# Emergency Squad 51



## Xenodyssey

Hi All

After reading the Emergency thread in the Movie and TV forum I decided to finally make a Squad 51 for myself.

It's based on the AMT 1/24 Lil Red Express 1978 Dodge truck.

It comprises a scratch built rear, resin grill and figures from Ebay and conversions for the chassis extension and bench seat. I'll be trying to make scratch build mirrors and a twinsonic lightbar as well. I plan to have at least two opening cabinets in the rear with equipment. Depending on how well that works out I may do more. If it doesn't work I'll just have closed doors.

One of the first things I needed to work out was how far to extend the chassis, in the end I estimated it to be 8mm more. The custom rear is 96mm long by 78mm wide by 48mm high. There is around a 7mm under hang.


----------



## CorvairJim

"Emergency!" was one of my favorite programs when I was a kid. I looked forward to the adventures of Johnny Gage (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tige) every Saturday night, right before "The Rockford Files". When I was about 12, I converted an MPC annual Dodge pickup kit to the Rescue 51 rig. Not having access to sheet plastic stock, I used thin cardboard for the utility body. Much painting and sanding sealed the cardboard OK, but not perfectly. The cabinet doors were just rectangles of cardboard glued on the basic body, painted and polished the same way and outlined in Testor's silver brush paint. Some day I'll look through my old models to see if it survived 30+ years in storage and is restorable. I'll have to find that Little Red Experss reissue for the 4X2 chassis, and I'll completely re-do the utility body the right way, in plastic this time around!

(Looking at all the changes I want to make to redo it right, I might as well start fresh using the L.R.E. as the starting point! Then I can display the restored original with it's cardboard body next to it... )


----------



## Xenodyssey

It's weird that I haven't done one before because like you I have been such a fan of the show over the decades. Just another of those projects that hadn't got off the wish list until now.

One of the other things I've been mulling over is how I'm going to do the double wheels at the rear. Got to either find some spare wheels or just "model up" an inside set.

BTW That's a good idea displaying both your original and the new version together.


----------



## Xenodyssey

Just an update. I've just about finished doing the partitions for the compartments n the body. And done the first hinged doors. I tired a number of commercial jewelery type hinges but they still looked out of scale and were usually stiff so I decided as others had done to make my own hinges out of plastic tube and metal pinning. The good things about this is that they glue well to the styrene and look more in scale.

While fitting the back I discovered I had to further lengthen the rear of the chassis so out with the hobby knife to cut it apart again and add another length of evergreen plastic.


----------



## CorvairJim

That looks great so far!


----------



## Xenodyssey

Another update. Doors complete on the right hand side. Most of the detailing done on the rear, I just need to add the three smaller red lights in the middle. Compartments done on the left hand side.


----------



## dge467

That is looking really good!


----------



## Xenodyssey

Another update with the doors attached on the left hand side and the handles added to all the doors as well.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP04A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP04B.jpg

Doing the gas bottles in the centre bay now, then the tool box and fire extinguisher. Then I'll go back to working on the cab.


----------



## Guy Schlicter

I'd like a model of the Adam 12 Police Car


----------



## Xenodyssey

I've been thinking about that myself. It would be a great companion piece with the Squad 51.


----------



## s.moe

Your scratchbuilding work is coming along Very well...And look's Great.....Nice work...


----------



## Ductapeforever

When you get her ready for paint, here's the decal set.....

http://www.jbot.ca/cars/ems/squad51.shtml

Great job so far. :thumbsup:


----------



## CorvairJim

That model is looking phenominal so far!


----------



## Xenodyssey

Thanks for the praise.

I've tried to order the decals but he's still behind at the moment and not accepting any more orders for the time being. I keep checking there every few days.



Ductapeforever said:


> When you get her ready for paint, here's the decal set.....
> 
> http://www.jbot.ca/cars/ems/squad51.shtml
> 
> Great job so far. :thumbsup:


----------



## Xenodyssey

Just having fun while making the equipment bin and air cylinders. Thought I might as well make the lid open and close and make the rescue power saw that goes inside...

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP05A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP05B.jpg


----------



## Xenodyssey

I've been working on the twinsonic lightbar the last 2 days. It's made of evergreen plastic strip with lights/reflectors made by using my trusty hole punch. Trying to think of a way to have a grill pattern for the center siren section. The light on top is just clear sprue. I've red tinted the light section and put a temp metal coat on the center.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06B.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06C.jpg


----------



## boss89

This is a teriffic project. The scratch building is awesome and inspiring.


----------



## roadskare63

Fantastic build so far xeno!!!!!!!!one of my favorite shows from my childhood as well:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## Xenodyssey

The interior of the cab. The figures of Johnny and Roy came from Ebay. The radio is scratch built.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP07A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP07B.jpg


----------



## swhite228

Xenodyssey said:


> The light on top is just clear sprue.
> www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06A.jpg
> www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06B.jpg
> www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP06C.jpg


Your doing a great job on the model!

The Twinsonic light bar on the squad is unique to the Universal built squads.

The clear light on the top of the light bar was on the plans the LA County Fire Dept. gave Universal when the studio offered to build the truck, but it never made it to the squads in the field. It was to be a way to tell the rescue trucks from other fire equipment.

