Elvis Presley Ambulance IS IT AUTHENTIC? "Cleaning Up History" Episode 9 Evidence Examining Vehicle

In this episode the Spa Guy talks about the authenticity of the Elvis Unit. How do we know this is the ambulance that carried Elvis away from Graceland on August 16, 1977? Billy also looks at various body issues with the ambulance and gives conjecture about what may have caused them. As new information comes in, some of these things are being cleared up.
This is a rare behind the scenes interview series with Elvis Presley historian and KZbinr Billy Stallings, who goes by "The Spa Guy." Missing for decades, Billy was able to find and acquire the ambulance that carried Elvis Presley from Graceland to Baptist hospital the day he died. Before placing the ambulance in a museum, The Spa Guy cleaned it up. While cleaning it, he agreed to be interviewed. Normally Stallings is telling stories and asking questions from behind the camera. But for these episodes, he is the person of interest.
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[@brendas.1374]

Wow, that is a piece of history right there... So iconic, in my opinion. I was 11 at the time when Elvis passed. I first heard it on the car radio in my dad’s brand new 1977 Ford F-150.

[@the21program10]

The last ride . Well kind of ... apparently Elvis was dead several hours before he was finally found . This according to joe Esposito. I also read ironically the ambulance driver said he thought Elvis was an over weight black guy because he was laying on his face so long his blood pooled up in his skin . This happens at least 2 hours after depart when the heart is not pumping . I think anyone else they would have pronounced him dead on the spot but because it was the king they tried to bring a dead man back knowing he had died hours before . Fascinating if you think about it . Love the videos and the ambulance is very important in the last day of the kings life . Can’t wait to see it

[@Inmylife59]

Yes more interviews with Spa guy. Love his stuff x

[@Thebecoolchannel]

thank you mr spa guy for saving that vehicle .

[@googleusergp]

I can answer some of the questions posed by Billy "Spa Guy" in this video. I commented on his various videos, not sure if he got them, so please pass it on and tell him to write back/comment for any additional information. : 1) This was produced as a Chevrolet chassis. The VIN of the chassis breaks down like this: C for Chevrolet (it would be a T for GMC), C for 4x2 conventional cab, Z for 454 V8 with four barrel, 3 for 1 ton rating, 3 for cab and chassis (it's shipped to the Ambulance builder without a body since they will add one), 5 for 1975 model year (confirming it's a 1975 model), S for St. Louis, MO assembly and the rest is the production sequence. 2) If the RH fender was replaced, GM and many aftermarket replacements would have been black primer, so that is maybe what he is seeing. They are shipped to the dealers in black primer from the GM parts plant and they are painted to match. It has generally always been this way. Same with the doors and other sheet metal. Could it have been taken from a truck that was originally black? Sure. Back then, body shops might procure used fenders that were painted any color and then paint them to match. All depended on who did the work, the budget they had, etc. 3) The St. Louis, MO GM plant also made the Corvette in those years, among other models. They produced both the GMC and Chevrolet version of the CK Series trucks, and it wasn't unheard of for a truck to go down the line with a GMC badge on one side and Chevrolet badge on the other side. 4) The "scar mark' on the fender that he refers to is yes likely where a dealer sticker was. It could have been the Chevrolet dealer that sold the chassis to the Ambulance builder, the Ambulance builder themselves or one of their dealers. Some cities specify that there are to be no dealer emblems on the unit when completed. 5) The name of the company that Billy was trying to remember as the Ambulance builder was Roadsafe Emergency Vehicles which operated from 1972 to 1978 and yes, I believe that they started in Shelbyville, TN. This company is not the current REV Group that also sells Ambulances and owns Horton, Wheeled Coach, Road Rescue, AEV, Leader, McCoy Miller, and Frontline. Roadsafe Emergency Vehicles then became F.AC.T. which was First Ambulance Center of Tennessee. They started around 1988 and were bought out around 1992. It went out of business around 1995 and then became Select-Tech which is still in operation as a company that does remounts. Remounts were when the existing Ambulance body is put on a new chassis (due to it wearing out/getting old, accident damage, or the wish to upgrade the chassis). The founder of Select-Tech, Steve Feldhaus worked for FAST starting in 1978, so you may wish to contact him to get more information. If you Google "Select-Tech Ambulances" it should come right up along with pertinent contact information. 6) Typically, Ambulance chassis start as white trucks (depending on the desired final color) and then the other colors are "cut in" by the painter/ Ambulance builder. This still holds true today. This can be confirmed by looking at the Service Parts ID label (called "SPID" in the trade) which is typically located in the glove box or under the hood (sometimes stuck to the left fender well) on these style trucks. It will show all of the options that the truck left the GM factory with. I believe this truck had AC added on after the fact, but of course for the body and the chassis as the chassis HVAC controls look to be only for heat, and GM's controls back then were integrated with selections for AC and heat if the truck was factory equipped with AC. 7) Depending on how it was originally shipped from the dealer/Ambulance vendor, some equipment was bought or added by the department after the fact. They may have had their own source for stretchers, initial equipment and other things. The members of the Memphis Fire Department would know that best. Once you know who made what and who purchased what, some of the same vendors that supplied that equipment back in the 1970s may still be around and offer help as to what they had back then. Some Ambulances are shipped with all the equipment ready to go, others are shipped with everything but the inside equipment, which the department may have contracts for or purchase from others. Each department was different in how they bought everything. 8) Some units were bought by competitive bids based on written specifications compiled by the department or in some cases the dealer wrote the spec for the department. Some departments can just go out for bids in an very informal process and buy what they want. It all depends on the city's purchasing system at the time. 9) Yes, he meant "Dymo" labels which were often used back then. If you provide more details or pass this along to Billy and a way to contact him, I will try to fill in more details and help more. Hope this sheds some light on this a little more.

