Finishing Touches

with these cars it's always a little help from your friends that get it done. a lot of different people have come threw on this car. man your going to burn a lot of gas giving rides. to pay back. pile in guys lets go for a round the block run
 

Attachments

  • IMG_13729a she is inviting.jpg
    IMG_13729a she is inviting.jpg
    63.8 KB · Views: 247
John ED Renstrom said:
trust me it doesn't take a lot to do better then "superior".
Click to expand...

I've noticed along the way, you made many comments about the quality lacking in Superior products. Was it just Superior that was so bad or were there other builders as well. Personally, I guess I don't see the poor quality in my 64, but I guess I don't have much to compare with. Were all Superiors built so poorly?
 
Brendan & Ed, the car turned out beautifully! I first saw it in Grand Rapids in 2002. She was pretty tired looking, but running. That interior-the front seat especially-is just eye popping! I thought back on p.1 that cars like yours deserve to be transported across the country on an open flatbed rail car so the public can admire them. Sort of like those funeral trains that transported late presidents. I guess now though there's not nearly as many people watching the rail lines as back then. I'd sure come to watch it! Know you can't wait to get her home! By the way, what's the name of the green? Great color scheme.
 
Last edited:
Now that is one drop dead gorgeous ride. I love the color scheme of the interior, it is really pretty and nice. You guys did a great job Ed, and Brendan
 
Doug Watson said:
I've noticed along the way, you made many comments about the quality lacking in Superior products. Was it just Superior that was so bad or were there other builders as well. Personally, I guess I don't see the poor quality in my 64, but I guess I don't have much to compare with. Were all Superiors built so poorly?
Click to expand...

These cars were custom made, and the attention to detail was more dependent on the person working on the car, then an overall quality control issue. On my 1969 Miller Meteor, one side of the roof was finished perfectly, and the other side, you could see every spot weld in the metal. A couple of the workers at the Miller Meteor reunion said that they didn't pay as much attention to the quality of the ambulances as they did the funeral coaches. I was told that the paint, fit, and finish on the funeral coaches was closely watched by the quality control people.
Superior was the least expensive of the major manufacturers back then, so they didn't do everything that the more expensive coach builder did. In my opinion, Superior had the styling better than the competition, and S&S was had the most "bling" when it came to the use of stainless steel and chrome. Miller Meteor was tastefully done, and appealed to the buyer that wanted quality with traditional styling.
 
pretty much like Paul said. Superior did the carpenter thing cover the ugly with trim and lots of it. there quality control was just not there. any funeral director that went threw cars in the day will tell you they were low end cars.
S&S and Eurkie were the high end cars. superior is a frustrating car to work on because of this. things that fit on the right don't on the left. off by a bunch. I'm not talking about just this car, this would be the third superior I have have had down this far. there choice in materials and construction were unique to them. it worked for them they sold by far the vast majority of cars at a cheaper price then the others. but to get one back to gather is a lot of trim and fit and adjust. what worked on the left isn't true for the right. don't get me wrong I love this car it really is to me the highpoint of superior. I just need some distance to really appreciate it again.

one more interesting fact you will find is as the cars get newer they get cheaper in constructed also. not better body wise.

the Green was picked out of the fleet color chips. we rub off and piece of the car and took it up to the paint store to match it. it's a aqua on the blue side of neutral buy 3 or 4 shades . a lot of clear in it. you will see in the pictures a number of times were the panels don't look like they are the same color. even though they were painted at the same time under the same conditions. if one can find a old superior book you may find the name they called it but I'm guessing it was a fleet color and as such would not have a manufactures name. just a number the light shade was done the same way. so the colors are as close as a different type of paint can get to the original color on the car.
it has been a joy to work on this car. but I'm glad it's done. time to work on a simple MM before we get into resurrection the Eureka. then I'm hoping to get that 53 together. my luck it will turn out to be a superior.
 
Paul Steinberg said:
Superior was the least expensive of the major manufacturers back then, so they didn't do everything that the more expensive coach builder did. In my opinion, Superior had the styling better than the competition, and S&S was had the most "bling" when it came to the use of stainless steel and chrome. Miller Meteor was tastefully done, and appealed to the buyer that wanted quality with traditional styling.
Click to expand...

I can't speak from personal experience, having only owned the one S & S, but in the course of conversation of the former owner of Billings Ambulance Service, where my car last served, I asked him which brand he preferred. In his opinion, the S & S was far above the other manufacturers in quality. He purchased my '67 used in 1971 to replace a '69 Superior he had bought brand new. He had so much trouble with the Superior, that the dealer ended up buying it back. I don't remember all of the issues, but I do remember that the paint on the car started peeling within the first year. I like all of the manufacturer's designs, but I have to agree with Paul, it's hard to beat the style of a Superior with those beautiful bullet lights.
 
Superior's use of fiberglass may have been part of the paint issue. Ever look at an old Superior that has laid in a salvage yard for decades? There usually isn't a hint of paint left on the fiberglass.
Kurt
 
send it to Brendon. they car is leaving here tomorrow. he can do the 5 screws out there. the holes are drilled ready for it and he will want to get it polished and the ding out first if it's the one we talked about. thanks for finding this pro car stuff is getting hard to find. the compeny foud them selves with a driver in Wy heading east so we load while the iron is hot. I would have liked a day or two more but only to drive the car more
 
Back in the early '80's, my brother and I managed the ambulances at the Winnipeg Speedway in Manitoba, Canada. The owner of the race track also ran an auto body shop. Around that time, Terry had a '75 Criterion in for painting and body work. We also had a '73 S&S high top that we had just acquired from Florida.
I remember the employee that painted the two vehicles stating that the quality of the S&S was far better than the Criterion.
 
it left for home at about 2:00. I could not help but make a pass threw at the new hospital as I went down to the intersection to meet the driver. we had to unload two to load one. but it fit down into the belly of the beast just fine.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3766.jpg
    IMG_3766.jpg
    75.4 KB · Views: 169
  • IMG_3767.jpg
    IMG_3767.jpg
    52.8 KB · Views: 167
  • IMG_3789a.jpg
    IMG_3789a.jpg
    76.9 KB · Views: 160
No Lights and Sirens?

I was hoping that on the "reverse victory lap", I'd at least be treated to some lights and siren (grin), even a horn honk. Job well done Ed, even if it is a Superior,,,,,hee hee.
 
Doug Watson said:
I was hoping that on the "reverse victory lap", I'd at least be treated to some lights and siren (grin), even a horn honk. Job well done Ed, even if it is a Superior,,,,,hee hee.
Click to expand...

I was hoping for the same. By the way, doesn't South Dakota require stop signs at intersections? What's up with that!!

Beautiful work as always Mr. Ed! :applause::applause:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top