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With the kind permission of the Swiss company ACT special car center AG, some pictures of a 1938 Packard ambulance follow.
Max, thank you very much and best regards to Gretzenbach.


image source: act-specialcar.ch
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Interesting that in a country where the winters can be snowy and frosty, the radiator shutter apparently was removed.

year of construction: January 15, 1938
coachbuilder: Carosserie Koeng
deployed from 1938 - 1973 (!) in Basel

There is another constructive detail. The coachbuilder formed a roof overhang. May not be the best solution due to the noise level involved. Exposed windshield wipers with windshield bushings and a searchlight are also susceptible to wind noise.


image source: act-specialcar.ch
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Let's take a look inside. A pneumatic double fanfare is installed directly in front of the already impressive electric multi-tone horn. This is by no means a modern retrofit, but rather a contemporary Tenor Cicca duplex horn with a powerful electric compressor. The French Tenor Cicca, a manufacturer of add-on parts such as exterior mirrors and aftermarket windshield wipers was so well-known before the war that its headquarters were on the Champs-Élysées 114 in Paris, today one of the most famous Apple stores in Europe. The two links in the text allow a jump in time of almost 100 years.


image sources:
#1 - act-specialcar.ch
#2 - etsy.com
#3,4 - invaluable.com

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A look into the rear area reveals the undisguised concentration on functionality. Rough metal tube frame construction in an indestructible design, stainless steel surfaces that are easy to disinfect, wipeable artificial leather and linoleum floor speak a clear language. There is even a crucifix ready.


image source: act-specialcar.ch
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Speaking of the crucifix: today a picture that was apparently taken on the set of a film shoot. A dead body is being transported away. (Aren't the dead always transported feet first?) The actors' clothing in particular makes me think of the 1940s. The detective in the leather coat is just leaving the crime scene.
The motorcycle in the background appears to belong to a time traveler - it seems a little too modern.


image source: act-specialcar.ch
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The last picture shows the same subtle shade of green in the driver's workplace that we previously saw in the "luggage" compartment. If you look closely, you will notice the broken window crank on the passenger side and also that one of the windshield wiper motors apparently has a directional switch.
I suspect that the ashtray was not removed because medical staff are more concerned about their own health, and not because it was removed due to non-use. No, it has probably fallen victim to intensive use.
My short report ends with a picture of a ZIS ambulance driver smoking.


image sources
#1 - act-specialcar.ch
#2 - allthatsinteresting.com
#3 - Za Rulem (Russian: Behind the steering wheel) 1958

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