AMT Surf Shark (my version): WIP

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

This is AMT's Surf Shark Ambulance which is obviously based on their Ecto-1A kit. A kit which, due to licensing, will likely never again see the light of day. At least not in that particular configuration. Most unfortunate. 

This is a pretty basic kit consisting of a body, chassis plate and tub interior. Also included are two chrome sprues which give us the outer wheels, bumpers, emergency lights, trim pieces and antenna. Of course there are parts for building the two surf boards and the racks for mounting them to the roof. Wheel backs, interior parts, steel wire axles, and the tail fins are also included. The clear sprue has the window glass insert and some emergency beacons left over from the Ecto-1A edition. I don't see any way provided in this kit for them to be used in this build but extra bits are always welcome. 

My plan is to go for a little more traditional style ambulance while at the same time trying to keep with the simplicity of the kit.

 

 

Basic parts call for basic beginnings. I'll be using a red and white paint scheme, I just haven't yet worked out the configuration.

 

 

In an attempt to obscure the Ecto-1A vestiges I knocked together a little supply box to go where the CRT would mount and a bin lid to cover the accompanying keyboard. I don't know what, if anything I will do with those coil things to the left but they certainly don't seem period-correct.

 

 

Quick and easy! Some basic detail painting for the chassis plate.

 

 

I still haven't settled on a firm scheme for the red and white paint but I have decided on the emergency lighting. I don't want to use the lights provided in the kit and instead want to use a red gumball light on the front roof and twin red lollypop lights to the rear.

Holes in the roof, gonna have to drill some and fill some.

 

That's all for this update. As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to post any comments you wish to share.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Here's the next update on the Surf Shark ambulance retrofit!

Progress with putty! A little sanding and smoothing followed by some putty. Which was followed by more sanding and smoothing.

 

 

Starting with the interior paint. After primer, the floor was sprayed with Tamiya AS-10 Ocean Gray. Here it's been masked to cover it while the next color, white is sprayed.

 

As always, thanks for stopping by for a look and please feel free to comment.

David G.

[FLHCAHZ]

Looking good!

[David G.]

22 hours ago, FLHCAHZ said:

Looking good!

Thank you Chaz!

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Here's a progress report on the Surf Shark.

I got the white painted and some of the red (Tamiya X-7) trim painted. I also shot the dashboard with DupliColor Cardinal Red and temporarily snapped it into place for safe keeping.

Taking a photo of the interior at this stage was like taking a photo of a polar bear in a blizzard.

 

 

More progress on the interior. I cleaned up a little more of the red where I slopped it up and painted the carpets with Tamiya XF-63 German Grey. Though it can't be seen here, I also started some detail painting on the dash.

 

 

I have the roof smoothed to where I can be satisfied with it, though I'll probably do one more check before sending it to the paint shop.

 

As always, thanks for taking time to look and please feel free to leave any comments or thoughts you may have.

David G.

[OldNYJim]

This is a really cool project David - nice work so far!  I picked up one of these kits recently and did a double take when I saw the body…I got used to working on tiny early-Fords I guess, because this thing looked HUGE to me ?

I’ll be following along!

[David G.]

5 hours ago, CabDriver said:

This is a really cool project David - nice work so far!  I picked up one of these kits recently and did a double take when I saw the body…I got used to working on tiny early-Fords I guess, because this thing looked HUGE to me ?

I’ll be following along!

Thank you Jim. 

These cars are huge!

 I had the chance to drive one years ago and it was like driving a ground-level bus. Similar to driving a full presidential stretch limo but not as maneuverable.

Thanks again for posting you comment Jim.

David G.

[slusher]

David, I always follow your builds and you did some real nice chassis painting. I like the ides of getting rid of the awful red lights front and back one going wit gumball and lollipop lights.  Read everything so far and i am going too following along..

[David G.]

13 hours ago, slusher said:

David, I always follow your builds and you did some real nice chassis painting. I like the ides of getting rid of the awful red lights front and back one going wit gumball and lollipop lights.  Read everything so far and i am going too following along..

Thanks Carl, it's always great to have you along. I appreciate your kind words.

Thanks,

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Just a bit of an update for the Surf Shark ambulance retrofit.

To help dress up the interior and draw attention away from the Ghostbusters equipment I purchased a gurney from Three Inches Under.

 

 

Unfortunately the castings are a bit on the rough side and have some warpage issues. I can certainly address these but it would have been nice not to have to.

It's like I say: "Model builders, we're problem solvers who create our own problems to solve!"

 

As always, please feel free to comment if you feel so inclined and thanks for taking the time to stop by for a look.

David G.

[OldNYJim]

16 hours ago, David G. said:

Unfortunately the castings are a bit on the rough side

That’s putting it politely…

[slusher]

Just thinking about your gurney you could put some oxygen tanks in there also..

[David G.]

7 hours ago, CabDriver said:

That’s putting it politely…

Yes indeed. I always try to be polite whenever I can.

5 hours ago, slusher said:

Just thinking about your gurney you could put some oxygen tanks in there also..

