Club 80-90 Forums

Does anyone have any pictures or information on the Rowan Medical Syncro Ambulances?

I think I may have just picked one up. Its certainly been an ambulance at some point (factory hightop, flashy light button, switchgear on dash etc etc) but I found traces of a pair of green stripes in the tailgate area - the same colour Rowan used. Also there are holes in the roof where the light bar was.

I believe they had 4 Syncro's (one Kombi based and one factory Hitop at least - the other 2 I don't know about.

Mines a hightop and perhaps this one but the image is too small to confirm it:

It's confirmed. When you wipe the dirt off the hitop you can see sticker residue where the green 'AMBULANCE' stickers were on the back and sides!

Phone um up and ask um if it was one of theres ?

Have got their number James. It's on my list of 'to-do's' before the weekend

poshbuggers wrote:Have got their number James. It's on my list of 'to-do's' before the weekend

Spoke to Ken Griffiths at Rowan today. Very, very helpful chap!

Apparently my van was originally a 1.6TD Tintop and owned by English China Clays in St.Austell - Cornwall. It spent some time there as a dynamite carrier in it's yellow livery.

Around 1988 Ken was working as an experienced ambulance driver and was approached by BUPA to build them a 4wd event support vehicle for attendance at equestrian, cross country, hillclimbing type events nationwide. The van was fitted with a hitop (stolen from a factory van) and the internals kitted out with the latest medical equipment.

BUPA commisioned Ken to work for them for 5 years (till the contract ran out) and when they offered the vans to him Ken struck out as Rowan Medical Services, doing the same thing on his own. The van perfomred OK but following an engine failure the diesel drivetrain, tank and engine were replaced with gear from a 2.1DJ powered bus.

Ken ran this for years until it was sold to Ailsworth Medical Services for use as a private 'event ambulance'. Since they sold it in 2006 it has been used as a camper.

Ken is supplying me with some photos, information and technical details. It's amazing what you can get from a phonecall!

Is that the first diesel to petrol syncro conversion.

When I was working for the National Trust at Lanhydrock (early 90's) the 1.6td Doka we had was serviced by Mid Cornwall 4x4 at Bugle. I remember seeing the EEC Syncros there, I am sure they serviced them. Dont recall any hightops though.

Another piece to the puzzle then. It didn't become a hightop till BUPA got its hands on it.

My mate has got one, its 1990 model high top with an audi 5 pot in the back. Its still got all original stickers and some traces of yellow paint under it.

Blue str wrote:My mate has got one, its 1990 model high top with an audi 5 pot in the back. Its still got all original stickers and some traces of yellow paint under it.

That's 3 of the 4 then. 2 of them converted to 5 pot (using a Nigel Allan kit we think?).

Does you friends retain any of its original Ambulance lighting/siren/electronics? Got my interior lights, reversing beeper working but need work on the flashies and siren.

It had got everything left in it, even the stretcher and a neck brace! Now has a camper interior. Its got all lights and sirens but they have all been disconnected. Audi engine is soon to be TDI'ed due to only doing 17mpg. Some pics from a trip to Bulls Cross.

Nice bit of history you've dug up there.

Great photos!

I assume the front lightbar has been removed then? Mine has neither. Could you give me some model information for the rear one, the bullbar parts and possible the siren. Do you have switches on the dash? Mine are missing!

I will get some pics of the switches and light bar. The front light bar was removed to put on the replacement T4. The bull bar is one I have not seen before, will take a pic too if you need.

Light bars, Bullbar lights, switches and the siren are the most important bits.