1938 Cadillac Ambulance.

[Chris Mooney]

OK just got this in from Fronter Design Resins (on Ebay) for about $50 I have got mixed reviews from this resin caster and this is my first time dealing with his product. After receiving the body a week after the auction it cam well packed and undamaged. The cast is not bad and will require some clean up and work but as you can see these is not much flash.

The body has coach lamps on the front doors molded in and also two separate resin tunnel lights to be sanded to fit and added top the front. so you could either make this as a Hearse or Ambulance. the donor kit or car would be the Yat-Ming 38 presidential Cadillac. I took the body off the die-cast and removed the interior. and the resin body was a nice fit. the interior will be easily to modify and you can easily use it from the rear wheel forward. front windshield will fit with some sanding of the resin around the windshield opening. Well ill let you guys see for yourself.

PS if anyone has reference Photos of any 38 Cadillac Ambulances or Hearse please post them for me...... [

URL=http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-094.html]http://images41.fotki.com/v195/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models094-vi.jpg[/URL]Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

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[Chris Mooney]

The Body on the frame with a 38 Chevy for size and scale reference.

http://images9.fotki.com/v448/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models091-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-091.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

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http://images54.fotki.com/v451/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models100-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-100.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

[Adam Borkat]

PS if anyone has reference Photos of any 38 Cadillac Ambulances or Hearse please post them for me......

I believe this is one of Mr. Loftin's photos, and I'm pretty sure it's a '38.

[John ED Renstrom]

notice the tire chains on that one. here are the two I have

[Steve Lichtman]

With the angled door window and the coach lamp on the door, it's intended to be a Meteor. I know that '37 Meteors didn't have those features, and '40's did, but I don't have any pictures of Meteors in between to know when the coach lamps started.

In any event, the casting looks "flat" to me, like the windows and roof line aren't high enough (sometimes done by big and small manufacturers so the casting will fit the box). That said, I like how it fits the limousine chassis and fenders. You could actually paint the casting and leave the fenders as is for a "prototypical" two-tone paint scheme. Actually, the cream-color of the casting looks pretty good with the black fenders!

[Paul Steinberg]

I am not a model maker, so I don't know the answer to this question.. If the roof is too flat, can you use something like "bondo" to build it up to the proper proportions to look correct, or is the resin too delicate to be "worked" in such a fashion?

[Steve Lichtman]

You certainly could solve the problem of the flatness of the roof with Bondo. A cast body is made from resin, so it's basically just adding more resin. I prefer two-part epoxy putty for that type of thing when I build a model, less messy with the same end result.

That's not really the big problem. The windows look, to me, to be too short, like a car that's been "chopped and channelled". So you'd have to cut the upper part of the body, extend it, and recreate the window channels and body work with putty to raise that. It can be done, just a bunch of work that takes a lot of time, putty, and sanding.

It's a shame that sometimes the folks who make the masters for professional car castings don't quite get the lines right (the Jimmy Flintstone Pontiac ambulance also doesn't have the body lines right, but it's a strange curve I don't know how to correct).

Yes, sorry if it sounds like I'm criticizing the resin model manufacturers, all of whom are small entities that probably make the models in the basement or garage. I realize that they do a good job, and that I can't do a better job. I also know I'm personally very picky about how my models look. This is a pretty doggone good casting, all things considered - but not perfect. And it all looks better when painted.

[John ED Renstrom]

then of course what looks right standing on the ground doesn't if viewed from the second floor. we look at a model from angle we vary seldom get to see a full size car at. but I say your right on this one. the windows are to short.

[Keith Snyder]

The 1938 Meteors did not have the trademark coachlight built into the front door frame. That styling attribute did not appear on Meteor cars until 1939-1940. As such, the model's body is incorrect. Sorry 'bout that.

