Fire Apparatus Model Forums

This is a Dinky Toys #288 Cadillac ambulance in something close to 1:43 scale. I think its a touch larger, but 1:43 scale parts work well. I have taken it apart. The front and rear bumpers are mushroomed to the body. Then it went in to the stripper. Once it was stripped, it was sandblasted. I drilled out the spotlight holes in the A post, before I realized that Goodhew and Shaefer only used driver side spotlights. So the passenger side was filled with Evergreen rod. Both the agency's mentioned, did not have the customary Superior bullet lights. They used round lights instead. So, I have started to fill the square holes up front, and round holes in the rear where the bullet lights mounted. I used Evergreen rod, a bit larger than the hole, shaped to a cone in the back. Once its ready to fit, I coat the end with super glue, and holding with pliers, I twist the rod in to the holes. When its dry I cut of the excess, and then coat the inside of the hole with super glue as well. Same up front, only I use Evergreen square strips, and sand them to a wedge shape. The roof light hole was done in the same manner. Even though there will be a roof light, there was a pretty large depression where the factory roof light was. I also filled in the siren hole. The siren will go on the high roof. You can also see where sink marks and casting marks, and mold lines have been sanded and filled.

Here you can see the plastic rod has been cut off. I have also ground away the load light. Those were not on the Goodhew and Shaefer units either. The white plastic going up the high roof, is a chrome trim, that is quite noticeable, so I make it on all the Dinky's I customize. This will be a long process to completion. Its too humid to paint, including primer. So I spend my time sanding and filling.

That's pretty neat. I've done much the same thing with Evergreen, filling in large holes and then putting over the surface to get a nice smooth finish. Post some more pix! Will be following along.