[@V8Deuce]

This is very thorough, and accurate. Thanks

[@googleusergp]

@@V8Deuce Sure thing.

[@scottlin7876]

you are a living encyclopedia on this

[@googleusergp]

@@scottlin7876 Just trying to help out.

[@derrickw3021]

This is a part of EMS history in the United States and the story should be told . The National Emergency Medical Services Museum in Virginia would love to have pictures of this ambulance as a potential display .

[@googleusergp]

I suggest first contacting Select-Tech Ambulances as the owner of that company worked for FAST. (First Ambulance Center of Tennessee). That company had taken over Roadside Emergency Vehicles who was the likely builder of the Ambulance body shown here. Perhaps they can assist with any information that may still be left on it from back in the day.

[@kincaide67]

Really liked it. Can't get enough of the ambulance history, and Billy's interesting as well. Liked your conversational style of interview, Good Stuff. Makes everything a little more interesting and fun. Look forward to more. Take care.

[@eliezerperez8229]

Thank you for sharing this video, loves to see more on the ambulance story. hopefully restoration plans are going to happen, just maybe we'll all get to see her again and her former glory. This amazing piece of history needs to be You save.

[@martin77722]

thanks again billy for sharing this video with us all will you interview the remaining ambulance crew one day take care from england stay safe to you all

[@lydiaanderson4247]

@Paul Martin hello how are you doing

[@kevinwilde3112]

This is fascinating and amazing to see!

[@newworld201111]

Thank you.

[@jacobmaurin7549]

I would love to see you guys get this old ambulance running and driving.

[@michaelstephens3828]

The ambulance builder in Shelbyville was First Ambulance Center of Tennessee and is now know had Selecttech Ambulance

[@googleusergp]

It was actually likely Roadsafe Emergency Vehicles, which eventually became FAST as Roadsafe was around from about 1972 to 1978. The owner of Select-Tech worked at FAST starting around 1978: selecttechambulances.com/about-select-tech-ambulances-team/

[@gerrywhite7069]

Don't let the haters get you down spa guy,if you say it is the ambulance that picked elvis up then that is the ammbulance!!!

[@maddiemizzi8964]

Elvis is the king of rock n roll IMAGINE the world with Elvis Presley again 2022! :(😰

[@squarewrangler]

In the video long black limousine it shows an ambulance during the funeral. Is that ambulance this unit ?

[@newworld201111]

Brilliant, spa guy . ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES missed this .???. Amazing history. Just for the record, speaking as an ex british traffic policeman. We reference our emergency vehicles markings here as their Livery. Respect.. next time we are back in Memphis we will be straight to the Tiger Man dojo. 👍

[@briang3137]

Sir you don't need to put anything in there that wasn't originally in there. Don't worry about filling the cabinets and to heck with a new stretcher. Just knowing Elvis was in there is enough. No additives needed. Keep it authentic the way you found it!!!!!

[@10feetup]

Episode 9, still washing the ambulance.............

[@DenitaArnold]

Makes you think of where you were when you heard Elvis passed. I was watching TV and my mom was on her way to San Antonio to have an operation on her ear. Fast Forward to Aug 16 1989, my dad passed away

[@marycochran1283]

My family just found a packet of Elvis' hair that my grandmother, Patsy Crossman, had put away in a box :)

[@GoodStuffVideos]

I'd like to know more about your story. Would you be willing to talk about it?

[@marycochran1283]

@@GoodStuffVideos, sure :)

[@LisaRobinson0725]

I hope they will refurbish the ambulance vehicle in order to render EP fans a great historical representation of what it might have looked like inside and out when EP was transported to the hospital on August 16, 1977.

[@lilypondgarage2968]

Those are for lights on the fenders

[@billylittleton3395]

a funeral home one picks bodies up a caddy

[@lydiaanderson4247]

@ Billy Littleton hello how are you doing

[@MrMikegrouse]

Why do you repeat the same opening on each video.

[@googleusergp]

It's a good way to give a quick re-cap I think.

[@GoodStuffVideos]

In case someone is jot familiar with the story. I hate it when I jump into a conversation about which I know nothing. TV shows do it all the time.