I did consider that Carl but I'm trying to keep this one as uncomplicated as possible. I don't want to go too far down the rabbit hole.

David G.

[Zippi]

I'm diggin the 59 Caddy Ambulance.  Great start on this one David.  

[David G.]

23 hours ago, Zippi said:

I'm diggin the 59 Caddy Ambulance.  Great start on this one David.  

Thank you Bob!

David G.

[slusher]

David, how is your gurney coming?  If it does not look to your liking I remembered I have AMT one your welcomed to. We are friends no problem..

[Steve H]

Hi David, I love watching you take the most basic of kits and working your magic on them. Watch out for those rabbit holes!!  Great work as always sir!

Cheers, Steve

[David G.]

16 hours ago, slusher said:

David, how is your gurney coming?  If it does not look to your liking I remembered I have AMT one your welcomed to. We are friends no problem..

Thank you Carl, I've sent you a PM.

8 hours ago, Steve H said:

Hi David, I love watching you take the most basic of kits and working your magic on them. Watch out for those rabbit holes!!  Great work as always sir!

Cheers, Steve

Thank you for your kind comment Steve.

It's true about the rabbit holes, If I didn't rein myself in I'd probably never finish a build.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Just a quick update on the ambulance retrofit.

I spent some time using hot water to straighten and reform the most warped of the castings. It's definitely easier to work with in this manner than styrene. Resin is softer and more susceptible to heat and seems to have a bit better shape memory.

 

Following that, I spent about two hours filing and cleaning. The two side rails are very rough, I'm not sure I can use them. I'm trying to decide if I want to build my own set or omit them altogether.

 

 

Here is a rough knock-together mock up just to see how everything goes together. I'm really glad that most of this gurney will be permanently hidden inside the ambulance.

 

 

As always. Time is the only thing that we can't get any more of, thanks for spending some of yours here following along. And please feel free to post any comment or thoughts you may have.

David G.

[OldNYJim]

You worked a miracle on those rough resin parts - nice work!  

[David G.]

6 hours ago, CabDriver said:

You worked a miracle on those rough resin parts - nice work!  

Thank you Jim.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

The self-appointed side mission of the gruesome gurney continues. 

Here are the gurney pieces painted and partially assembled. There's a rather noticeable warp to the main frame that I think I can correct.

 

 

With the frame straightened out just a bit more I can start assembling the other components. Assemblty itself is pretty straight forward. Making it all work together within the confines of the ambulance interior is where the challenge lies.

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to share any opinions, comments or thoughts.

David G.

[dwc43]

I'm interested in how this gurney turns out. I may have to get one and try it. I have this same Ambulance project in mind and it's very close to your build. The gurney I got off of eBay is chrome plastic. I'm sure it's a parts pack piece or something from another kit. Problem is, it's too wide to fit in the back of the Caddy. Either I cut the side out of the interior to make room, or I'm going to have to split my gurney in half and down size it. Or get the one you have if it fits.

[GLMFAA1]

The only ambulance gurneys or cots that have kit origins are:

AMT Chevy rescue van

JoHan Cadillac ambulance

MPC 1/20th scale Ford Van

and now the AMT re pop 1959 Cadillac

greg

Edited January 14, 2024 by GLMFAA1
added text

[David G.]

8 hours ago, dwc43 said:

I'm interested in how this gurney turns out. I may have to get one and try it. I have this same Ambulance project in mind and it's very close to your build. The gurney I got off of eBay is chrome plastic. I'm sure it's a parts pack piece or something from another kit. Problem is, it's too wide to fit in the back of the Caddy. Either I cut the side out of the interior to make room, or I'm going to have to split my gurney in half and down size it. Or get the one you have if it fits.

Hi D.W., thanks for your comment. The gurney I'm working on is rough to say the least. It would probably easier for you to resize the one you have than to invest your money, time and effort in making one like this work. I certainly don't feel that this one is worth what I paid for it.  But, I did buy it just to be used in this build and it will... suffice.

I even considered building my own gurney. When I built my Ecto-1, I built a set of proton packs and the rack to hold them. The rack is essentially a repurposed gurney, presumably remnant of the Ecto-1's ambulance origins.

 

You may want to consider just waiting for the AMT's reconfigured release of this kit. Had I known when I started this build that they were planning to release a true ambulance version of this kit, I would have waited for that and done something else with the Surf Shark.

As I was planning and working on this build I remember thinking, "I really wish that AMT would release a version of this kit without all the Ghostbusters equipment in the interior." 

I guess that means that I have two wishes left.

-D-

7 hours ago, GLMFAA1 said:

The only ambulance gurneys or cots that have kit origins are:

AMT Chevy rescue van

JoHan Cadillac ambulance

MPC 1/20th scale Ford Van

and now the AMT re pop 1959 Cadillac

greg

Hi Greg, thanks for posting the list. My guess is that the one I'm working on is a resin copy of the one from the Rescue Van kit. There are still some of those kits in circulation, I think I will try to see if I can get ahold of one.

I have yet to build a van, hmmm...

Thanks again,

David G.