The Pick of the Day, a rare 1968 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance, is an oddball relic of motorsport history. Now a half-century old, the emergency vehicle was used at Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona, where it transported many famous drivers after various stunts on the 1-mile oval, according to the Denver, Colorado, dealer advertising the ambulance on ClassicCars.com.
Among them was the world’s most-famous motorcycle stunt rider, Evel Knievel, who was probably better known for his crashes than his successful jumps. The Pontiac ambulance apparently transported Knievel after some mishap, as the story goes from the previous owner of the Pontiac.
There’s no documentation regarding the Knievel connection, the dealer notes, but it does make for a good story.
Aside from its use at PIR (now named ISM Raceway in partnership with a technology company), the massive ambulance is a rarity, with just 120 of them produced in 1968 by the Superior Coach Company of Lima, Ohio, and few of them still in existence.
Cadillacs were more often seen in such livery service, but the Pontiac rivals them in dramatic appearance and sheer size, stretching out to around 20 feet long with an imposing raised roof festooned with warning lights. Power is provided by a 400cid V8 and automatic transmission.
Just 22,688 miles are shown on the odometer, which are believed to be original, the seller adds, and all the flashing lights and the siren work properly.
The ambulance does appear to be largely original, other than some refurbishment mainly to the interior. It looks ready for its next patient, with a jump seat, cabinetry and a wooden stretcher in the rear.
There are some gory-looking blood-transfusion bags hanging from hooks in the ceiling, serving as reminders that this vehicle was in the deadly serious business of saving lives.
A vintage ambulance, no matter how rare or how interesting its reputed history, is not on most collector’s radars other than those who specialize in such police, fire-department and emergency vehicles. For them, this could be something of a gem.
The asking price is $17,900.
Although it is a Pontiac and not a Cadillac, the next owner still should be ready for constant Ghostbuster references whenever it’s taken out because of the resemblance. And because it looks ready for ectoplasmic duty.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
I d like to buy!
Please any possibility to serve and transport to Europe?
I am situated in Berlin, Germany.
Give me your last offer and we ll have a Deal.
Best Till-Oliver
How much is the gas THERE? This is a GUZZZZZler. lol
How well does it run
The person who writes the article is not the seller. Click on the Pick of the Day link at the end of the article which will take you to the seller’s advertisement and you can contact him that way.
I’d drive around town in that. Talk about a babe magnet. Oh, wait, I am old and married. It’s still a cool car, though.
My parents owned a 1970 Catalina so I am pretty familiar with that Pontiac. I wish I could buy, but I am holding out.
That is AWESOME, and quite a bit of history. I love station wagons including servicee vehicles. The price is quite fair and I would considering adding it to my herd…if I had space. I have followed all types of motorsports since the mid 1960’s, and can honestly say I have never seen one of these. Many thanks for the share to all concerned.
Nice but I’d liked to have the same thing on a 1965 Bonnie tri power
I drove one of these. On a busy night, we would fill the tank three times, at more than 20gallons a fill. Not much room in the back to work, and doing CPR got you a sore back for several days.