Better call 911 - Matrix announces ambulances

They look exceptionally well done. Very impressive replicas !

Well, these look terrific and I'm very glad to see those reference photos.  😀 😀 

@chris But I notice there are no fender-mounted sirens on the all-red 1:1. Perhaps Matrix has some other info?

Posted by: @mg-harv

But I notice there are no fender-mounted sirens on the all-red 1:1.

I saw that too but assumed Matrix did that to cover the fender holes needed to accommodate the fender-mounted marker lights seen on the red/black version.  HA! It's only right now did I realize these ARE TWO front clips, two different years!  Oops! 🙄 🙄 🙄 

Also, I assumed that the glossy-red reference photo features a restored example sans any fender sirens.  No doubt, ambulance accessories & configurations are infinite. Countless municipalities & private first-response firms outfitted & optioned to taste.  It's unlikely any 2 (or 3, or 4 or 5 ) are alike.

- But I'm no ambulance expert.  Surely others can present more comprehensive explanations.

I've acquired both models recently.

The first thing I noticed is that the all-red is actually a 1942 model, not 1941, as it has a very distinctive grille different from 1940-41 design.

Then I went further and googled the photo of prototype.

This was a fire dept ambulance from a small Ohio town, red was its original color.

In the early 1960s, it was purchased by a private ambulance service. At some point it was repainted it to all-white, lost the roof lights and was equipped with fender air sirens.

When that private ambulance service purchased a new ambulance in the early 1970s, it was purchased by well-known Packard collector Stanley Zimmerman, owner of the Automotive Driving Museum of El Segundo,CA.

Mr. Zimmerman owned the ambulance until June of 2020 when he sold it to Vintage Emergency Vehicles.

According to the museum description, this is a 1942 Henney-Packard Special Eight (One-Twenty) Series 2001a  commercial chassis, body style 14094, with 3 speed on column 282 cid L-head Straight 8 2bbl 125hp engine, 148 in wheelbase and 6800 lbs weight.

Due to shorter wheelbase comparing to 2121 model (based on One-Eighty chassis with 156 in wheelbase) it didn't have sidemounts with spares.

I've measured the model wheelbase, it is 89-90 mm, which is couple of mm longer than it should be (148 in corresponds to 87,5 mm in 1/43). The overall length of the model is around 134 mm - the same as 1940 red-black Henney (yes, it's a 1940, as its headlights are not settled into fenders,  the exact model has yet to be identified, but it has the same short front fenders and probably is One-Twenty based, too).

Unfortunately, I don't have the Henney book by Thomas McPherson, and I couldn't find any technical specifications on 2001A Henney model from open sources (I will be grateful if anyone who owns the book could share the specs for 1801A, 1803A, 1901A, 1903A, 2001A Henney models).

The photos from Automotive Driving Museum

The photos from Vintage Emergency Vehicles

Hmmm.....  I like your 1/18 vs. 1/43 pic.  I've never thought about a 1/18 Packard ambulance conversion....   hmmm....    🤔 🤔 🤔 🤔 

@carcass1996, that is some impressive research! Thanks.

@jkuvakas +1

When you watch 40's movies, you will never see Cadillac ambulances with whitewall tires. It may be interesting to know how they coped during WWII to get tires. 

@nickies yes, plain tires, plain wheels, no chrome during the War. No cars from Packard in years 43-46, too.

I went with the red/black car, primarily because of those whitewalls. Just got the '51 Cadillac - again I went with the white version which has blackwalls (pics sometime soon).