Also per CA.law the light bar has an amber/ orange rear facing light on the bar.


----------



## Xenodyssey

Thanks for the info. I did model the facing light, which seemed to be on the left hand side of the bar when I was watching episodes. I've just been mulling over how to depict it. I might just try to do a bit of amber on the cover later.

Yesterday I was doing the wing mirrors and grab bars. Today I'll do the running boards and put up some more photos.



swhite228 said:


> Your doing a great job on the model!
> 
> The Twinsonic light bar on the squad is unique to the Universal built squads.
> 
> The clear light on the top of the light bar was on the plans the LA County Fire Dept. gave Universal when the studio offered to build the truck, but it never made it to the squads in the field. It was to be a way to tell the rescue trucks from other fire equipment.
> 
> Also per CA.law the light bar has an amber/ orange rear facing light on the bar.


----------



## Xenodyssey

More work done.

I've added the wing mirrors, grab bars at the top of the custom cabinets and the running boards.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP08A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP08B.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP08C.jpg


----------



## Xenodyssey

Finally started painting the Squad. Three coats of red so far. I've just started the detail painting so some of it looks crude so far. Mulling over what I am going to do about the headlights. I may just cut out the ones from the original grill and depress them into the resin replacement with a few coats of clear for glass.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP09A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP09B.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP09C.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP09D.jpg


----------



## dge467

Looking great!


----------



## Xenodyssey

A bit more work done and a test fit with the wheels on. For the front wheels to more match the ones on the actual squad I chiselled the center lug nut and hub out and extended it with a suitable piece of sprue and evergreen strip. I've also added the five amber lights with sit on the roof of the cab (they came off ebay). And painted the black rubber? strips around the windows of the cab.

Watching the show again I've noticed there are two spotlights at the rear of the bonnet. Something I'll have to add before I finish.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP010A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP010B.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP010C.jpg


----------



## Mr. Wabac

Wished I had noticed this thread from the start - just saw it today.
Looking really good - might even motivate me to move this from a "one day" project to "next year" - I guess that is an improvement !

Can you explain how you built the hinges ?
I think I understand the basic concept, but would like to see a closeup of how it looks and how it goes together.

BTW, the air bottle box in the back is mounted against the wall of the truck - not sure whether you have glued it down or just dropped it in for the photos.

Can't believe how quickly you have moved ahead with your project.

Scotty, the photo of the TwinSonic light bar is interesting; looks like it had a section of the red lens cutout to accomodate the rear-facing amber light - hadn't noticed the cutout before.


----------



## swhite228

Mr. Wabac said:


> Scotty, the photo of the TwinSonic light bar is interesting; looks like it had a section of the red lens cutout to accomodate the rear-facing amber light - hadn't noticed the cutout before.


That one did.
I think the originals had the opening molded in for the bars sold to California or other states, some where I remember the option of amber, or a clear insert being available.


----------



## Mr. Wabac

The Squad in the LA County Fire Museum has the cutout - you can tell by the four screws around that portion of the lens.


----------



## Xenodyssey

The hinges were done by getting some thin, stiff wire for the core, I ended up using 0.025 Music Wire. And then inserting that into hollow core evergreen tubing, the smallest I could find. I cut each hinge into three with the top and bottom sections glued to the body and the middle section glued to the door. It does look out of scale for 1/24 but provided a reasonably robust join. The hinge tube was situated just over 1/2 way into the door recess and joined buttwise onto the door which was two piece, inner and outer.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP011.jpg

I'd wondered about the box holding the air bottles. In the 1st season it looked like it was metal but the later seasons it's clearly made of wood. I ended up repainting it as wood. Also it's securing seems to change as well.

At the moment I'm still making little trauma boxes and such. Have to do the oxygen trolley next and the jaws of life. I have glued everything together now (and then realized I'll need to lower the suspension at the rear eventually). I've even added the red lights on the base quadrants of the rear assembly.


----------



## Xenodyssey

Some photos of the equipment in situ. Still makng boxes. Looks like I'll need to redo the drug box. The EKG readout isn't shown although it's been made. The fitout is based in what I've seen in season 1 & 2. Watching season 3 at the moment I've noticed it's a little different. IE the oxygen rack has 2 smaller bottles rather than 1 big bottle.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP012A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP012B.jpg


----------



## Xenodyssey

I've been building and painting more equipment. Made up the oxygen backpacks, the smaller hand pumped jaw of life and it's box and the compressor for the larger jaw of life. I'll do the jackets for John and Roy and things like the larger leg splint and ropes and blankets and that should be it. Just waiting for the decals to arrive from JBOT.

www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP013A.jpg
www.xenodyssey.com/portfolio/Models/Squad51WIP013B.jpg


----------



## 71 Charger 500

This thing is turning out really cool!


----------



## dge467

Nice work! Very cool!


----------



## Xenodyssey

Thanks folks. If I was more patient I would be much better. Never was a perfectionist unfortunately. 

I've got to see if I can print out some lettering for the trauma cases. Ie "SPLINTS", "TRAUMA" etc. And I'll need to do some experimenting for the fire jackets which I'll drape into the fore compartments. Maybe painted foil or perhaps tissue?


----------

