1968 Dodge Polara National Ambulance

[Dean Wilkinson 18]

This 1968 Dodge Polara Ambulance began life as a 4 door sedan built at Chrysler's Windsor (ON) Assembly Plant. Although the VIN identifies the car as a sedan, it was equipped as a police package vehicle. Options included:

• 440 cu inch, 375 horsepower V8

• 3 speed 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission with column shift

• front disc/rear drum brakes

• 15 inch wheels

• calibrated speedometer

• driver side mounted spot light

• Sable White paint with a red interior

From Windsor the Polara was shipped to National Coach in Knightstown, Indianna, to be converted into an ambulance. The roof , trunk and rear deck between the fenders were removed, the car was cut in two and the wheel base was lengthened from 122 inches to 145 inches and overall length increased from 219 inches to 252 inches. The side doors were reconstructed and a new roof, side rear windows and single rear door added . The ambulance interior was installed as was the emergency warning system. The completed car weighs around 6,000 pounds. It is believed that this is one of two Dodge Polara Ambulances built by National Ambulance in 1968. Apparently, National had last built an ambulance on a Dodge car chassis in 1962 and the Polara’s were the last ambulances to ever be built on a Dodge car chassis by any ambulance manufacturer.

The completed ambulance was sold to Mac’s Ambulance Service in Lethbridge, Alberta, where it was in service until around 1980. At that time, it went to Bow Island, Alberta, until it was retired around 1988. The ambulance subsequently had several owners and eventually ended up back in Lethbridge, where it remained in storage until 2002. At that time it was purchased by Tom Rawlyk, a retired British Columbia Ambulance Paramedic. As it had not been driven in some time, some repairs were done in Lethbridge and the car was driven to the City of Vancouver, BC and parked in Tom's garage. Over the next 6 years, Tom did an excellent complete restoration of the ambulance. Shortly after completion of the restoration, Tom passed away and ownership of the car transferred to Tom's daughter Pamela. The ambulance was shipped back to Lethbridge where it remained until I acquired by it in September 2011. Currently, the ambulance is housed in the Southwestern Ontario EMS and Ambulance Museum, located at the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village in Essex, Ontario. http://www.ctmhv.com/The_Village/ems.htm

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Thank you for sharing this piece of history chief. It's amazing how they lengthened the frame and body, and built custom parts, ending up with a three ton behemoth.

The transmission; standard shift 3 on the tree?

[Dean Wilkinson 18]

Automatic

Thank you for sharing this piece of history chief. It's amazing how they lengthened the frame and body, and built custom parts, ending up with a three ton behemoth.

The transmission; standard shift 3 on the tree?

[NYMedic37 22]

Nice ride!

[RWC130 594]

DEAN, that is really cool and thank you for posting.

Got anymore?

[wcr20 17]

Can you post an interior picture?

[Dean Wilkinson 18]

[Dean Wilkinson 18]

This a picture of my other ambulance, a 1973 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Lifeliner. It is currently in the body shop undergoing a complete restoration. Found this one 3 years ago in Corydon, Indianna. It had been owned by the Gehlbach & Royse Funeral Home and had been in storage for 20 years when I purchased it.