The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 1948-54 Suburban AMBULANCES...?

Hate to be so general, because I know there were all kinds of combinations
(i.e....long or short wheelbase, odd little windows, regular windows, panel "conversionms" to suburbans, there were several builders, etc..)
...but does anyone have info. on the ones built in about 1951053 for military use?

Of all the body "outfitters", was there maybe only one preferred supplier/configuration for the military ones, as opposed to several suppliers municipalities could buy from?

The reason is that I have found a 1952 GMC Military ambulance that I am interested in buying.
It was obviously used by the US military somewhere, because you can see the green paint and markings still.
~~((It was painted over once in white, when a town bought it to use as an ambulance, but you can see therough it now to the old lettering. Kind of cool)).

Her eis what I know…
~Barn doors in rear~
~It has the sliding Suburban side windows.
*((Q?=I have been told some were panels, converted to "Suburban" ambulances, and had
fixed side windows? Is this accurate?).

~It's a 1/2 ton, short wheelbase.

*((Q?=I have been told there were NO ¾ ton ‘burbs…true?
…So if you see one that IS ¾ ton, it was a converted panel, and should have FIXED side
windows that don’t slide…?))
======
~It has the little "bump" roof vent on the center of the roof.
~(2) Tag/taillights, one on each rear cargo door.
(I thought it was an early add-on, but there is a 1952 GMC that has been a popular topic on the Jalopy Journal's www.thehamb.com for a long time.
He says his, too was a 1952 GMC (now has a Chevy front clip), and he sanded the paint off, lowered it, etc. ...
BUT - It Also has the 2 lights on the rear doors, and the same roof vent in place.

*((Q?=Other ambulance I have seen don’t have that…does this peg the “builder”?)
======
The one on thehamb
Seems to have regular interior floor configuration from pics I saw.
But it's the CLOSEST to the one I have found otherwise.

*((Q?=Some I have seen seemed to have a built-in BENCH on the drivers side, for the attendant. Then a tiny little flip-down jump mounted on the side wall, up near the front.
His does not seem to…the one I have found ONLY has the little flip-down seat.

(*(Q?=Is there any consistency in each “builder”, or did each have tons of different configurations and options?)).

The one I have found seems to have one SMALL (1’ or so wide) attendant seat that flipped down from the side…but no “bench” like I have seem built into others.
*((Q?= I have to assume it would originally have had NO rear bench seats, just room for the gurney?...))
*((Q?=the one I am looking at was originally an ambulance, but I see no special accommodation in the floor to retain a wheels gurney and keep it from moving all around…did they have something?)).
~~I located an OLD gurney at an overpriced antique dealer…might be a cool item to buy. At least it’s be period correct!

*((Q?=Did all Suburbans sent to be outfitted for Ambulances have grey linoleum instead of the brown?...reason is, I have seen 3-4 unrestored ones over the years in this body style that did.))

pretty common to find panels converted for ambulances, emergency fire vehicles or school buses, by the purchaser, sometimes with dealer help ... burbs likely less commonly converted because they were more expensive, tho' I'm sure they could have been special ordered without the rear seats .... usually the modifications were done, or contracted, by the buyer, I'd expect the military would pretty much get the plainest models and do the work on them 'in-house' .... the extra tail lamp was an option, and the roof vent was a common aftermarket thing, not factory

I had a 57 panel that was ordered new by a major logging company for a camp ambulance - the factory just installed a fixed side window each side and painted it 'emergency yellow' and the company mechs did the rest, including an add-on roof vent - it had 4 sockets in the floor for a type of 'shock absorber' support for the old style stretchers, a fliptop wooden bench down the driver side for equipment storage and a very funky passenger seat that could be rotated to face the rear, otherwise, just a panel truck

they didn't use 'gurneys' back then in ambulances, especially military, and there were no 3/4T panels OR burbs, just 1/2T and one ton

Bill

Regarding 47-55 Chevrolet & GMC panel-body questions:

Her eis what I know…
~Barn doors in rear~
~It has the sliding Suburban side windows.
*((Q?=I have been told some were panels, converted to "Suburban" ambulances, and had
fixed side windows? Is this accurate?).
Post photos of the details of the windows. Most converted panel trucks had either stationary windows installed or sliding windows installed by the convertor (as used in a school bus) and these sliding windows are distinctly different from 47-55 Suburban windows.


*((Q?=I have been told there were NO ¾ ton ‘burbs…true?
…So if you see one that IS ¾ ton, it was a converted panel, and should have FIXED side
windows that don’t slide…?))
There were no 3/4 ton Suburban or Panels. If it is a 3/4 ton is is truly a conversion. It might have originally been a:
3602 Chassis w/Flat-Faced Cowl (no windshield)
3612 Chassis w/Windshield Cowl (no cab)


~It has the little "bump" roof vent on the center of the roof.
~(2) Tag/taillights, one on each rear cargo door.
(I thought it was an early add-on, but there is a 1952 GMC that has been a popular topic on the Jalopy Journal's www.thehamb.com for a long time.
He says his, too was a 1952 GMC (now has a Chevy front clip), and he sanded the paint off, lowered it, etc. ...
BUT - It Also has the 2 lights on the rear doors, and the same roof vent in place.
The bump in the roof and the different tail lamps are indicators or a conversion and/or aftermarket "enhancements". Conversions built on the following, might have easily had a "bump"
XX02 Chassis w/Flat-Faced Cowl (no windshield)
XX03 Chassis and Cab
XX12 Chassis w/Windshield Cowl (no cab)


