1939 Packard Ambulance. By 1937 the Henney Motor Company in Freeport, Illinois had established its reputation for high quality and dependability with its line of hearses, limousines, flower cars, professional government service vehicles and ambulances. That's when it made the decision to use Packard chassis and body components exclusively for all of its custom built vehicles.This 1939 ambulance is a rare survivor of that era when custom coach builders competed not only for funeral related and limousine building opportunities, but made a point of outfitting every vehicle with the best materials and accessories.This ambulance was originally purchased by the Erie Mining Company of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, located in the heart of Minneso's Mesabi Iron Range where the company began operations mining taconite in 1940. The low-grade iron ore is used in steel production and the company employed over 10,000 mine workers during its lifespan that ended in 2001. It's certain this private ambulance, fully equipped with all the necessary life saving and wound dressing accoutrements, hosted many of those employees over the years, but somehow has been fully preserved, offering a unique look at what emergency services looked like in the early 1940s to the 1970s when it was finally retired.The sumptuous leather interior not only greeted a driver and assistant up front, displaying the highly detailed dashboard and safety gear, but the rear area with its patient gurney and leather jump seats also has a richly finished wood storage cabinet that still holds not only period correct hats and uniform coats, but such unusual items as a blood pressure device and various medicinal containers. The ambulance still retains its jump kit, a metal toolbox painted to match the white ambulance exterior, holding even more wound care materials.The formidable Packard chassis and drivetrain were easily up to the task of navigating the rough-hewn environment of the mining area and the vehicle continues to run near perfectly, a previous owner replacing the 6-volt starting system with a 12-volt arrangement and retaining a 6-volt power source to operate the Packard's electric fuel pump, siren and lights. Flip the fuel pump on, turn the ignition key on, press the starter button and the big straight eight engine roars to life, ready to hustle to its next emergency, all while wearing Packard bodywork which is some of the most elegant of the Packard era.