1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - NEW YORK's "LOST SON" IS REDISCOVERED! (Click Photo to Enlarge)

History Rediscovered - a piece of NY history needs to be saved from being dismantled and parted-out at a desert salvage yard near Cinco, CA; the rediscovered Meteor Motor Car Co.vehicle has an opportunity to be lovingly restored by a new owner.

Historical research located vintage photos of this very same vehicle and details about its provenance! The exact same vehicle is shown below nearly 60 years ago in vintage photos from New York's historical archives. (Click any photo to enlarge.)

This is an extremely rare 1948 Cadillac 75 Series Fleetwood Ambulance Conversion. This is 1 of only 2,067 commercial chassis vehicles that Cadillac shipped to independent coach builders in 1948 (per the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc. website). Cadillac's 1948 production archives indicate that only 1,262 of the standard 136" wheelbase and 2,067 of the commercial 163" wheelbase were made:

• 225 units - 7519X Sedan (5 passenger)


• 499 units - 7523X Sedan (7 passengers)


• 90 units - 7523L Business Sedan (9 passenger)


• 382 units or less - 7533X Imperial Sedan (7 passenger)


• 64 units - 7533L Business Imperial (9 passenger)


• 2 units - 75 Series Bare Chassis


• 2,067 units - 75 Series Commercial Chassis (163" wheelbase, Commercial Chassis were shipped mostly to independent coach builders, like Meteor, who made custom specialty vehicles primarily for commercial use.)

This survivng 75 Series Commercial Chassis vehicle has matching serial numbers, is virtually 98% complete and in amazingly great "desert" conditon, no rust-through, after 60+ years:

• Meteor Motor Car Co. of Piqua, OH did the 1948 factory conversion.


• Meteor Serial Number indicates this was Meteor's 281st vehicle produced that year.


• Meteor Motor Co. VIN tag (instead of a Cadillac VIN tag)


• Coach Builder's Model: #76-481


• Wheelbase is 163" (Cadillac's 75 Series "Commercial Chassis").


• The body measures 20'3" long x 6'6".


• Surprisingly, ALL of the custom "Meteor" branded stainless steel trim, rocker panel threshold moldings, etc. are intact plus all of the garnish trim molding around the custom features (e.g. the rear window garnish mouldings, base for the landau lights, etc.).

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1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - TODAY vs. 1950's PHOTO ARCHIVES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

History Rediscovered - a piece of NY history saved from being dismantled and parted-out at a CA salvage yard; the rediscovered Meteor Motor Car Company vehicle has an opportunity to be lovingly restored by a new owner.

Compare and Contrast: shown today and in service about 60 years ago in New York State.

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - TODAY vs. 1950's PHOTO ARCHIVES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

History Rediscovered - a piece of NY history saved from being dismantled and parted-out at a CA salvage yard; the rediscovered Meteor Motor Car Company vehicle has an opportunity to be lovingly restored by a new owner.

Compare and Contrast: shown today and in service about 60 years ago in New York State.

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - TODAY vs. 1950's PHOTO ARCHIVES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

History Rediscovered - a piece of NY history saved from being dismantled and parted-out at a CA salvage yard; the rediscovered Meteor Motor Car Company vehicle has an opportunity to be lovingly restored by a new owner.

Compare and Contrast: shown today and in service about 60 years ago in New York State.

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - TODAY vs. 1950's PHOTO ARCHIVES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Amazingly, the origianl 60+ year old etched glass still survives! (perfect template)

Compare and Contrast: shown today and in service about 60 years ago in New York State.

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - "ONE-OFF" VEHICLE HAND BUILT BY THE METEOR MOTOR CAR CO. (Click Photo to Enlarge)

In 1948 Cadillac produced only 3,329 Series 75 cars. Cadillac production archives indicate 1,262 of the standard 136" wheelbase and 2,067 of the commercial 163" wheelbase were made:

• 225 units - 7519X Sedan (5 passenger)


• 499 units - 7523X Sedan (7 passengers)


• 90 units - 7523L Business Sedan (9 passenger)


• 382 units or less - 7533X Imperial Sedan (7 passenger)


• 64 units - 7533L Business Imperial (9 passenger)


• 2 units - 75 Series Bare Chassis


• 2,067 units - 75 Series Commercial Chassis (163" wheelbase)
  Commercial Chassis were shipped mostly to independent coach builders, like Meteor, who made an array of completely hand-built, "one-off" (one-of-a-kind) custom specialty vehicles primarily for commercial use (see chassis photo below).

