Description
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Meet Nurse Ratchet, the 1974 Original VW T2 Ambulance.
Never restored, all original, only Maintained.
This vehicle was centre page in Volksworld and Irish Vintage magazine. (articles in photos} This is a collectors car with original Krankenwagen ambulance fit out supplied to Derrygold in Micthelstown in Cork in 1974.
For health and safety reasons in 1974 Derrygold were required to build a hospital bay or buy an ambulance. They chose an ambulance. It was supplied to Derrygold without a wheelchair and had shelving as seen in original photos from when in Derrygold.
I believe this ambulance only ever went to hospital once with a patient with a cut finger. The rest of the time it was stored indoors and used to ferry truck drivers from their check in point at one end of Mitchelstown to the factory at the other end of the village to pick up the delivery truck for that day.
The vehicle was sold to VW enthusiasts after that. It was sold to a collector in England briefly who sourced an original wheelchair. (see on English registration plate in Volksworld photos). It was then sold to a VW enthusiast who brought it back to Ireland.
The rumour that Paul McCarthy was dead was one of many rumours spread about The Beetles Abbey Road Album in 1974, with people believing that the registration plate (7428IF) on the VW Beetle on the album cover, was in fact fake and secretly spreading the message that Paul McCartney would have been 28 in 1974 IF (7428IF) he had survived. This is reinforced apparently by the fact that Paul McCarthy was the only band member bare foot on the zebra crossing. The Irish County Cork registration plate for Nurse Ratchett is 7413 IF That means this T2 was registered in Cork in 1974 15 vehicles before the Beetle on the Album Cover, which puts paid to the rumour that the registration on the album cover is fake. Paul is thankfully still with us.
The ambulance was in an episode of Don't tell the bride RTE Show. Available on RTE player & You Tube. Search 'real love wedding ambulance'.
All original working and in immaculate condition. Original tyre's replaced as outlined in the story in Volksworld magazine. Only ever stored indoors. Always starts first time.
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Original, never restored, only maintained. Very slight damage on right back corner, visible in photos from time in Derrygold. Slight bend in rod to transmission but not replaced as common fault with T2, Slight Oil Leak when engine is running for some time, also well know standard fault with T2s. All original and works fine. Original unopened bandages, syringes, tubes and other accessories & bottle of TCP. Shipping cost to be agreed and paid by new owner or collection in Dublin.
Auction on Ebay starts 10 November 2024.
