helpful hearse conversion tip

[evilone]

Ok heres how this tip started. Lastnight at a model meet at pegasus i bought a haulin hearse body,glass,and interior. Trying to figure out what im going to do to this i ran across a 64 caddy coupe de ville and 1+1=2 lol. So i decided since im going to do a conversion i may as well share it with you guys and maybe help with a few problems.

First up i measured the two cars and of course the hearse was a bit too wide so i will have to cut down the middle and shave a few MM's out of it to make it fit. Then i marked the coupe where it needed to get cut at with a silver sharpie (pics below)

I then marked the hearse body (dont have pics but its the same as the coupe) and cut it

After i cut the hearse i moved on to the coupe again and cut the front door and front clip off and mocked it up to the hearse body.

As you see the two didn't match up perfectly but it still needs work. More to come soon so stay tuned

[Stang67]

I love how you do this stuff!! If I can chop the top I'm happy...Excellent job.

[evilone]

I love how you do this stuff!! If I can chop the top I'm happy...Excellent job.

Anytime bro.

Side note: During this step for those of you who want to do a chop top it is easier to do it now rather then doing it after you glue the two bodies togeather

[evilone]

First road block i ran into this one heard first (ouch) gotta cut the read fenders and make a scratch built rear bumper for it.

[evilone]

Well after a 4 hr bloody and sweat soaked battle lastnight i got the two bodies maited togeather.

First up the tools i used

Second up is the plans for the roof cut (in this case i had to cut out 4 mm out of the center yours maybe different)

After a 1/2 hour of cutting heres where its at

I attached the front assembily to the hearse top

then i cut the rear fenders (not pictured) and attached them to the hearse top as well

A front and rear shot

Took a bit of plastic of the rear bumper to fit the door opening (you may have to scratch build a rear bumper on your conversion unless you get lucky as i did)

Next up i'll show you how to rework the interior pan to fit

[Guest JamesDE]

Nice work Kevin!!

[Scalper]

Thats pretty cool. nice work.

[Junkman]

Wow, this is terrific work!

Not sure how accurate you want to make it, but the 1964 commercials still had the 1959 windscreens:

I admire your body engineering. It would have never occurred to me to do it this way. But it actually makes perfect sense!

Man, we need more model hearses. You are doing the right thing.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Junkman

[Chuck Most]

Man, we need more model hearses. You are doing the right thing.

I concur!

I also like seeing rare old kits actually... you know... BUILT!!!!

[evilone]

Well i got the top body work done and found a light for the top since it will be a crime scene wagon.

Time to tell exactly what went on with it so far.

I used some instacure as filler and sprayed it with the kicker to harden it.I then sanded it all down with automotive 600 grit sand parer until is was smooth. The light i got off a 78 or 79 ford LTD cop car kit so it will match the period correct style of lights offered.

Pics.

Here i filled in the decorative iron bar mounts.At this point you can cut a window to make a window hearse, leave it as is and tape over it to make a landau hearse, or sand it all smooth for a painted hearse.

The light.

[evilone]

Wow, this is terrific work!

Not sure how accurate you want to make it, but the 1964 commercials still had the 1959 windscreens:

I admire your body engineering. It would have never occurred to me to do it this way. But it actually makes perfect sense!

Man, we need more model hearses. You are doing the right thing.

If you would provide more pics of this hearse it would be helpful for those who are planning to build one like this.

[usmc_moose]

there are some cool aftermarket resin stuff i found on ebay here is the link..http://www.ebay.com/itm/Resin-1-24-1-25-scale-model-hearse-landau-irons-/170796182835?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c43eed33 they have a lot more stuff also that you may like..

[disabled modeler]

I have to find body parts from the Hearses to repair my dads two....and seeing this makes me need more very cool.

[hooknladderno1]

Kevin,

This is awesome! My squad ran Caddy's from the '30's until the early '80's. I joined in '79, having the pleasure of riding in two of them. I have a few of the Johan ambulances. I have long wanted to build a few of them to represent my squad's rigs. I have thought of doing their '76 using a Modelhaus Coupe de Ville.

Your technique looks like it would be adaptable for such a project. I dreaded the thought of having to buy twoModelhus bodies to do this... Any thoughts on the feasability of something like this? I appreciate any feedback, as I am "engineeringly challenged". Thanks

[Jantrix]

This looks great Kevin. We don't see you round these parts much anymore, how ya been?

[Danno]

Very ambitious, but it looks like it's shaping up well.

[Craig Irwin]

I got an old Jo-Han 64 Cadillac convert built up with the windshield frame broken off in a trade deal a few years back, and you've inspired me !

[Edsel-Dan]

I like this one.

The good news on this is that AMT is re-issuing the Ecto-1A 59 Ambulance,

so anyone wanting to do more conversions on Older Hearses & Ambulances

won't have to pay high-dollar for them.

I was looking at doing this bash with a 68 Convertible Deville.

Did Cadillac use the same size doors on 2dr & 4dr's??

I though 2drs had longer front doors than 4dr versions?

[1930fordpickup]

Just compare the doors to the 1966 Johan kit .That would be the proper Hearse for a 68 . That kit was based on the Miller Meteor body .Just like the one we took to Florida for spring break back in 87 and 88 . It is a good model of that car we drove , except the back window panels on my buddies car could be removed for the ambulance use.

[usmc_moose]

Did anything from that eBay site help out??