[Chris Mooney]

Thanks for the imput guys. I plan on making tunnel lights on the roof and more detal once I get the body primed. the roof does have a nice curve to it but in these photos it looks flat like you guys said. Ill get the body and fenders primmed then get some outside shots. Being this is the only resin ambulance body of any 1930's Cadillac it will have to do... LOL :) you'll love what i do to it.

[Chris Mooney]

Well I got the paint removed off the Die cast fenders (I used Aircraft paint stripper) and they are now primer-ed. The resin body needed some filling and I decided to open up the windows a little as they looked small. I also had to rework the window area because the windshield did not fit well and had gaps. Bondo is your friend! (I would recommend any one new to resin models to test fit everything multiple times). the body will be sanded again and reworked to prepped fro either a Ivory White over Burgundy red paint job or an all red paint job. as always comments welcome!


A test fit of all body parts

http://images20.fotki.com/v534/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models125-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-125.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

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[Josh Gentry]

Just my opinion, but i think a solid ivory white would look real nice on that one.:my2cents:
Nice work by the way. Its gonna look great no matter what color you desside on.

Josh

[John ED Renstrom]

really helped to open up the glass. removed that choped top look.

[Richard Vyse]

As usual Chris, "You Da Man". Amazing.

[Chris Mooney]

Thanks everyone for the Comments. Paint is done (i need to redo the hood.) and the interior is build. I need to know weather to go with the fender skirts i made or not. Paint is Krylon Burgundy and Krylon Ivory White. she is almost complete. as always comment ans suggestion are welcome. As you can see opening up the window more made the roof line and body look much taller. (thanks guys!)

http://images53.fotki.com/v536/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models185-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-185.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

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[Josh Gentry]

Love the fender skirts, they look great, and the roof line looks great also. The paint turned out really nice. Good choice.

Josh

[John ED Renstrom]

on those cars i never liked the fender skirts they look to me to be a add on that should be left off. but that's me. you did see most of the top end cars with them so that they look correct. it would all depend on what you want. as I said it looks and is correct with them. they're just something I never like on that body series. but the two tone combo is sharp. I really like they way you did that.

[Chris M. Kelley]

Almost looks like that American Ambulance car from the gangster movie.

[Chris Mooney]

OK she is almost complete. I added a Vintage light to it you don't see to often. Here is a teaser shot!!! More and better Photos to follow tomorrow. Just a few Items to add and she is ready for lettering. Thanks for everyones input. I'm still on the fence about the Fender Skirts....

http://images53.fotki.com/v545/photos/8/1293218/8601984/models200-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/models-200.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

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[Chris Mooney]

Finished this one... Decals were made By a fellow modeler on an APLS Printer for me. Let me know what you guys think. and as always questions are welcome



http://images51.fotki.com/v1562/photos/8/1293218/8601984/SupperSepshowdown10066-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/supper-sep-showdown-2.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)
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http://images12.fotki.com/v253/photos/8/1293218/8601984/SupperSepshowdown10077-vi.jpg (http://public.fotki.com/chrismooney/1938-cadillac-ambulance/supper-sep-showdown-13.html)Hosted on Fotki (http://www.fotki.com)

[Shawn Blyler]

That looks awesome! You really did a great job...love the siren on the front fender. The decals are really neat as well.

[John ED Renstrom]

the skirts are a iffy thing. they used them but I never liked them. but she looks good either way. interesting two tone not one you see often. never a wrong or right on a ambulance as you can find any number of ways to do it. but onei would be proud to have on my shelf

[Dana Bennett]

VERY VERY NICE!!!!!! I like it alot!!

Dana Bennett.

[Sarah Snook]

Chris, you have outdone yourself again! Wow! Any chance we'll get you to come to the International Meet next July in Hudson, Ohio to display your models? We will be having a model car display and giving trophies for the best ones. I really hope you can make it. You have some amazing models.

[Richard Vyse]

Think about the Micro-Meet in Flint come February. Nice job as always my man!

[Josh Gentry]

Chris, nice job as always, it looks great.:toocool:

Josh