Nyle Zikmund, Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department (SBM) fire chief, poses with a recently restored 1953 Packard-Henney Junior ambulance in front of Blaine City Hall. Zikmund and friend Tom Brace recently completed a four-year restoration of the vehicle, which won two national awards at the 2008 Packard Meet in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Tim Hennagir)

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Life Editor

Nyle Zikmund’s dedication to fire apparatus has taken a new historical turn. He’s co-owner of another emergency vehicle that has won a national award.

A restored 1953 Packard-Henney Junior ambulance owned by Zikmund and his friend Tom Brace was honored at 2008 Packard Meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Zikmund showed off the ambulance when it was parked in front of Blaine City Hall before the start of the Aug. 5 National Night Out crime prevention event.

The antique vehicle show was held the last weekend in June, Zikmund said.

The ambulance was awarded a first in class and best in show, Zikmund said.

The vehicle is a factory original with the exception of its bright red-and-white paint scheme and a high-speed rear drive.

Only 200 of the cars were built for use as military ambulances in the 1950s.

Zikmund, Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department (SBM) fire chief, and Brace began the ambulance restoration project four years ago.

At the time, both men were finishing up their involvement another fire-related restoration - SBM’s vintage 1922 American LaFrance Type 45 pumper truck.

Brace is a former Minnesota State Fire Marshall and Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association executive director who assisted with that project as well.

“Tom did the majority of the work, research and coordination for the ambulance,” Zikmund said. “The body work, paint, chrome and upholstery were farmed out.”

During its former working life, the fully restored Packard-Henney ambulance was originally used at the U.S. Navy’s Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago.

“The ambulance was purchased by Sycamore Speedway outside of Chicago at an auction,” Zikmund said. “It was used as their medical rig during races.”

When the vehicle was sold about 15 years ago, it was purchased by a Minnesota man who bought it as a parts car to restore another 1953 Packard-Henney.

“That ambulance was in pretty good shape,” Zikmund said. “It’s owned by a woman who lives in Plymouth. Tom and I bought the other from another party.”

According to www.coachbuilt.com, in 1953 and 1954, the Henney Motor Car Co. built a short-wheelbase car to complement its existing professional car line.

Professional cars, by definition, include limousines, hearses and ambulances. The Henney Co. had a long association with the Packard Motor Car Co.

A substantial number of the 1953 Henneys were sold to the U.S. government at a loss, a fact that contributed to the company’s poor financial condition.

According to www.coachbuilt.com, competition from emerging “budget” coach producers in Indiana and Tennessee eventually doomed the Henney-Junior.



Tim Hennagir is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it