'60 MM Futura combination

Brought up previously as a CL ad here.

Had to wait for viewing until in area, which happened in early Oct. Neat to see a two owner, unmolested original coach still in same family since new. Only 45k miles on the clock.

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Although darkness ensued quickly and I didn't crawl around in wet high grass it was a solid coach that mainly needed a left fender. Selling price ended up being $5k and went to TX for restoration (will not be an Ecto clone). No, I wasn't purchaser. But I did buy extra parts from it...

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Among extra parts acquired is a pair of these beautiful, large, elaborate, deco-style cast ambulance crosses. Miller Meteor offered them from '59-'62 (perhaps started in '58 according to both Steve Lichtman and Steve Loftin). They take up the entire height of the rear side windows. Since straight ambulances typically had etched ambulance glass, the signs would have been for combinations when running in ambulance configuration (or for straight ambulance ordered without etched glass theoretically). Pretty sure the AMBULANCE letters were originally painted.

I'm not even an ambulance (or MM) guy and simply *love* them for the styling, design, and complex usage of negative spaces. They're the bomb-diggity! Given rarity (two other pairs known existing) and broader combination/ambulance appeal (not just '59-'62 MM), I'm looking into having these accurately reproduced in a limited quantity (10-15 pair) - which requires both casting and machine work. Would appreciate input here on suggestions and notably if having first-hand experience with a foundry recommendation. I've already declined a substantial offer for these originals and feel the best route is to get more out there for others to enjoy - in a coach or as wall art.

They're just too cool. Can also see FUNERAL letters in place of AMBULANCE looking fine. Please relay others known existing or post pics of Flxible's similar Buick offering from the early '50s. Wouldn't mind seeing how close those are.
 
Attila

After you showed them to me a while back I was thinking they would make outstanding neon signs !

Anyway for you to bend neon to replicate them ?

I'm sure the ambulance guys would dig a sign like that to hang up.
Like you say, a very cool art deco style design.

Thanks for sharing,
Darren
 
Darren - Love the idea. Surprised that I hadn't thought of that and may whip one up just to see how it looks.

Pat - I initially thought waterjet would be the way to go before looking more closely. Sheets of material would make this route cost prohibitive alone, before cutting costs though. Plus, doing so would not account for bosses on reverse needed for threaded mounting posts. Waterjet + machining can easily be over $450 per pair out of pocket. Hoping that casting + machining happens in the $200-250 range.

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Steve - The type where the seller doesn't include pieces that enabled selling at a lower offer made on coach. For better/worse, many don't maintain your stringent perspective. ;)

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Only one gumball was included in '60 sale.
 
those M-M ambulance signs

There is at least one more pair of those ambulance signs. I aquired one at a flea market. Shelley found the other one in an antique mall. We didn't know at the time they were M-M items. Just thought they were worth having.
Mike
 
Those M-M ambulance signs

There is at least one more pair of those ambulance signs. I aquired one at a flea market. Shelley found the other one in an antique mall. We didn't know at the time they were M-M items. Just thought they were worth having.
Mike

I sold a pair of these to a PCS member about a year ago. I had bought them on Ebay .xmass
 
aren't they a one piece casting. looks to me like a sand casting. then they ran the face over the Miller, buffed it and stenciled in the red letters. I can say if MM was doing them in house they were doing it as cheap as they could. that's why they went to the plastic inserts in the later years. what I'm curious in is how they went in top and bottom. the top slide up on the hole then drop the bottom in?
 
I had a couple of ambulance signs exactly like those a few years back. Pretty neat looking. I think I sold them to Rick Statham in GA.
 
A funeral home about three hours from here has a set of these off of their '63 M-M combination, as well as demountable Grimes lights and a #175-D from the same car. I've tried to buy 'em for years with no luck...
 
Atti,
Those are most definitely a sandcasting. Very neat find and congrats on scoring a set.
Speaking from previous experience, contact "O'Brien Truckers" they will sandcast anything you want on the cheap and do excellent work. I designed a club plaque for a car club I was heavily involved with in Columbus Ohio back in the 1990's. They have been around since 1978 and are the leaders in the industry. They will even face them off to acquire the look you want and in any size/shape. Excellent people to deal with bud...
http://www.obrientruckers.com/index.html


Below photo shows how seriously they take their work, they have over 12,000 plaques "on file"

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One our very own Mr. Bedford can appreciate:
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And a final sample we all can kinda appreciate (too bad it isn't a horsedrawn hearse):
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Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!
 
fitment info for John ED

If my memory is working here, the cast ambulance sign mounting post(s) are spring loaded to fit them into the window sill. I need to make a set of the rubber bumpers that rest against the glass for mine.
Mike
 
Mike is correct. While to bottom two posts are fixed (and require holes drilled in molding), the top post is spring loaded and retractable.

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If a small run ends up being cast, mounting bases for upper post will be as well. In that scenario, I'll have a few extra sets made for those like Mike. :)

Really six of one; half dozen of another as upper post puts one hole in molding whereas base puts two screw holes...
 
that answers the question I have not gotten the chance to play with any of these. knew the lettered signs wee just held in place but gravity but I could not imagine them taking the chance of this casting falling out on a pt.
 
Dwayne

I have one very close to the one you posted.
I got it in the basement of Autorama a couple years ago.

Darren
 

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