History of Coach Builders - the front clip of a commercial chassis is typically the only portion in common with the "stock" factory vehicle. The body style was then entirely hand-built by the coach builder; body panels, roof, doors and glass were all hand-manufactured by expert craftsmen who were able to maintain fluid proportions on such a long wheelbase. These custom-bodied vehicles (known as "professional cars" or "commercial cars") were based on passenger car styling and used for distinct purposes such as livery, rescue, ambulance, hearse, or hotel and railroad guest services.
Some were special built to serve dual purpose such as ambulance-hearse "combination coaches". For example, the local funeral home typically was the only source for a vehicle long enough to carry a person in a recumbent position. Thus, many funeral homes also used their hearse to offer ambulance services as a goodwill gesture for the local community. Thus, many early ambulances were actually black (vs. today's popular red and white paint schemes).

The original Meteor Motor Car Co. VIN Plate - located on the driver's door "B" pillar, about 4" above the door threshold. (The serial number has deliberately been PhotoShop'd out of this photo. )

History of the coach builder, Meteor Motor Car Co. - as a "coach builder", Meteor Motor Car Co. produced completely hand-built, "one-off" (one-of-a-kind) specialty and commercial vehicles from about 1915 to 1953. In particular, Meteor enjoyed a long and successful life as a manufacturer of hearses and ambulances. Meteor introduced their first hearse in 1915 and was supplied by bodymaker A. J. Miller (Bellefontaine, Ohio) for several years before Miller decided to manufacture its own complete vehicles and compete with Meteor. In 1933 Meteor began using the Cadillac or Buick commercial chassis in place of their own.

The end of Meteor Motor Car Co. - In 1954 the company was acquired by the Wayne Works (later to become a division of the Divco-Wayne Corporation); Miller was acquired by the same company two years later, and the two old competitors were consolidated under the Miller-Meteor brand around 1956. The plant closed in 1979, but the name was acquired by Collins Industries, Inc. Surviving "old-timer" employees of the original Meteor Motor Car Co. are planning a 30 year anniversary gathering on Labor Day weekend, 2009 in Piqua, OH.

Original 1940's factory "build records" from the Meteor Motor Car Co. no longer exist, sort of. During the 1979 closure, management literally tossed all records into the dumpster behind the building (along with buckets of paint and other trash). Recognizing the value of these build records, one loyal employee attempted to fetch what he could out of the dumpster (however, some records were covered in paint, thus useless). Tossed into boxes (mixed up and disorganized), these saved records remained in the employee's private possession for the past 30 years. However, it is anticipated that these records will be donated to Piqua, Ohio's new library sometime about January 2009.

Original 1940's build records from the Cadillac factory are available from GM (General Motors) for all models from 1903 to 1970 (except 1968). You must provide your car's correct year, body style and the original engine number, chassis number or VIN. Send $50 (USD)payable to “General Motors”, by check or money order in US funds (PLEASE do not send cash) to:

• General Motors Heritage Center,
  Cadillac Archives,
  6400 Center Drive,
  Sterling Heights, MI 48312 USA

You will also be supplied with copies of other interesting booklets such as the Optional Specifications Manual and the Salesman's Data Book relating to your year of Cadillac. A "build record" or "build sheet" is the tally sheet that accompanied your car down the assembly line on the day it was built. Sometimes these build sheets can be found under the back seat or other obscure places on the car. This sheet typically shows the codes for the colors and upholstery fitted to your car, the options, the exact date it was built and (for 1954 and older) an outlet code (destination) such as NY, LA, SF or sometimes the dealer's name or coach builder's name. At least you will then have a clue as to what state the car was originally destined for.

All images are © 2008, (used with permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 METEOR CADILLAC AMBULANCE ADVERTISING - EXPLAINING WHY IT IS SO RARE! (Click Photo to Enlarge)

WHAT IS SO RARE?

Nowadays, when industry and labor are primarily concerned with pushing out merchandise as fast as possible . . . when articles are hastily built, sloppily assembled, haphazzardly finished . . . it is rare indeed to find a manufacturer who still retains pride of craftsmanship.

More Meteor-Cadillacs could be built if we didn't care how they were built. But we do; not one step has Meteor retreated from its high standards. The result is that when you do get a Meteor-Cadillac, you have the finest possible combination of utility and beauty - with the pride of its maker built right into it.

Quoted From: Meteor Advertisement,THE SOUTHERN FUNERAL DIRECTOR Magazine, October 1947, Page 53.

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Profoundly rare front door - this distinctive angled window opening (note the aft side) door design was only produced for vehicles ordered with landau lights / coach lamps. Thus, VERY few of this door design was ever made! First introduced in 1939, this rare door design received mixed reviews (as quoted from CoachBuilt.com):

"Meteor introduced a new driver's door first seen on 1939 S&S carved-panel coaches that featured an unusual A-shaped window frame. Meteor then mounted a miniature coach lamp within the triangular panel that was now part of the body. Although the new arched door looked great on their service cars, flower cars and carved Gothic hearses, it looked hideous when combined with the vertical B and C pillars found on their limousine-style coaches and ambulances. The rear door window frames as well as the B-pillars and C-pillars were still vertically oriented and clashed with the sharply sloping outline of the front door's arched window-frame. "

Vehicle has highly coveted "suicide doors" for each of the rear side doors (re: hinged aft, on the "B" pillar, rather than hinged forward on the "A" pillar).

