1972 C/30 Ambulance, 'Emergency' TV Show

[Bob B.]

I was watching some episodes of the old 'Emergency' TV show, and noticed one of the ambulances that shows up often:

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_365052...ries-1972.html

Interesting truck, it appears to be a '72 C/30 single rear wheel cab and chassis with a Modular ambulance body. Surprising it's not a dually, but it has at least 10.50 X 16 rear tires. Body probably was not wide enough for dual rear wheels. Looks like the 157" wheel base. No idea what engine was in it, my guess is it was a 402.

There was also a Suburban raised-roof ambulance used in the series as well.

BTW- Funny thing about 'Emergency': I grew up in Los Angeles, and remember the L.A. County Fire paramedic rescue squads well. While the unit in the TV show was a 1972 Dodge D-300, by far most of the L.A. County squads during that time were '73-'74 Chevy C/30 dually's!

[mike16]

there ought to be a section on the forum where we can pst pictures of commercial vehicles here.

I have movie of a 68k20 panel truck modified into an ambulance being used on the syrian/isreali border around the late 60's.

[bill3rail]

I love watching the old TV shows. Leave it to Beaver has some great 50's era cars in it. I recall seeing that ambulance on Emergency in reruns recently.

IMCDB is a real good resource also. I regularly use it when I am not sure of exact an year.

Bill

[jocko]

I loved that show, right up there with Adam 12! Now I like shows and movies from this era just to see the trucks and cars in the background of all the scenes.

[EVRLET]

Seen those on offerup a while back

https://offerup.com/item/detail/4790...37316269901186

[factorystock]

Difficult to read the engine emblem, but the interior trim was clearly blue. In later seasons it was replaced by a '74-'75 Ford F 350, same setup, longwheel base single rear wheels. Last season, they used an Econoline van cut away type ambulance. What was even more interesting was the dark blue '70 C 20 used in many background scenes through out the whole series. They might have used it to bring some special supplies out to the filming location. One episode, DeSoto drives it into the back parking area behind station 51. The truck was always kept immaculate. It might have been a Custom Camper, it had a nice rake to it with heavy duty rear springs. It was much too nice to be a studio truck, most were older and repainted cheaply , if you were a fan of CHIPs too, you'll know what I mean.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Difficult to read the engine emblem, but the interior trim was clearly blue. In later seasons it was replaced by a '74-'75 Ford F 350, same setup, longwheel base single rear wheels. Last season, they used an Econoline van cut away type ambulance. What was even more interesting was the dark blue '70 C 20 used in many background scenes through out the whole series. They might have used it to bring some special supplies out to the filming location. One episode, DeSoto drives it into the back parking area behind station 51. The truck was always kept immaculate. It might have been a Custom Camper, it had a nice rake to it with heavy duty rear springs. It was much too nice to be a studio truck, most were older and repainted cheaply , if you were a fan of CHIPs too, you'll know what I mean.

Emergency, Chips, Adam-12, and other shows at the time had many scenes filmed on the Glendale freeway (2) before it opened. A lot of the same trucks and scenes are used in the same shows over and over.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Bob B.

I was watching some episodes of the old 'Emergency' TV show, and noticed one of the ambulances that shows up often:

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_365052...ries-1972.html

Interesting truck, it appears to be a '72 C/30 single rear wheel cab and chassis with a Modular ambulance body. Surprising it's not a dually, but it has at least 10.50 X 16 rear tires. Body probably was not wide enough for dual rear wheels. Looks like the 157" wheel base. No idea what engine was in it, my guess is it was a 402.

There was also a Suburban raised-roof ambulance used in the series as well.

BTW- Funny thing about 'Emergency': I grew up in Los Angeles, and remember the L.A. County Fire paramedic rescue squads well. While the unit in the TV show was a 1972 Dodge D-300, by far most of the L.A. County squads during that time were '73-'74 Chevy C/30 dually's!

The deal with most picture cars, is that the producer usually gets a ''product exposure'' arrangement with either a car manufacturor or local dealer.
That's why Jim Rockford drove Pontiac Firebirds and GMCs. Jack Webb [or one of Dragnet's producers] owned an interest in an LA Ford dealership. Ergo, all the cop cars and unmarked detective cars in the show are all Fords.
On the original ''Hawaii 5-0'' McGarrett drove an LTD. On the next generation ''Five-0'' McGarrett Jr. drives a Camaro. It's all about product placement.
Usually the bad guys drove Chevys or Dodges on a Ford-sponsored show, and vice-versa.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by factorystock

What was even more interesting was the dark blue '70 C 20 used in many background scenes through out the whole series.

