Home Page › Forums › General › Enrico Brocato and Merlin Smith › Reply To: Enrico Brocato and Merlin Smith
David: It is interesting that you mention the EDL car that had a removable door post. In fact, usually that sort of arrangement allowed the door post to open with the door, or remain in place for normal sedan sort of use. These cars were ordered by funeral homes, to be used as ambulances, first call cars, or limousines on funeral day. Normally, when there was not a funeral, one single bucket seat would be fitted. The passenger side doors then could be opened with the post attached, and the whole side of the car would be open. A stretcher could then be placed in the spot between the instrument panel and the rear seat. Moreover, the car could also be used in this fashion to pick up the deceased, on what undertakers called "the first call". On funeral day, a small crane device, similar to an engine cherry picker would remove the small driver’s seat, and a full width front seat would be installed, restoring the car back to limousine status. I have seen mostly Cadillacs converted this way, and once in awhile one still stumbles across one at a show. Tony