1964 Cadillac 'Superior Coach' Ambulance

[crowe-t]

There was a TV show in 1985 called Misfits Of Science.  In the opening scenes of the Pilot episode there was a 1964 Cadillac Ambulance built by coach builder, Superior.

Cadillac continued to use the wrap around windshield on their commercial vehicles through 1964 even though the wrap around windshield didn't come on the regular passenger '64 Cadillacs.

Here are a couple of pictures of the Cadillac Ambulance from the Misfits Of Science.  It looks to be an Ambulance that was used by Schaefer Ambulance Service due to it's brown/white color combination.

MoS Ambulance 2 PS Auto Color by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

MoS Ambulance 3 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

The closest kit I could find is the Polar Lights Ghostbusters Ecto-1.  The Round 2, PL Ecto-1 has clear windows(with no scribed horizontal lines for the tinting) and a stock rear bumper.  These details made the Polar Lights kit the better choice over the AMT kit. The overall shape of the '59 is very similar to the '64 so I picked up a Jo-Han 1964 Cadillac Deville to combine the 2 bodies to make a '64 Ambulance.  

Here are some progress pictures so far.  The blue parts are from the Jo-Han '64 Cadillac.  The most obvious differences between the 1959 and the 1964 are the quarter panels, hood/front end and fenders.  The Jo-Han '64's fenders represent a passenger car and aren't a 100% match to the '64 Cadillac Ambulance fenders.  I combined the inner top parts of the Jo-Han fenders with the '59 fenders which should make it look the part as well as the windshield wiper valance.

In order to install the quarter panels in the correct position I'll have to move the wheel openings back and re-scribe the 'skirts' in a lower position.  I still need to do some re-shaping and puttying to blend all this.  Then it's on to the windows and raised roof.

IMG_7560 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7562 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7563 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7565 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2017 by crowe-t

[ChrisBcritter]

You've got a good start there. Looks like you'll need to shorten it through the front doors about 1/4"-5/16"? And look for a set of '66-'67 wheelcovers.

[crowe-t]

Thanks Christopher! 

I thought the front doors looked a bit longer.  However the windows on the drivers' and passenger door angle up a bit more than the '59 and the vertical post looks wider on the '64.  That could be making the doors look longer on the '59 

I'll look at more reference picture and see if I actually need to shorten it.

Thanks for identifying the year of the wheel covers. 

Mike. 

Edited May 26, 2016 by crowe-t

[RomanII]

You have done an amazingly similar thing to what Superior did to build the real cars in the odd 1964 and 1965 model years when the commercial chassis still used the wraparound windshield from 1959.  Everything in the middle (door skins, door frames) is interchangeable from 1959 to 1965 on cars built by the same company. I like how your two colors of plastic demonstrate that procedure.  But unless the Polar Lights kit is wrong, and I have never thought it to be, door lengths remain the same.  Don't shorten until you have really good reference.  Here is a page devoted to the funeral cars and ambulances in these years.  Maybe it will be useful.

http://www.newcadillacdatabase.org/static/CDB/Dbas_txt/prof6264.htm

 

Keep going with your Cadillac.  Progress so far looks fantastic.

 

[crowe-t]

Thanks for the compliment and information David!

I still think once I widen the vertical door pillar and angle the tops of the windows towards the rear of the doors it will all look right.

BTW, I like your last name. lol

[Aaronw]

Nice start, did you have any luck on finding the correct paint color?

[Edsel-Dan]

Very Nice

Would Love to try this myself

but do not have an extra 64 Caddy body!

[crowe-t]

Thanks guys!

Aaron - I did find out that they were painted a GM Special order color called 'Root Beer Metallic'.  However no one knows what the paint code is.  I'll most likely use a '66 Cadillac color called Autumn Rust Metallic that looks very close.

[crowe-t]

Here's some more work done on the ambulance.  I removed the center of the roof and started scratch building the hi-top.  The two 'humps' on the rear of the top are just placed on for the pictures.  They still need some shaping before I glue them in place.  

I also cut out and raised the front of the roof over the driver's/passenger seat area.  

I started re-shaping the windows on the sides and widened the posts on the driver's and passenger doors and started to fill in the lower quarter panels so I can re-shape the wheel openings.

That's all for today! 

IMG_7608 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7616 by Michael Scarola, on FlickrIMG_7626 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7617 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7619 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7621 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

 

 

Edited July 1, 2017 by crowe-t

[Ron Hamilton]

It looks to me that the model is going to look better than the one-to-one from the TV show. Excellent conversion work.

[slusher]

Fantastic work so far Michael...

[Tom Geiger]

Great work so far!  I'm a sucker for a good light commercial project!

[boyesreef]

looks like the ecto-1 kits have been getting a lot of love as of late!

