THE NUT: Helen Dennis, of Perth

HELEN Dennis's 1965 HD Holden panel van is "one-of-a-kind".

"Number 94" was built to a special order for the Glamorgan Ambulance Service and was used on the East Coast as a St Johns medical vehicle until 1983 when it was dismissed.

It is completely decked out as it was when in the service's fleet - only now, it is solely used as a show car.

"The third door was put in it by the City Bodyworks of Hobart ... [and] it has got disc brakes and a 179 motor in it," Mrs Dennis said.

"It was delivered in February 1966 and used from 1970 to 1976 as an ambulance at Bicheno.

"From 1976 to 1978 it was at the Coles Bay substation and from 1978 to 1983 when it was sold, it was used as a staff car.

"We bought it in December 1984 after my hubby (Peter) wanted a van for work.

"Another gentleman beat us to it and it didn't suit him so he rang us up and said it was for sale again so we then bought it.

"I went into town and checked out the registration to find out how many people had owned it and the girl filled the form in and scribbled some name down.

"I said 'what in the devil's that?'

"So she printed it out for me and that's when I realised it was an ambulance.

"Dale Finch did all the work on it for us.

"We only put signs on it, the lights back on it and we gave a donation to the Glamorgan Ambulance Board and they gave us the lights, the stretcher, the radio - all that was surplus to their new ambulance.

"We usually take it to Rock 'n Rodz at Longford and the Devonport Car Show.

"I like the uniqueness of it, it is sort of one of a kind.

"They think it is the only three-door HD. We have got a three-door HR we are doing up at the moment.

"At Rock 'n Rodz in October an old gentleman came up to me and he was one of the drivers of it.

"He was quite thrilled to see that it was still alive.

"We have got an FJ each and the boy is doing us an FJ van for us at the moment.

"It has an incredible history.

"That is really its original paint, it has only had a bit of a touch-up.

"When it was an ambulance, they hit a cow."

Mrs Dennis said she is considering donating the van to the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania.