Les Brazier Javelin Body
Works Adelaide (1970s to Current)
Les
Brazier could be regarded as the father of ambulances in
Les Brazier on the far Right at the hand over of one of the Javelin
modified Ford Transit Van Ambulances. Standing in front of Les in the light
grey suit is the Honourable Des Corcoran the Premier of South Australia and to
his right, in the grey suit is the late Don Gellis of St.John. The gentleman on
the left is one of Javelin's craftsmen. This transit (Fleet number unknown) is
one of the later Ford Transits that had the larger air-conditioning units on
the roof.
Javelins
tour-de–force was the “Twin-Life” Ambulance. A concept that involved the use of
a reusable fibreglass module that was mounted on the Ford F-Series 5.8 Litre
cab-chassis. The module was specially crafted as a fully contained ambulance
body mounted onto a standard F-Series Utility Body (therefore retaining all of
the factory standard mounting points and hardware). The reusable “Twin-Life”
Ambulances were designed to provide much cheaper on going running costs that a
traditional custom-made permanently fitted ambulance body. The “Twin-Life”
concept was so successful that it won an Australian Design Award in 1984.
A famous photo taken in 1984 of Fleet 53, a Ford F-100 fitted with a
“Twin-Life” module proudly on display at Maugham Thiem
Ford on
A “Twin-Life” module being fitted out at Javelin Auto
Body Works. The cutout
to the cab is clearly visible. The aluminium roll bars are also visible in this
Polaroid taken before the inner bulkhead storage cupboards were finally glued
and screwed into place. There was much hand finishing involved that resulted in
a high quality, long-lived and well-finished unit. The front mounted
air-conditioning unit and the top mounted storage cupboards are yet to have
their doors and latches fitted.
The
only structural modification that was made to the standard Ford F-100 (and
later F-150 and F-250) cab-chassis was the fitting of a 300mm extension at the
back of he chassis rails. The extension was engineered in such a way that it
was certified toe the same standards as the design of the original Ford chassis
rails. The only further modification that was required by St.John was the
fitment of the Philips FM900R radio transmitters and repeater equipment inside
the new body.
The module from Fleet 165 is visible in the background with a new F-150
Cab-Chassis awaiting the mounting of the “Twin-Life” module. The newly added 300mm
extension on the back of the factory chassis is clearly visible in this shot.
The Cabs were specially modified by having the rear-window removed and a cut-out
so that the crew could exit to the newly mated rear module. When the units were
sold without the modules the rear windows were refitted and the steel panel
below the window was carefully re-welded back so that they could be sold as an
F-100 or F-150 utility. The air-conditioning unit is clearly visible at the top
of the cut-out of the Fleet 165 module as are the wiring looms that are
trailing out and wrapped around one of the side-lamps.
Les Brazier now operates Les
Brazier Special Vehicles at the same location. His new company specialises
the modification of special cars and vans for people with movement impairment
who need to be transported, or who need to carry wheel chairs while they drive
themselves. While Les in no longer building ambulances he is still building
vehicles for people in need, and still serving the community of South Australia
as he always has since being an Ambo in the 60s.