I'm not sure what's up with this neighborhood in Alameda's East End, but the streets have quite a few military vehicles parked in front of Craftsman bungalows. In addition to this Air Force ambulance, there's the Pinzgauer, the Ford GPW Jeep, and another couple of war-wagons I haven't posted yet. Is is some sort of requirement that each block have at least one? Such are the mysteries of the Island City.
I'm sure as hell no expert on these things, but a friend of mine in Orange County had one of these ambulances. His was a former Army machine he bought for $150, had been rolled at least once, and was used only for desert hoonage with a Suicidal Tendencies soundtrack on a bungied-down boombox in the back. The ride was wheelbarrow-over-cobblestones-esque and the top speed was about 50; we'd all scream "MEDIC!" after a particularly spine-compressing bump.
Back when Alameda's Navy base was second only to San Diego's on the West Coast, the skies were full of A-6s and P-3s and the streets were full of gray Navy trucks. You'd also see some Marine Corps vehicles once in a while, but Air Force? Probably this truck would have been vandalized by enraged seamen back in the day. Anchors aweigh!
This ambulance clearly runs (or at least rolls), since I've seen it in different parking spaces, but I have yet to set it rumbling down the ave.
Anyway, other than the general era (1950s) and the Dodge origins, I can't nail down the exact model of this thing. Military-vehicle experts, please fill us in!
Check out that cool Auto Lite blackout headlight! I couldn't see a siren anywhere; if it lacks one, I hope the owner is scouring eBay for a replacement. An ambulance needs a siren!
