15 people and their luggage could go in the large rack on the roof. There appears to be an external A/C unit also mounted up top.
Pontiacs used a 400 cubic inch V8 in 1968 and the one in this transport may have 195,000 miles. We assume the engine has had some attention over the years, but that’s just a guess, and more recent mechanical work includes redoing the fuel tank and other parts of that system. It does run and drive, but only has drum brakes which require a lot to stop a machine this big and heavy. The air conditioning doesn’t work and there’s an exhaust leak that needs sorting out. Otherwise, it appears okay for occasional use. What would you do with it? Practice parallel parking?
Honestly I’ve often thought about one of these for road trips. I have 10 kids. (Weird, I know) I love old wagons anyway, so this just seems kind of cool.
So have I Gavin. I’ve got 7 and twins on the way. The old Chuburban is suddenly too small.
Brew pub tour vehicle. Custom paint job and air bag suspension would draw a lot of attention. Back in ’67 I remember as a kid going to the airport in a Limo like that
Not weird at all sir. I think it’s awesome, big families are the absolute best. I am the youngest of nine.
Weird that they thought back then to stretch out a station wagon to an absurd length rather than coming up with an idea of creating a shuttle based off something like a school bus.
Throwing luggage on top of a school bus would be a lot harder that putting it on this Pontiac’s roof rack
Although many buses have cubby beneath outside to load luggage. So not exactly a basis. I was thinking this might be cool for a band with brass section and backup singers. Plenty of advertising space. Team of 15. Basketball, soccer, baseball. Bad News Bears?
Status, and expectations.
Airport travelers neither expected a Cadillac limo (few were stretched in those years) nor would they have accepted a ratty used school bus. Which in the 1960s, before air suspension on those things…rode HARD.
Nor were there automatics on school buses in those days. Even on GM New Look city buses, it was an Allison two-speed transmission reminiscent of (but not related to) Powerglide – a fluid-coupling low gear, and then a harsh shift around 28 mph to a lockup high gear. I drove several of those; and the later ZF five-speed automatics were a world of improvement.
This long longroof, could be driven by anyone with an Operator’s license (not a Commercial or Chauffeur) and would have an automatic. Familiar controls. Just pay attention to turns…swing wide, or as my bus-driving trainer taught me, Square Turns.
Oh and…watch those brakes. Start braking early.
Ghostbusters go to Prom LOL
This can actually be a cool ride. Surprising that Pontiac was still on drum’s considering the weight and that disc’s were already availible. I’d be curious to take apart the top mounted a/c
What? I live in northern Trumbull county. I go to Middlefield (geauga county) daily and never heard of this. I don’t actually recognize the background in pics. Maybe at the airport? Interesting tho.
It must be a misprint. They really meant $2,250.00 right? Well probably not THAT cheap but not a whole lot more than that! Great concept though. That Pontiac 400 has either been rebuilt or it’s a miracle it made it 195k miles pulling all that weight around. You definitely could have a lot of fun with this car/airport cruiser but it needs a LOT of work. A lot. Maybe – for a “total “amount of 5-6k, looking and running great it just might be worth it. I think I’d get pretty nervous if I had $22,500.00 in this one. Nice article!
Agreed, a good case of rare and/or neat not equating to valuable. $5k seems to low and $8k seems too high, so $6-7k feels about right
Always loved these, especially the Toronado-based ones I saw near Detroit Metro. Rumor had it that a fraternity house bought one and had a designated driver take tours while the guys in the back drank and toked up.
Sounds reasonable to me.
I’m going with music band ride or Bad News Bears. Fraternity ride might have too many food fights and pools of digested pizza everywhere. Maybe one of them weird cults where they have too many kids would be the best prospect. Assigned seats, lots of discipline and sermons rolling down the interstate.
I had one of the Olds Toronado 8 door vehicles, bought it in 1976 from Executive limo operating out of Dulles Airport in VA. They were horrendous cars from day 1. Overheated at highway speeds or if the A/C was used on hot days, brakes were very under rated [dangerous!]. The front drive axles rarely made it 15,000 miles, and were extremely expensive [not rebuildable – no parts available from GM].
And almost forgot — the rear axles [there were 2] had air suspension, it was a big failure. The 6 examples Executive owned ended up being retrofitted at great expense to truck leaf springs, and the engineering behind the conversion was “less than professional”. The high failure rate for these 6 vehicles caused Executive to lose the contract for Dulles Airport. I knew the owner, and he said the purchase of the Toronado limos ended up forcing him into bankruptcy. I also bought his personal 1955 Crown Imperial C-70 limousine.
A couple of these big airporter Toronados are still around, but I don’t know of any roadworthy examples.
As the oldest of 7 kids back in the 40s and 50s, we sure could have used this vehicle. Each of us kids could have had a window seat with the youngest one sitting up front with the parents. However, we were often crammed 5 in the back seat and the two youngest sat up front. I wonder how many curbs this vehicle has jumped over the years…😎
Connecticut limousine ran these for years, but on Chrysler chassis, until they switched to Suburbans. I always wanted to buy one but after 10 years they were completely used up!
Perfect for a family with a dozen kids.
Ohio location. New Jersey plates. Destination Utah.
My son’s going to the beach with 7 of his friends this week. They did the same Memorial Day weekend and had to take 3 cars to fit everyone and their gear. I showed him this. He didn’t seem interesting in it or anything like it. Kids today…no sense of adventure.
To young people, a car is STATUS.
And not in a Reflect-Your-Personality way. It’s to show you’re (hip, environmentally-conscious, manly, or fun…take your pick).
Us oldsters look at this as a quirky way to move a lot of bodies. Kids would almost rather take three cars – show off their compliance to shifting social norms.
I saw one just like it on “Roadkill” Lol
I was thinking the exact same thing!
I remember a limo like this one being used by the, “All American Redheads,” a basketball team much like the, “The Harlem Globetrotters,” that traveled small town USA playing against teams made up of local men. In our town the team was made up our basketball coaches and guys that had once played in high school, maybe some college. The Redheads played by men’s rules and almost always won. Easy to find pictures of the team and limo on the internet.
OK I admt I laughed at practice parallel parking
Right hand turns are a royal pain in the ass in cities. Partial reason for their demise.
I don’t have room for it, but thinking this would make a great Resto-mod project. mild performance upgrades and air-bags. Restore the interior/exterior to like new condition.
Maybe even paint “Bobby Fleet and his Band with the Beat!” on the rear windows. And add empty music cases on the roof.
Then hit the Show and Shine circuit.
Don’t claim to be an auto engineer. Was wondering tho how much closer the front and rear wheels could be, to reduce the turning radius. Believe it would hurt the ride shorter wheel base, top corning speed overall harmed, but who’s speeding hard with the family?
Roof mounted AC means business.
I like the “Welcome Suggestion of Driv(er?)” sticker on the dash with Chinese characters underneath. Would love to know the owner history of this car.