*((Q?=Did all Suburbans sent to be outfitted for Ambulances have grey linoleum instead of the brown?...reason is, I have seen 3-4 unrestored ones over the years in this body style that did.))
It is doubtful that a Suburban was converted to an ambulance or "crew bus" (a Suburban cost 20% more than a panel). Panels were converted for these purposes for the military and for business like lumber companies (to move crews around). Grey linoleum would have been used by the convertor. Chevrolet and GMC used brown/tan linoleum or black linoleum, depending on the year.


If you find a 1/2 ton ambulance or "crew bus" that truly has Suburban windows and appropriately-colored linoleum for that year, then it could certainly have been a conversion of a Suburban. One more Suburban clue would be the cab-floor platform for the front seats. The Suburban platform only goes 2/3rds of the way across the front (and is missing where the passenger "jump seat" would have been.

A clue as to whether the conversion was built on a panel-body frame or the other commonly used models (XX02 Chassis w/Flat-Faced Cowl (no windshield), XX03 Chassis and Cab, or XX12 Chassis w/Windshield Cowl (no cab)) would be the subtle differences between a panel-body frame and other 1/2-ton or 1-ton frames (which are missing panel-body-frame gussets).

Ok, Being that I have a Real Military ambulance. I have had it for just over two months. This is what I found out by a well known military guru.

The years that followed WW11: Now this guy is a member here but, he don't talk much. but, He knows his stuff and is a chevrolet/gmc truck club member and is well qualified as he has many... many... military trucks etc.

What he said and I have verified:

The military did NOT have any companies build trucks special for the Military. ALL trucks etc. were based off of the cars/trucks found in a local dealer lot. The companies did offer the cars/truck in OD paint. and were basic in every way.

Lighting: All lighting such as on my 51 were leftovers from WW2 and was added to the truck such as the blackout lights,ambulance light and siren on the fender.

The truck was a clamshell that was converted to the barn door for the ambulance use at a later date. The military used both door layouts.

The rims were standard but, in OD with blackwalls.

Trucks for the use by the local offices were built with Chrome grill,bumpers and Mirrors and the stainless around the windshield.

MY 51 Was a fleet truck with NO chrome and all was painted. which is a harder to find set up from what I am told.

All Suburbans are 1/2 tons only.

there is a little more info but, that is the major amount for this subject.

Now the truck may have the 216 or 235 motors and all were 4 speeds.

That is all I can verify at this point.

I do know that the paint was OD but, had a bit of shine to it. at some point before 1959 It was painted a Flat OD. in 1959 It was painted white and blue Civil Defence for the Town OF Berlin,Ma

I keep meaning to get ahold of you on this stuff.
Been swamped.
Anyway -
Here is the question I have today:
Interiors:
ANyone have some pictures of original Ambulances? Especially military equipment?

GOOD PICTURE OF A 1953 GMC ARMY AMBULANCE "BEFORE".
(LOOKS JUST LIKE THE 1952 I AM LOOKING AT, BUT MORE COMPLETE...EVEN HAD A BRACKET IN THE FLOOR, THAT HE SAYS HE REMOVED...FOR THE "GURNEY":

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=325747&d=1182822607

I am working on posting some pictures of the one I am looking at (it's a 1952 GMC like the 1953 in the link).

I forgot you cannot post them on this site. You have to out them in photobucket or something, then put LINKS in the posting.
I don’t use those, so I am setting one up.

I should post pics, because I don’t think what I am asking ios clear on some stuff, without showing you what I mean.
When I said, “roof vent”, I got the “that must be aftermarket” response.
No…it’s original.
But “roof vent” does conjure up images of an old RV crank-up vent. So I don’t blame you for that response, but come on…I don’t mean add-on junk! I’ll try to post pics via links soon.

I knew this was an original feature, and assumed it was some kind of fan on the inside of it (even early pre-1968 Vw Busses had one type of ventilation that came in above the windshield on regular Type 2s, and another set-up called an “ambulance fan” for drawing out old air through the top…on ambulance models. (can’t imagine it helped the injured too much!).


I had not seen another like it, though in Suburbans of these years. The guy on the Jalopy Jouirnal who had built a custom out of the 1953 GMC Army ambulance…his has the same thing on the roof. He said it was for a fan, but I guess his was gone, too.

Q=Anyone else have pictures of one?

I don't have any pictures but, I know what they look like. and yes they are common. The WW2 trucks also used them. I can take a picture of the one on my trailer so that you know what they look like. These were also, used on many smaller camping trailers. I have not reinstalled the one on my trailer. If I can find all the parts I will take a picture. It will give you an idea of what they look like. There were two other designs that I know of. Check out some of the Dodge panel trucks from WW2. The equipment found on the peace times were left over parts from WW2. The same for the blackout lights on my ambulance.