1954 Chevrolet 150 Special Ambulance, Extended-wheelbase, 3-spd manual

Chevrolet Bel Air/150/210 1954 Description

1954 Chevrolet 150 Special Ambulance
Reportedly once owned by Howard Hughes!
Previous owner owned for more than 12 years
Extended-wheelbase ambulance
235 CID Stovebolt Six inline six-cylinder engine
Three-speed manual transmission
India Ivory exterior, gray interior
GE red emergency lights, driver's spotlight and metal Federal Sign & Signal siren mounted on right front fender
Fender skirts, fender rock guards
Bumper guards
Documentation includes Polaroid photos of the ambulance parked on what appears to be a movie studio lot in Southern California
Looking for the ultimate rolling Halloween conversation piece? While it's not quite Ecto-1, the 1959 Cadillac ambulance seen in the Ghostbusters films, MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to offer this 1954 Chevrolet 150 Special Ambulance. The previous owner stated that this vehicle once belonged to the eccentric Howard Hughes. While we have no documentation to back this up, it is very fitting and the vehicle has resided in California for a very long time.
With its India Ivory exterior paint, this vehicle's paint is in good shape but there are minor blemishes, as one should expect from a vehicle that spent at least part of its life getting the sick and injured to a hospital as quickly as possible. Its glass windows are good order. Wagon's lights are intact and haze-free and the bumpers are in good condition. The windshield wipers are inoperative but overall, the body panels are straight and the car rides on BFGoodrich tires, surrounding 15-inch white steel wheels with Chevy hubcaps.
Inside, a gray, spartan interior is upfront. The bench seat is in very good form, as is the carpet, headliner and dashboard. The big, black, two-spoke steering wheel is in good shape and the door panels help complete the sterile, service-oriented environment this vehicle conveys. The horn is inoperable and there is no radio in this vehicle. In the rear are two jumpseats, room for a stretcher (not included with ambulance) and storage cabinets in the partition.
Under the hood is a "Thrift King" version of the 235 CID Stovebolt Six inline six-cylinder engine linked to a three-speed manual transmission. The engine bay is tidy. After Chevrolet assembled the basic three-door sedan delivery body, it was sent to National Body Manufacturing in Knightstown, Indiana for completion into a service vehicle - ambulance, hearse or limousine. An early 1950s National ad boasted:
When converting a Chevrolet Sedan Delivery, furnished to us by customer, into a NATIONAL Combination Hearse & Ambulance, we extend the unit 30" and install 43" doors on each side, build in one recessed attendant's seat, furnish shades, cot holder, choice of removable casket table or turn-over rollers in regular floor, medicine cabinets in partition, sliding glass in partition, safety glass throughout, dome lights in front and rear compartments, blue or red leatherette trim, Armstrong inlaid linoleum on floor, tire compartment under floor on left side, and unit painted to suit customer. Cost of conversion $1,995. These Sedan Delivery units are usually delivered to our plant directly from the Chevrolet factory. When the unit is ordered for conversion, preference is given for quick delivery to us.
Documents include Polaroid photos of the ambulance parked on what appears to be a movie studio lot in Southern California. This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 53,096 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear California title.
VIN: D54N029217 National Body Mfg #: 2637-54
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