Let’s take a closer look at Gene Lambert’s 1956 Pontiac Superior ambulance that recently appeared at two local events: the Garner Fireman’s Day parade in October and the Raleigh Fire Museum antique apparatus muster in September.
It was originally owned by Apex Funeral Directors, today named Apex Funeral Home. They were formed in 1892 and, fun fact, had Ralph Butts as one of their directors for decades. He was also the Raleigh Fire Chief from 1941 to 1947. (His father was M. E. Butts, funeral director there for 43 years. He died in 1949.) Below is history of the vehicle after it was donated by Bob McIver to the Apex rescue squad.
Owned by Apex Rescue Squad
Apex Rescue Squad was created in the fall of 1971. They were incorporated on September 8, 1971. It was founded by thirteen members of the Apex Jaycees. They were located behind the old town hall on Salem Street.
The squad started service in October 1971 using the donated ambulance. It had no beacon at the time, but the squad chief quickly added one to the roof.
The squad’s first call was a 14-month old with a febrile seizure, taken to the satellite hospital in Apex, and then the squad transferred him to a Raleigh hospital.
Nicky Winstead, who became the squad’s second chief after about three years, ran the squad’s second call on the ambulance, a motor-vehicle collision with multiple people injured on Highway 55 at Carpenter-Morrisville Road.
The squad used the ambulance for a couple years. It was supplement in the summer of 1972 by a van-conversion ambulance donated by Bill Gerringer of Gerringer Chevrolet Company, and with a $6,150 ambulance installation by Tulsa Emergency and Safety Equipment in Oklahoma.
The 1972 ambulance was later disposed to Six Forks Rescue Squad, when they organized in 1976, and was their first ambulance. By 1976, the Apex Rescue Squad had also acquired a 1973 Chevy/Superior ambulance.
Owned by Willie Yates
When the 1956 Pontiac was removed from service at Apex Rescue Squad in the early 1970s, it was purchased by Willie Yates, the squad’s board president. He owned Holt & Sons Garage on Highway 55 at Salem Street. The vehicle stayed parked at the garage for a period of time until he moved it to private property for safekeeping.
In 1994, Lambert, who was a Wake County sheriff’s deputy, was on a call. As he left the call, his patrol car’s headlines illuminated a vehicle parked in a grove of trees. He drove to the trees and discovered the old ambulance.
Lambert went to Winstead, who was again chief of the squad, and inquired about the vehicle and its history. Winstead told him about its history and its current owner. Lambert later learned that the owner had moved to Raleigh. He met Yates and told him of his desire to buy the car and preserve its history.
“As best I remember, it took almost two years to convince him to sell it to me.”
Owned by Gene Lambert
Lambert had the car towed to Garner Rescue Squad, where he had long-served including as former chief of the squad. It was parked there for a while, while he made arrangements for storage.
Beginning in 2016, Lambert started a serious restoration of the vehicle and using the talents of several “restoration groups.” Over seven years, it was restored to its original condition and with very few exceptions.
It was ready for display in August 2023, where that same week it was taken on a trailer to Morgantown, PA, for the Professional Car Society’s Car Show. It won First Place.
The following summer, it was taken on a trailer to the PCS car show in June 2024. It won First Place and Most Outstanding Pontic.
Lambert welcomes invitations and inquiries about the ambulance. It’s available for open houses, vehicle shows, or any other excuse to share its incredible history with the community.