[@roymarksberry4152]

Thank goodness to that policeman That boy at the auction instead of a getting scrapped

[@brendabijak7171]

Any idea of who was driving when this picked up Elvis, probably a long shot though. Wonder if they are still living?

[@GoodStuffVideos]

The answer is here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5CufmWjrJJmfa8

[@V8Deuce]

GREAT question!

[@roymarksberry4152]

Everything I was touched turn to gold to go like king Tut

[@rioalexbrasil]

No way to put pics together back from 1977 that we can compare them? That'd be nice

[@mandymorrow5473]

Why would the ambulance go back days after the fact!?

[@benannoying]

I wonder why the 6 was removed it would be great if it was still numbered for a100% proof it's the same unit that Elvis was transported in

[@V8Deuce]

Isn't this a repeat video?

[@googleusergp]

No, it appears to be segments posted of one long video where Spa Guy is cleaning it up and the interviewer is asking questions about it.

[@blackrook29]

any chance finding the real stretcher elvis was on ?

[@GoodStuffVideos]

Highly doubtful

[@markus5944]

I would be interested to know exactly what happened to Michael Jackson's ambulance

[@E-MATHER]

Is this truck restored yet

[@MattJ1977]

Does it run?

[@googleusergp]

That's a Chevrolet big block 454. It will surely run with a little TLC, no doubt about it.

[@MattJ1977]

That's what I was thinking.

[@googleusergp]

@@MattJ1977 It will probably run with power (a good battery) and some starting fluid down the carburetor. It will need much more work to be road worthy as parts were pirated off it over the years that it sat.

[@derrickw3021]

Do you need any help with medical equipment for the ambulance ?

[@roymarksberry4152]

Pratt part was made by General Motors that's why I didn't hold up

[@roymarksberry4152]

I'd rather see the Hurst than the ambulance

[@rosehoary8906]

Everything that belongs to Elvis is valuable, I do not think this ambulance has the slightest connection to Elvis! this ambulance moved a lot of people before and after Elvis, if it is valuable because it took Elvis to the hospital Let's talk about the car that took Elvis' body to the cemetery. I think that was also an important historical too! this is a bad and big justification. Now whether it wants to be authentic or not, there is no right intention behind this.

[@vox1966]

Not a good way to clean a historical vehicle with a hard brush

[@michaelhutchinson3813]

that is not a hard brush. that is a soft brush. with as thick as the algae and other stuff was caked on the vehicle, that kind of brush is the only thing that woulda gotten it scrubbed well enough

[@217theweirdo9]

It wasn't Elvis in the ambulance it was a terminal Ill gentleman named Roscoe who looked almost identical to Elvis, Elvis himself hid in a closet after swapping his body for Roscoe. Elvis after the ambulance drove away, he broke out of the closet and hid in the pool house.

[@joannedarling6077]

How can u be so sure that elvis did travel in this truck???

[@michaelhutchinson3813]

@Craig Payne ill bet you also are not aware of the fact that this spa guy billy also attends a church in benton arkansas that a pastor named "bob joyce" pastors whom bares a very deeply close resemblance to the one and only elvis presley. spa guy did an interview with this suppposed pastor at his supposed home where he is asked if hes elvis...and the face is never shown..etc...so many speculate that spa guy is a part of an elvis coverup and knows the real truth that the "image" of elvis died in 1977 but the man himself did NOT.

[@GoodStuffVideos]

Spa Guy does not actually attend Joyce's church in Benton, Arkansas. That is a new myth I had not heard before. Also, Billy spends more time uncovering Elvis stories... not covering them up.

[@michaelhutchinson3813]

@@GoodStuffVideos sorry, but you are very wrong. if you do real research you will find out that he is part of the coverup to keep the man formerly known as elvis presley, safe.

[@GoodStuffVideos]

@@michaelhutchinson3813what makes you think Spa Guy attends Joyce's church? What makes you think he is covering up for a living Elvis?

[@lraubal9851]

That's not how to clean a vehicle lol

[@mauriadonis-th3hs]

Yo. Si. Tuviera. Dinero. Pagará. 1. Millón. De. Dólares. Por. La. Ambulancia.

[@tinakeeling1354]

Need to talk a little bit louder can't hear you

[@briang3137]

Clean it but please don't restore it. Keep it in its original state

[@stever1053]

I don't believe that the provenance is good enough to say that is the same ambulance, and the bodies on these chassis can be changed easily and by all accounts it was involved in an accident at some time. Just another case of people trying to cash in on Elvis's name. The crease in the bumper is most likely the weak point in the bumper and possibly others had the same crease.

[@GoodStuffVideos]

What about official paperwork, identifying markings on the ambulance, and corroboration from a local fire and ambulance museum historian who took photos of the ambulance before it was auctioned?

[@stever1053]

The number six is not on the vehicle, if records are accurate they should also show if the vehicle was accident damaged and when. Bumper damage could have quite easily been done to match photos with a wrench. But believe what you will, i personally do not believe it is the same vehicle.

[@GoodStuffVideos]

It would be easier to fake the number 6 than to bend the bumper to match. LOL