[crowe-t]

Thanks guys!  The hi-top took me a few days to work out but it's starting to take shape.  

Nick, nice work on the hearse!

[Rdkingjay]

VERY impressive work so far Mike! So much work involved in producing an accurate piece. Great job documenting the build up. Because, as I have come to realize, a lot of that work will likely go un-noticed on the finished piece by the average observer. I consider that a compliment when someone does not notice all the work put into a piece, because it looks as it should. I'll be following this build.

[Dave Van]

A REALLY  interesting project!!!

[RomanII]

What is with the white overspray on the side windows of the real car?  Did that have significance in the film?

[Aaronw]

Nice job, the whole thing is coming together quite well.

[crowe-t]

I appreciate all the kind words everyone!

David - The white overspray on the side windows of the real car is frost.  They were carrying a character who was frozen.  I'm not 100% sure I'll add the frost around the windows.  On the model it might not come across as frost and apart from being linked to this show might look strange.

Jay - Your scratch building on your 1/16 GL has been an inspiration.  Thanks! 

Here's a small update.  I glued the 'humps' on the top.  They still need more putty and the bottom rears need to be finished off.  I filled in the holes above the drivers's compartment with pieces of styrene.

IMG_7625 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7626 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7628 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7630 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

 

Edited July 1, 2017 by crowe-t

[SfanGoch]

Looking real good. Mike. You performed some nifty surgery in grafting the body sections.

[crowe-t]

Thanks Joe! 

The 'Ghostbusters' computer consoles were removed from the interior and the holes were filled in with with some 1 mm sheet styrene.  I cut the ends off the Ecto dashboard and attached them to the '64 dash.

I started shaping the fenders and I made the rear pillars.  The fenders are still rough and will require more putty and sanding.

IMG_7635 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7646 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7651 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7648 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7645 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7640 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7644 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7641 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

 

 

Edited July 1, 2017 by crowe-t

[Brian Austin]

Neat project.  How is it progressing?

 

I happen to have a Superior-Cadillac hearse brochure for 1963.  There was some discussion early in the thread regarding the relative length of the doors.  Perhaps the drawings might help somewhat.

What the drawings don't show is the taper of the body width from front to rear that IMHO neither of the Ecto kits gets correcty.  The front sheetmetal is as a stock sedan, then widens at the doors after the A-Pillar.  The rear body is 3 or 4 inches or so wider than stock.  Commercial Chassis rear bumpers have filler pieces to widen them.   Anyway, just trying to help.  Build on!

 

 

[crowe-t]

Neat project.  How is it progressing?

 

I happen to have a Superior-Cadillac hearse brochure for 1963.  There was some discussion early in the thread regarding the relative length of the doors.  Perhaps the drawings might help somewhat.

What the drawings don't show is the taper of the body width from front to rear that IMHO neither of the Ecto kits gets correcty.  The front sheetmetal is as a stock sedan, then widens at the doors after the A-Pillar.  The rear body is 3 or 4 inches or so wider than stock.  Commercial Chassis rear bumpers have filler pieces to widen them.   Anyway, just trying to help.  Build on!

 

 

Hey Brian,  I've been working on the body and will have some progress pictures in a day or so.  Thanks for posting this drawing with the dimensions.  I wish I had it when I started.

I re-sized the image(675%) to match the length of the body and I compared the measurements.  I have to say it's all good.  I was working off pictures when I modified the windows and installed the '64 Quarter panels.  All my dimensions are basically spot on to the drawing.  I couldn't believe I came that close.  I measured everything twice and it's all spot on to the drawing.  

The front doors on the Ecto are a bit longer.  If I re-scribe the front door approximately 2 mm shorter then the doors will be in line with the drawing.  However I have to make sure the front seats don't look like they are sitting too far back.  I might just leave the front/rear side doors as is.  With the widened window frame the front doors look more correct in length.

It's funny that you mentioned the taper of the body width.  I noticed the taper in a couple of reference pictures and started to correct it, well a little bit anyway.  I put some masking tape over the front doors, along the seam line, and used a sanding stick to narrow the fenders a bit and then added a bit of taper to the fronts of the doors.  It's subtle but it's there now.  

Mike.

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2016 by crowe-t

[crowe-t]

Just a small update today!  I started on the chassis by cutting the front off the Ecto-1 chassis and attaching the front from the '64.  

My paint from Model Car World arrived.  I ordered 1966 Cadillac Autumn Rust Metallic.  It's a red-brown color that takes on a golden brown look in the sun.  The top will be painted 1970 Cadillac Cotillion White.  

IMG_7664 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7666 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

IMG_7682 by Michael Scarola, on Flickr

Edited July 1, 2017 by crowe-t

[darthsideous]

I'm a huge ecto fan so this is a bit sacraligeous for me, but you have done an amazing job with grafting these other parts onto this kit! ??