Hello fellow 'Bolters. Let me introduce myself. My name is Richard. I'm a fourth generation Arizonan, retired farmer in the Chandler/Gilbert area.
My first "car" was a 1967 Chevy C10 Fleetside Shortbed pickup that I bought in 1968. It was the economy model, 250ci, 3 on the tree, heater, and AM radio. It was Pea Green with white top. Sure wish I still had it! I painted it baby blue after a little mishap. Then carpeted the floor -- shag, of course. Added Baby Moon hubcaps. It had a 2 Barrel Edelbrock manifold, 2 barrel Hollie, home built headers. To top it off, it had an 8 track tape player mounted under the seat in a steel box to deter thieves (still got stolen once). Too bad all those engine "improvements" didn't do a whole lot except to burn more gas. Good thing we had our own pump on the farm.
My next project come in the way of a 1953 Chevy pickup in the late '70s - early '80s. I kept everything pretty much original except a 350ci, turbo 400 tranny, and 10 bolt rear end. Really nice truck and I drove it a bunch. But summers were brutal without A/C. Got into sand-dunning in Yuma and decided we needed a toy hauler trailer so sold it.
My wife and I had Suburbans the first 15 years of marriage and I got the real urge to build an AD Suburban. It only took about 25 years to find one. Must admit I wasn't looking very hard. You know with four kids and everything that they need, plus work on the farm, and finances, it wasn't until second son showed me this project car on Craigslist.
A month or so back Peggy urged me to post my build here on the DITY Gallery. Well, I decided to go for it. I had been wanting to start a build thread but you know how time gets away from you. When you are focused on the dirty work, the write up just had to take a back seat.
So here goes. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have building my Ambulance.
August 31, 2014A mere 10 years agoThis 1952 GMC Army Ambulance was posted on Craigslist AZ. It was out in the middle of nowhere -- Concho AZ. That's NE Arizona in the White Mountains, about 200 miles from home. The fellow had a property with lots of other vehicles on it.
Burb was parked in some Cedar trees up on blocks. Markings on the body gave some history. Coal county UT Highway Department, Sheriffs Department, big Red Cross on door, and lots of Army numbers etc. The previous owner had sold the seats, radiator, engine, tranny and rims. Kids had broken ALL the glass out. Other than that, most everything was there.
After a quick trip up to take a good look, we contacted the owner who was in Camp Verde AZ and we struck a deal. Number two son and his son and I hooked up the trailer and went to buy my ... dream ??? Ah ... as seen in the pics, it was a mess. Completely full of pack rat nests, with their pellets and cactus and you name it.
As an ambulance, it had a fold down jump seat, full length on driver's side for the medics to sit on. It had a full length tool box on the passenger side for supplies, etc. There were hanger racks for storing stretchers (I assume). Had holes in the rear doors for stretchers that were too long. There were lots of lights on front fenders and mud shield, rear mud shield, rear fenders, a big vent on the roof, and holes that look like there was a "bubble gun machine" emergency light on top also.
After a couple of hours of cleaning, sorting and leaf blowing, we had it ready to go home.
| 1953 Chevy pickup restored-sold to purchase Toy Hauler trailer | 1964 GMC long bed Pickup 305 big block V/6 bought to restore with son and his 14 yr old son
