Ambulance people...

[Flymanj3]

Can someone tell me the last year a cadillac ambulance was made (before the vans). Basically looking for mid 80s. My son is looking to offset my hearse and moms limo (kinda want all the same body style - '85 Fleetwood).

If not, how hard would it be to convert a hearse to an ambulance?

just wondering at this point.

[Boogeyman Con Carne]

I think the last year of Cadillac-based ambulances was 1979, and only a few that year. Like, less than 10 made... As for converting, how deep are your pockets and automotive knowlege?

[Riff Raff]

If I am not mistaken (don't have my books in front of me) but the last year a Cadillac was converted to an ambulance was around 82. I think it was an M&M. And yes there were very few made and they were used mainly as patient transport ambulances.

[R U INJRD]

From memory what sticks in my mind is 1978 was the last year made in any numbers, with a couple 1979's floating around. I don't think anybody made any after the body change occurred.

[Otto Baron]

I would look for a 1977 or later Hightop. It would be on the reduced length commercial chasis (a big part of the reason the commercial chassis ambulance was discontinued.) Other wise, expect to spend big bucks converting a circa 1985 hearse into a fantasy ambulance.

[Highbars]

(The 1973 EMS Systems Act - passed in 1974, implemented four years later in 1978 - required that communities receiving federal funds for their programs had ambulances that met new federal specifications. Three chassis styles meet the criteria and are still in use today: Type I uses a small truck body with a modular compartment, Type II has a van body with a raised roof and Type III has van chassis with a modular compartment. Passenger-based vehicles were purposely excluded from legislation and the last American-made automobile-based ambulance was built in 1978. However a handful of automobile-based ambulances are still made in Europe using Mercedes E-Class and Volvo S-60/S-80 chassis.)

[Highbars]

This gov't action about killed the market for the car based ambulance, In '79 Superior built 10 ambulances..along with 37- 3 ways of which I have one.. that needs body parts badly..

[R U INJRD]

I talked to some people today and did a little research, and it appears that while the Cadillac ambulances were officially put to death after 1979, there were still combos made until at least 1982, and maybe longer. They appear to be rather rare, but I looked at both a 1978 and a 1982 combo, with full ambulance gear. The owner of the 82 believes it to be one of the last Cadillac combos to be made.

[Abnorml]

I believe I read somewhere that 1984 was the last year a Cadillac combo was built, but there were only 4 built. So wouldn't be easy to find one.