FINISHED Criterion models available

Ok,  I've had a couple people ask for them...so I have decided to make available some FINISHED Criterion models. They are $54.99 + S&H.  Just click the "Buy Now" button to the right or message me for an address to send a check to.

Criterion resin body kits available!

I have some unpainted resin Criterion ambulance bodies available. They come with a water-slide decal sheet and instructions. They do require a 1976 Tomica or Tomy Cadillac to use as a donor car.  I am selling them for $24.99 plus S&H.  See the link to the right ------->

1976 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Criterion Ambulance

After many years of dreaming about it, I decided to make a model of one of my all-time favorite ambulances. The Miller-Meteor Criterion.   I started off with a 1:77 scale (by my calculations it's more like 1:85 scale...) Tomica Superior Cadillac ambulance.  It's a pretty neat little diecast, so I was a little sad to cut it up, but hey, you gotta break a few eggs!

I decided not to get too crazy with it, so I didn't worry about how the original model was a true commercial chassis length.  And I decided to keep the original Superior rear door, because I thought it would look better than anything I tried to scribe in at that tiny scale.

 First thing I did was file down all the "Superior" details.  Then taped off where I would use body filler to cover the windows and add some extra height to the roof.  I did this so that I wouldn't fill over details I wanted to keep, like the door handles or window trim.

After I had the body filler sanded to the shape I wanted, I marked where I would add small pieces of round styrene rod for the lights and scoop stretcher box.

After this was finished, I built the car up on a temporary clay platform for when I poured Part 1 or my two part mold.

With my two-part mold finished I was ready to cast the new resin body.

After priming and painting the car white, I taped off the areas that would be painted orange.

With the orange stripe painted on, I was ready to stick on the water-slide decals that I printed and paint the tunnel lights and rear bumper silver.

With the lights painted and the decals added, I was ready to spray on some clear coat and reassemble the body and chassis.

Final Assembled Cars

Well, they are finished! After hours and hours of assembling, dis-assembling, re-fitting, sanding, re-painting the chassis, the cars finally came together.  I was very pleased with the results!  Enjoy the pictures, the cars in these pictures are off to their new owners.  I hope they enjoy them as much as I enjoyed building them.

   

Here is an older generation of Sayers & Scovill parked next to the newer:

Interior and final Assembly

Here are a couple pictures of a finished casket floor, complete with rollers and skid plates:

A view from the front seat, where I took out the gear shifter and put in a middle seat cushion to make a bench seat.

Now with it being time to start actually fitting everything together and assembling all the parts, I laid everything out:

Notice the handmade commercial glass windshields and partitions with glass. =)


I glued in the decorative panels, then the windows, then the interior door panels and finally the drapes over that.

Vinyl Tops

Got the tops all painted!

Next update and the cars will be finished!!


Here's a look at the painted interior panel to wet your appetite =)

Bare Metal Foil and Clear Coat

So, for the trim pieces on these models I am using Bare Metal Foil, which gives a much more realistic look than just silver paint.  First, you lay the foil pieces over the part you are chroming, in this case the "Masterpiece" emblem badges...

Then you can trim around the edges with a sharp #11 hobby blade.  After that, press the edges down with a toothpick or cloth.

After that, I was able to add waterslide decals with the lettering

After adding the rest of the Bare Metal Foil, I sprayed my clear coat over everything to seal the decals and foil.

Here's another car with clear coat applied. After this the top just needs to be painted with a vinyl-like texture.

PAINT TIME!

Finally got some paint on these guys!  The first image here is after a couple of light coats of paint:

Here's a couple of cars after heavier, "wet" coats of paint:

For anyone who has already ordered cars, they SHOULD be going out this coming week.

Interior Planning

Here are some of my plans on color schemes for the rear interior:

I worked these out on the computer to visualize them before adding any paint.  Here are some of the casket compartments with some primer and paint on them.  Still need to add some details like metal trim, paint the lights and casket floor:

A view from the front:

Primer

After getting the sideview mirrors attached I was ready to put down primer on the first set of cars.

After letting them dry for a couple of days and sanding down any remaining perfections, they'll be ready for paint!