1973: Dodge "Medicruiser" Ambulance

1973: Dodge "Medicruiser" Ambulance

Cross Posted: Timeline; By Era; Land Based; Ambulance Manufacturing and Design
Submitter/Author: T. Barlett

This a 1973 Dodge "Medicruiser" high-roof van ambulance which was built by the Wayne/DIVCO Corporation in Blythville, Arkansas. Wayne Corporation which had recently absorbed both the Miller-Meteor (M&M) of Piqua, Ohio (which built professional car ambulances on Cadillac chassis) and the Cotner-Bevington (C/B) companies.(which built professional car ambulances on the Oldsmobile '98 chassis). Wayne/DIVCO first introduced the 53" headroom "Vangard 53" in 1971. Then in 1972, the company introduced the Chevy "Vangard 60" with 60' inches of headroom in the patient compartment. In 1973, Dodge totally redesigned its vans and introduced the Dodge "Tradesman" line. Wayne/DIVCO then inyroduced the Dodge "Medicruiser" which was considered as one of the top engineered ambulances of its time and is still a legend among veteran EMS professionals to date back to that era.

Keywords: ambulance, Dodge,Medicruiser

Last Revision Date: 3/26/08 - 4:33 AM

2 Memory Shared

Report AbusePosted by fred swihart on Thursday, February 18, 2010 05:44 PM Pacific
I need to point out a correction on the above information. In 1971, Wayne Corporation introduced the Chevrolet Vanguard 53 series, which was a standard headroom (53 inches) van ambulance conversion. In 1972 they introduced the Chevrolet Vanguard 60 with 60 inches of interior headroom. It was not until 1973 that the Dodge Medicruiser with 61 inches of interior headroom was introduced as part of the Wayne line of ambulances. The Medicruiser met with great success, and was a very well designed unit, and compared to type 2 units of today, there really has been very little change as far as layout in the patient compartment. I have very fond memories of working out of the Medicruiser. It was easy to drive, easy to work in the back, and easy to service. And if you had the 440cid in it, easy to beat the competition to the call. (Sorry, it’s the “Mother” coming out again).
Report AbusePosted by EDP on Friday, November 16, 2012 05:38 PM Pacific
I worked for Metro West Ambulance in Washington County, Oregon in the late 70's to early 80's. The fleet consisted mostly of Medicruisers built from 1973 to 1975 on the Dodge chassis and 2 Cadillac's from the late 60's. Being a sentimental fool, I always thought it was cool working out of the Cadillac's, but the Medicruisers were much more easy to work in, especially with a cardiac or trauma "Code".

Share Your Memories

Note: the numbers zero (0) and one (1) do not appear in the image. If you are uncertain of a character, take your best guess.