1959 Cadillac Ambulance

[BIGTRUCK]

JFlintstone resin 59 Cadillac , using the Polar Lights snap as a donor . Because of the size of the vehicle and the amount of windows , alot of time will be spent on cleanup and fit . So far nothing major on fit issues, but looking at alot of chrome foiling. Included with the body was the 3 rear windows (2 sets).and front and rear roof corner lights.

 

[Modlbldr]

Looks good! That thing is going to take up a bit of table space.

Later-

[BIGTRUCK]

Cleaned up alot on front ,rear and driverside. Front chrome almost fits perfect and rear chrome was alot of work opening holes for the tabs on the bumper to fit. There are tabs behind the tailights that need to fit in perfect or when you put the fins on, those pins wont align.

[OldNYJim]

I like Jimmy Flintstone resin bodies, and the price is usually right, but you have to put in a little effort to get them paint-ready I've found.

Good start, I like it!

[BIGTRUCK]

Most of the work Ive completed has been getting most things to fit inside the body. The interior tub was not letting the chassis set right. Sanded all I could on the body inside and sanded the tub too , now the ride heighth is ok. The dash needed  a radio removed off the top.Front glass fits pretty good now with interior tub in, but still have to finesse the curved rear corner glass to fit with the tub in. Dry fit all other parts and they all seem good. Rear fins and 8 resin roof corner lights are epoxied in. Need to find a resin gurney, I know Ive seen them on resin parts section on Ebay.

[misterNNL]

Love it .Those were massive vehicles.

[doorsovdoon]

Looking good so far. I tried making a stock ambulance when I was a teen using the Ghostbusters Ecto1. It looked rubbish, Lol. No internet back then so couldn't buy the bits I needed, it just looked like a stripped down Ecto1!

[gotnitro?]

Gorgeous work 

[espo]

Your build looks like it's going well so far. 

[BIGTRUCK]

Focus has been on the interior , dash is done and interior fitted with a few parts box items and cut out the modern control box off the tunnel and filled it in. Medical box ( old tool box ) fire bottle , radio, small front/rear divider and a few arm rests all pinned in. The gurney I borrowed from the original issue Johan Ambulace just for fit location, I found a the resin one I was looking for on the Etsy site , its a multi piece item done really well . Also put in a siren base and moved the side mirror to the fender. Red and white paint for the body and carry through the interior.( Pictures of gurney are the sellers not mine.)

Edited January 8, 2021 by BIGTRUCK

[slusher]

Great project and nice equipment you found. Real nice work so far Ken!

[BIGTRUCK]

Got a few coats of color on it over the weekend. Had to do the roof twice. For some reason even with sanding and scrubbing and some soaking, the white reacted for some reason  but repeated the process and it worked out. Interior about 70% done, but hopefully get the interior buttoned up before the weekend.

 

[BIGTRUCK]

 Assembled and painted the resin gurney , that was a slow process waiting each time for the epoxy to set,  and that completes the interior. Now to polish up the body and start my least favorite part of modeling, the tedious job of bare metal foiling. ?

Edited January 21, 2021 by BIGTRUCK

[doorsovdoon]

This is looking great! What an awesome looking build.

[Modlbldr]

Fantastic work you're doing on this. I like all of the small details and that you are building it as a stock ambulance. Nice work!

Later-

[GLMFAA1]

Just for some historical information back in 1959 the radio would have been up front as there was no communication network with hospitals. Probably a 'low' band radio requiring a 'whip' antenna. Information was  passed through your dispatcher relaying the information, The 'Star of Life' was not around, lots of 'Red Cross' some other equipment would be a map book,  resuscitator, spare cot, and maybe a stair chair. You could add a switch panel on the dash for the emergency lighting. If your going to weather the interior the linoleum would have absorbed the oil from the gurney wheels so marks from the rear door to the gurney would be on the floor. Back then some ambulances had hanging equipment to hang the spare stretcher from the ceiling (human torpedoes)  Use the window decals from the Johan kit, Some had interior curtains.

A reference that you might use is: https://professionalcarsociety.org/

Here is a picture of the late Ted Calvin's modified Johan ambulance  to give you an insight as to what was being done thirty years ago.

hope this helps

greg

 

[slusher]

Fantastic work Ken. Your ambulance looks awesome and great interior detail...

[Bainford]

Nice work. Impressive looking build. 

[alan barton]

A very imposing build.  Can really appreciate the detail you have put into this one.

Cheers

Alan

[Anglia105E]

This is a very interesting build, Ken..... and I have not seen one of these ambulances built and painted before, in this scale.... I do remember the Dinky diecast version of this ambulance, back in the '60's when I was a child......

David

[Toys4Don2]

I usually only look at the race cars, but this build is amazing.  I actually still have a Johan version my father built in the early 70s.  Can wait to see the finished product.

[BIGTRUCK]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:02 PM, GLMFAA1 said:

 

Here is a picture of the late Ted Calvin's modified Johan ambulance  to give you an insight as to what was being done thirty years ago.

hope this helps

greg

 

Thats really nice work, and thanks for the info.

[BIGTRUCK]

Started doing the foil work, some strips are very thin and some have curves. I  ran out of BMF doing the passenger side which was almost done. Its not as bad as I thought it would be, I found out I like flat handle cheap knife that comes in some Testors paint sets more than the higher dollar round exacto knives.

Edited January 28, 2021 by BIGTRUCK

[slusher]

The cheep knife is all I use. I buy 2 or 3 so I don’t run out...