Vehicle in question. Did it survive? Who has it now?

[Bob B.]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Emergency, Chips, Adam-12, and other shows at the time had many scenes filmed on the Glendale freeway (2) before it opened. A lot of the same trucks and scenes are used in the same shows over and over.

Yes, and they also used the 210 out near Sunland/Tujunga a lot in the late-70's. CHiP's was shot out of MGM in Culver City, I used to see them filming all the time. I think a lot of the nicer vehicles that didn't get destroyed in spectacular wrecks but were seen over and over again in background scenes may have belonged to members of the crew. There was a nice '69 C/20 with a big camper that was in a lot of episodes.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Bob B.

Yes, and they also used the 210 out near Sunland/Tujunga a lot in the late-70's. CHiP's was shot out of MGM in Culver City, I used to see them filming all the time. I think a lot of the nicer vehicles that didn't get destroyed in spectacular wrecks but were seen over and over again in background scenes may have belonged to members of the crew. There was a nice '69 C/20 with a big camper that was in a lot of episodes.

It's funny. If you want them to use your truck in the shot, they don't want it. If you can't be bothered to give up your ride to the Transport Captain, they love the look...
On "The Wraith" [w/ Charlie Sheen] I offered my '68 C/10 Orange Stepside to the AD for a drive-in burger scene. He looked at it for 4 seconds, and said "Too big." What he meant was there was a brown Squarebody stepside hero truck, and it would've distracted the viewer.
On "U-Turn" [w/ J-Lo and Sean Penn] the art department liked the looks of my scruffy white '67 K/10 Suburban for their down-and-out location of Superior, AZ. But I needed the use of the whole truck at any time all day or night, since I was working with the rigging crew, and our hours and locations were not the same. So no deal.
On "Goats" [w/David Duchovney] I was driving my '71 GMC Jimmy to the location in Downtown Tucson [for a border town in Old Mexico] and, as I pulled into the parking lot, a transportation guy said if I wanted to let the company shoot my truck, I could park there. Otherwise I'd have to park 2 blocks away in the crew lot and lug my toolbag on set. So I said "OK." They did use the truck, but cut most of the footage, except for an ECU of the drivers side double headlights, and then panned right to pick up the actors walking into a cantina. They also removed my Semper Fi front license plate, and did not restore it later. Big deal.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by mike16

there ought to be a section on the forum where we can pst pictures of commercial vehicles here.

I have movie of a 68k20 panel truck modified into an ambulance being used on the syrian/isreali border around the late 60's.

There is, "Heavy Haulers". Even if it isn't a medium-heavy, commercial vehicles are the topic. I have a Fire Equipment picture thread there.

In this era we were coming out of the Cadillac Ambulance/panel wagon era and into the EMT era. There were rescue squad units that were heavy trucks, but the cab & chassis/ambulance body type were just coming on to handle the on site/trip to hospital EMS care better. And, since vans took a big leap forward in '71, it wasn't long before we saw cut-away van ambulances. I have a picture of a Washington, DC C/30 SRW unit*.

*EDIT: Or had. Didn't find it in files. Maybe in Photobucket

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by jocko

I loved that show, right up there with Adam 12! Now I like shows and movies from this era just to see the trucks and cars in the background of all the scenes.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by jocko

I loved that show, right up there with Adam 12!

Speaking of Adam 12. A DUI situation.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Aw hell. Jus' a few beers to wash down the road dust, Ossifer. [HIC]

[factorystock]

Another from Adam 12. There is a difference between the look of base model pickup back then to a base model pickup today!

[70STOVEBOLT]

Keep em coming! I loved those shows. I like to watch old shows and movies for that reason also

[jocko]

was just watching The Gumball Rally, one of my favorites. LOTS of old cars and trucks in that movie - just saw a white over yellow GMC 4x4 and they just wrecked a like-new (well, it was only 4 years old) 72 solid white stepper Always loved Gary Busey's pale yellow Camaro I find that the older I get, the less I pay attention to an old movie's storyline, I just watch the cars and trucks...

[BigBird05]

A little off track, but Army wives just borrowed local ambulances and military vehicles. I had to drive the Cougar because my company wouldn't let the actors drive it. They didn't have CDL's.