1/25 AMT Surf Shark 1959 Cadillac Ambulance

[pack rat]

Re the mounting holes in the body; here's the box art body. 

No holes required filling, although the small one at the base of the A-pillar wasn't used.  I'm not sure if that hole will be present on production kits. 

[Rob Hall]

Nice, looks like they removed the holes and tabs that were on the Ghostbusters version and added new holes in the roof.

 

[doorsovdoon]

Just watched HPIguys build of this, I'll be getting one for sure after I tried, and kind of failed, to build a stock ambulance from the Ecto 1A back in the 90's. I noticed in the video that there are some marks left from where Round2 has filled in some areas from the Ecto1. I'm thinking they made temporary "plugs" for the mould so they can revert back to the Ghostbusters version because they will likely get a new licence after the new Ghostbusters Afterlife movie has done the rounds! 

[Casey]

36 minutes ago, doorsovdoon said:

I'm thinking they made temporary "plugs" for the mould so they can revert back to the Ghostbusters version because they will likely get a new licence after the new Ghostbusters Afterlife movie has done the rounds! 

Maybe not. Don't forget they have the 1/25 Polar Lights ECTO-1, too, and I doubt they have a need for two molds of the same, unique vehicle.

[stavanzer]

Cue up the Arguments about which kit is better, AMT or Polar Lights in 3...2...1.......

Not a kit I am interested in, but I'll be happy to see what it looks like.

[doorsovdoon]

21 hours ago, Casey said:

Maybe not. Don't forget they have the 1/25 Polar Lights ECTO-1, too, and I doubt they have a need for two molds of the same, unique vehicle.

True. Round2 probably thought the AMT Ecto-1 was not as good as the Polar Lights version. Like Alan said, cue the argument of which kit is better, haha. They could have done a cleaner job smoothing over the Ecto-1 marks, but eh, I'm nit picking. It's great that we have a stock version, or as close to one. 

[Brian Austin]

In my view neither is clearly better than the other.  They each have their pros and cons. ?

[Brian Austin]

Watching the video now, it appears the interior tub hasn't been altered to remove the remnants of the Ecto-equipment in the back.  ?

[GLMFAA1]

Glass tree even has the lines in the window for the stripe tinting as the Ecto and the lens covers for the light bars. Never seen such flasher pods on '59 caddy meat wagons. If they got the flashers pods from the MPC 1/20 Ford Econoline ambulance parts would have been better. 

Why not just throw in the "surf' trees in the Ecto kit and call it a 2n1. Better yet add rear quarter window panels with landau irons and make the interior bucket 2 piece (stock and Ghostbuster rear) and make it a 3n1.

greg

[Brian Austin]

Ambulances often had graphics on the side windows.  You can just barely see the white stripes and text in the pictures here.  Also note the rear bumper with built-in step (an option IIRC), as compared to the custom setup used on the Ectomobile.

[1st 700 Quad]

On 8/10/2021 at 1:18 PM, Casey said:

I think so. I don't think they were part of the ECTO-1 version. Not really sure what they are supposed to be, but someone here probably does.

 

The roof lights are accurate representations of a Miller Meteor item from the period.

[Rob Hall]

18 hours ago, 1st 700 Quad said:

The roof lights are accurate representations of a Miller Meteor item from the period.

As seen on a 1:1 in Brian Austin's post right above yours. Unusual looking lights.  If they eventually do a stockish ambulance, I hope they will include some whitewalls and wheel covers.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Rob Hall

[Brian Austin]

Superior-bodied coaches of the period had flashers with large bullet lenses.  Probably closer to what people might associate with a classic ambulance than the ones M-M used.  Some coachbuilders used passenger-car taillight lenses.

[GLMFAA1]

Interesting that the light pods are period correct, I never really paid attention to those, Usually the bullet taillights from the Caddy were used for roof lights, The pods first show up in McPherson's book in 1961. then in 1964 the aircraft revolving corner lights (JoHan style) were introduced by MM

greg

[ingema]

with the right color scheme this could be a real eye catcher. hope they do a new correct interior tub for future releases 

https://pin.it/2xpmb7F

[Casey]

On 1/1/2022 at 1:06 PM, doorsovdoon said:

Just watched HPIguys build of this

 

Watching the video now, and Chris showed/mentioned the Mickey Thompson tires formerly included only inside the 1/25 AMT Baldwin-Motion '70 Camaro kit are included in this kit, a pleasant surprise.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Casey

[squirrel886]

I bought the kit out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is an aftermarket replacement interior?  TIA

[Cliff Dagger]

These are in Walmart for 24.97 now.

[Dave Van]

Why the high MSRP?

[Daddyfink]

2 hours ago, Dave Van said:

Why the high MSRP?

My LHS has them at almost $45! So yeah, $24 is cheap! 

[Justin Porter]

23 minutes ago, Daddyfink said:

My LHS has them at almost $45! So yeah, $24 is cheap! 

So glad to know that Round 2 is selling so cheaply to Walmart. My WHOLESALE COST per kit on the Surf Shark is $32.31 with an MSRP of $54.95 from either of my AMT distributors. 

So what's my choice guys? Cut my margin to the bone and still be higher than the inevitable Walmart shipper/Ollies sell off OR stop stocking Round 2 products entirely unless it is a guaranteed nuclear hot, no one will wait to buy it release like the Nova Wagon?

[Dave Van]

One thing many big box stores do is TELL THE MANUFACTURE what they will pay. They will go to a company and say ' We want 25,000 kits and we will pay $10 each. Hard to turn down a quarter million dollars for something you make already.  Not fair....the way things work today. 

[Tabbysdaddy]

That's how business works. On the consumer side, at Home Depot I can get studs and plywood cheaper if I buy in quantity. I would suggest not stocking anything commonly available at big box stores or stocking few of those. Plenty of other kits they don't get.

[niteowl7710]

2 hours ago, Justin Porter said:

So glad to know that Round 2 is selling so cheaply to Walmart. My WHOLESALE COST per kit on the Surf Shark is $32.31 with an MSRP of $54.95 from either of my AMT distributors. 

So what's my choice guys? Cut my margin to the bone and still be higher than the inevitable Walmart shipper/Ollies sell off OR stop stocking Round 2 products entirely unless it is a guaranteed nuclear hot, no one will wait to buy it release like the Nova Wagon?

I have to wonder if that isn't a clearance price ? Wally World is pretty ruthless in disposing of stuff that doesn't sell, they'd rather get it out of the store and just "never" carry the product again rather than go through all the trouble of shipping it back to the DC and then trying to sell it off to Ollie's. Especially given the fact that Ollie's seems to have their own direct deal with Round2 for those biannual kit dumps. 

[Cliff Dagger]

Not a clearance price . they had a cardboard cube of newer kits in the isle .

There was 1 side of coke kits, some kits in tins, a Hot Wheels kit and  the Cal Drag Combo and the Surf Shark  .