(February 5, 2015) American Quality Coach was formed around 1968 by Wlado J. Cotner and Robert Bevington to manufacture coaches based on the Oldsmobile Toronado, built by General Motors starting in 1966, according to an account by Mark Theobald and Bernie DeWinter at Coachbuilt.com.

Cotner and Bevington planned a complete line of coaches including hearses, ambulances, combination cars and limousines. But their first product was an airport limousine, the AQC Jetway 707.

It was 28 feet long with a 185-inch wheelbase, had eight doors and seated 12 to 15 people. It was the first stretch limousine known to feature twin rear axles. The Jetway also featured an unusual Vista Cruiser-style raised roof with integral skylights and completely enclosed cargo area with a hinged door. All the coaches, which were constructed between 1968 and 1970, were built on leftover 1968 Toronado chassis.

The two businessmen never got to build any of their other proposed vehicles as their working capital was tied up in the tooling of the airport limos, which failed to sell. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1970.

There is dispute as to how many coaches were built, the number ranging from 52 to 150.



Pictured above is an example of a Jetway discovered by Bill Dudek in Otoe, Neb., and published at the Abandoned and Neglected Vehicles Facebook site.