All 7 side and rear windows still have the interior window trim bezel (about 1-1/4" wide) originally supplied by the Meteor Motor Car Co. of Piqua, OH. - an otherwise impossible part to locate today if a replacement was ever needed.

Note the hard-to-find 1948 Cadillac gas cap (disguised as part of the tail light) is also included!

Driver's Side Detail - all sheet metal is solid with no rust-through areas. No dents. All exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely. All stainless steel or chrome body side trim moldings are present.


All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

If parted-out, this rear door alone sells for $1,200 to $1,500 as there were VERY few ever produced (since only a few hundred of these Cadillac "Specialty Vehicles" were made in 1948, as indicated by the VIN) . . . described as being "rarer than hen's teeth". A restorer needing this door will pay to get it.

Back Door Detail - all sheet metal is solid with no rust-through areas. The exterior door skin and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. The door is well-aligned, swings freely and latches securely. All stainless steel or chrome body side trim moldings are present. The door lock and original door panel is stored inside the vehicle. The rear bumper brackets are also stowed in the rear cargo area.

Shown above today with the original ambulance corps. signage outlined in gold leaf and still visible on the back door after 60+ years! The white oak frame on the interior of this swinging door is also stamped with the vehicle's matching serial number (matching the serial number on the VIN plate at the driver's door "B" post), indicating that this specific door was custom made and custom fitted for this specific vehicle.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Profoundly rare front door - this distinctive angled window opening (note the aft side) door design was only produced for vehicles ordered with landau lights / coach lamps. Thus, VERY few of this door design was ever made! First introduced in 1939, this rare door design received mixed reviews (as quoted from CoachBuilt.com):

"Meteor introduced a new driver's door first seen on 1939 S&S carved-panel coaches that featured an unusual A-shaped window frame. Meteor then mounted a miniature coach lamp within the triangular panel that was now part of the body. Although the new arched door looked great on their service cars, flower cars and carved Gothic hearses, it looked hideous when combined with the vertical B and C pillars found on their limousine-style coaches and ambulances. The rear door window frames as well as the B-pillars and C-pillars were still vertically oriented and clashed with the sharply sloping outline of the front door's arched window-frame."

Vehicle has highly coveted "suicide doors" for each of the rear side doors (re: hinged aft, on the "B" pillar, rather than hinged forward on the "A" pillar).


Amazingly, the original 60+ year old etched glass still survives! (perfect template)

Passenger Side Detail - all sheet metal is solid with no rust-through areas. The only dents in the entire vehicle are 2 minor dents in the front quarter panel (one at 3 o'clock, one at 10 o'clock). All exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely. All stainless steel or chrome body side trim moldings are present.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Front End - Headlight bezels with trim rings, front grill and front bumper are stowed in rear cargo area.

The 1948 Cadillacs had small, round parking lights set in the center of a rectangular fog light housing (see above), on a horizontal plane level with the space between the 2nd and 4th grille bars (counting from the top).

This 1948 Cadillac Ambulance clearly served duty for the US Army's very top secret USASCC (U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command - part of STRATCOM) for the Vietnam War effort in and around 1972, best guess is at Fort Huachuca, AZ (as identified by a faded parking pass sticker on the front bumper).

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

The two stainless steel trim moldings for the sides of the hood are stowed in the rear of the vehicle.

Front End - Windshield wipers, mount for hand spotlight, Cadillac hood ornament, and classic 1940's Cadillac cloisanné hood medallion.




All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Front End - Roof mounted emergency lights from Meteor Motor Car Co. The siren typically mounted forward between these roof lights; the roof mounted Federal red light beacon typically mounted just aft of the siren (note remnants of mounting holes on roof).

Front End - Passenger's side roof mounted emergency lights from Meteor Motor Car Co.

Front End - Driver's side roof mounted emergency lights from Meteor Motor Car Co.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Front End - note roof mounted emergency lights from Meteor Motor Car Co. The siren typically mounted forward between these roof lights; the roof mounted Federal red light beacon typically mounted just aft of the siren (note remnants of mounting holes on roof).

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ENGINE (Click Photo to Enlarge)

The original engine was a 346 cu.in. L-head flathead V8 (5.7 L.) and put out about 150 H.P. and 274 Ft-Lb. of torque at 1600 RPM, backed up by a Hydra-Matic 4-speed manual transmission. Plenty of power in its day capable of 100+ m.p.h. speeds, which is amazing considering this vehicle weighs about 4,874 pounds. Today, our guess is that this non-operational mid-1960's? 329 or 368 CI V8 engine needs some TLC to get it running again; additonal engine parts not shown in this photo (e.g. hood spring mechanism, etc.) are stowed in rear cargo area of vehicle.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ENGINE (Click Photo to Enlarge)

The original engine was a 346 cu.in. L-head flathead V8 (5.7 L.) and put out about 150 H.P. and 274 Ft-Lb. of torque at 1600 RPM, backed up by a Hydra-Matic 4-speed manual transmission. Plenty of power in its day capable of 100+ m.p.h. speeds, which is amazing considering this vehicle weighs about 4,874 pounds. Today, our guess is that this non-operational mid-1960's? 329 or 368 CI V8 engine needs some TLC to get it running again; additonal engine parts not shown in this photo (e.g. hood spring mechanism, etc.) are stowed in rear cargo area of vehicle.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Driver's Side - Front Door (with all original Meteor hardware and interior door panels). Exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely.

Profoundly rare front door - this distinctive angled window opening (note the aft side) door design was only produced for commercial vehicles ordered with landau lights / coach lamps. Thus, VERY few of this door design was ever made!



All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Driver's Side - Exterior door handles: front door (left) and rear door (right).


All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Driver's Side - Rear Side Door (with all original Meteor hardware and interior door panel). Exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. Includes stainless body trim molding. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely. Note that even the support rod mechanism is intact and fully operational (to hold the door in the "open" position - see lower left-hand corner of door's interior).

This is a highly coveted "suicide door" (re: hinged aft, on the "B" pillar, rather than hinged forward onthe "A" pillar).


All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Back Door - Exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. White oak wooden door frame is solid. Included, but not shown, are Meteor interior door panel, interior door hardware, and exterior lock (note: only the back door and the passenger front door have exterior locks). All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely.

The white oak frame on the interior of this swinging door is also stamped with the vehicle's matching serial number (slightly left of center at the top of the window opening) matching the serial number on the VIN plate at the driver's door "B" post. This indicates that this specific door was custom made and custom fitted for this specific vehicle.

If parted-out, this rear door alone sells for $1,200 to $1,500 as there were VERY few ever produced (since only a few hundred of these Cadillac "Specialty Vehicles" were made in 1948, as indicated by the VIN) . . . described as being "rarer than hen's teeth". A restorer needing this door will pay to get it in order to finish his vehicle.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Back Door - Meteor-Cadillac hearse-ambulances used flat glass all around, including flat glass on the rear door too (as seen in the above photo). Flat safety glass or flat tempered glass is much easier to source and use in modern day restorations.

In contrast, 1948 and 1949 Cadillac Coupes (Club, Dynamic, and Sports Coupes) originally used curved Herculite AS-17 safety glass for their rear window. The curved glass used for the Cadillac Coupes' similarly shaped rear window was approximately: 34-7/8" x 11-7/16". The top horizontal edge of glass arches up 1-3/16" at center; the bottom horizontal edge arches up 1-5/16" at center.

If parted-out, the curved rear safety glass sells for $400 (e.g. from Classic Auto Glass in Blachly, OR) as there were VERY few late 1940's Cadillac Coupes ever produced . . . the curved glass is described as being "rarer than hen's teeth". A restorer needing this glass will pay to get it.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Back Door - detail of top hinge to single back door.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Passenger Side - Rear Side Door (with all original Meteor hardware, interior door panel and glass). Exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. Includes stainless body trim molding. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely. Note that even the support rod mechanism is intact and fully operational (to hold the door in the "open" position - see lower left-hand corner of door's interior).

This is a highly coveted "suicide door" (re: hinged aft, on the "B" pillar, rather than hinged forward onthe "A" pillar).


All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - DOORS, IN-and-OUT VIEW (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Passenger Side - Front Door (with all original Meteor hardware and interior door panels). Exterior door skins and bottom threshold are solid with no rust-through. Small dent (but no crease) in this door is minor. All doors are well-aligned, swing freely and latch securely.

Profoundly rare front door - this distinctive angled window opening (note the aft side) door design was only produced for vehicles ordered with landau lights / coach lamps. Thus, VERY few of this door design was ever made!



All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Passenger Side - Wind wing vent window (with excellent stainless steel frame) and rain guard deflector mounted on top.

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)

1948 CADILLAC AMBULANCE - ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES (Click Photo to Enlarge)

Passenger Side - Exterior door handles: rear door (left) and front door (right).

All images are © 2008, (used by permission from IdeationPro.com)