Hi there, Iīm new here. My name is Ben and Iīve got a 1950 Panel truck. I bought it in Sonoma last year. Tha last owner said it is possible the car has been an ambulance car. I donīt know if itīs right but some things point on this. It has big Windows cut in the side panels and there are also holes in the front of the roof one left and right (they has been closed) and one in the middle maybe for the lights and siren. It has also the hole for spotlight (which came with the car) next to the front window. Itīs orginal colour was kind of light grey. Maybe someone of you can give me some hints or pictures to confirm it was an ambulance car.
Thanks Ben

 

Hello and welcome, this place has a great bunch of guys n gals who can help with almost anything a person can ask. Your best bet would be to post some pictures and see if there is a way you can run the vin number. I'm sure one of the smarter folks in the forums will be able to help you way more than I can....

 

Hi and welcome to FTE.

I'm not sure about your truck. Maybe you could post some pictures.

 

So here are some pics of it. The VIN Number is 98RC258467
Maybe some can use this to help me.

 

Welcome to FTE

I assume that when you say you bought it in Sonoma, that's Sonoma...California.

Just south of Sonoma in San Francisco Bay is (was) the Mare Island US Naval Shipyard.

Another US Naval facility was located on Treasure Island, just south of Mare Island and connected to San Francisco/Oakland by the Bay Bridge.

Just SE of Treasure Island is (was) the US Naval Air Station in Alameda. Today, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, now a museum ship, is moored there.

The reason I'm mentioning these bases is...the color of the interior looks exactly like Sea Grey, the official US Navy/USMC paint color.

It's possible this truck was used on one of these bases as an ambulance.

It's a standard panel truck that someone, possibly a body maker contracted to the US Gov't added the windows, spotlight, and other accessories...now missing.

 

That looks really nice, A while back I posted these pictures from when I had a work luncheon at the Utah Firefighters Museum this 51 panel ambulance was parked all the way in the back and looks like it still needs some restoration work, hence all the crap piled on and around it.
anyway here they are again.





others






This place had some really cool fire engines. if anyone is ever near Tooele Utah, Out by the Larry H Miller Race track , you should check it out.

btw welcome to the FTE

 

Shoot, my memory is failing me this morning (this MORNING?). But we've had a couple threads about some of the Panel Trucks being modified or produced with these side openings and being called tradesmans wagons or some such thing.

Ilya (51 PanelMan) was in on that and I think Bob Jones (bobj49f2) too. I'll send them a PM and ask them to take a look at your pics.

There's always the possibility that a PO cut and placed these in as well. They are just flat glass and one could easily use a windshield or back window seal.

Nice Truck!

 

are you making a ******** wagon. like they did in the 70s.[ ie carpet every where, bed stereo,etc ] gee they dont have a hippie face to post

 

I have a similar story/history with my Panel. My windows are smaller though. I was told mine was built for the Army and the windows were put in by a body/coach company prior to delivery to the Army. I also have 2 holes in roof above cab/seats and 2 in the roof in rear that either held lights or a rack of some sort. I have not been able to post photos but some are in my gallery. A guy I talked to who was selling a panel on EBAY with windows like mine said his was a modification that was offered by the dealership back in the day and was called a "shop truck". I was not looking for a panel with windows but this came a long and I liked it. I thought about removing the windows but I don't think restoring the panels back would be easy at all, plus, the windows make it real easy to see around tight intersections and corners when riding around. Thats a nice looking ride you picked up there.

 

just put a couple of pictures in my profile of a 51? ambulance that we are working on.
never could post or i would.

 

Beware of the picture thief:



PS Looks GREAT John!

 

Beware of the picture thief again!

 

Oh Ben, you better hope to heaven it wasn't an ambulance. I was a medic for 15 years and I can tell you my gung ho EMTs drove the beejeebers out of our rigs. Pray it wasn't an ambulance...

 

Oh my, I just saw the pictures and it is a beauty. It comes from the era when they still called them "meat wagons". They were called that because the responders had basically no medical training. The patient was loaded and they drove like heck to the nearest hospital. Nowadays we have medical control and treat on scene, but the kid EMTs still drive like crazy. Good luck. I would love to see it when you are finished. She is a beauty.
jenn o

 

I know I'm going to get hated on for this, but that right there would be a great King Cab project.... I'd love to get my hands on one of those, I'm almost drooling.....lol