Rocking Rodney Rat

That's awesome!!! -RRR

It's not a particularly good kit as far as detail and being representative of the real car. As stated above, it's based on very old and very basic tooling. It scales out to close to 1/20(?). I used lots of parts from the kit over the years, I don't think there are any problems with fitment building it. If you don't expect much, it can be a fun quick build, I suppose...have fun with it! -RRR

Thanks for all of the positive vibrations, folks! Next step is the ragtop. I decided to use the up-top from the Monogram Black Widow kit that was re-issued a few years ago. A very old and simple kit. I chose this top because it has a nice swoop between the bows. The downside is that it doesn't have a lot of detail. I'll fix that.... I cut in the tri-window piece form the Revell Ed Roth's Tweedie Pie. The original was a plain rectangle opening. Not a very slick job of cutting in, hey, I'm not KK!!! The ragtop is a skoshe too wide, so I made v-cut along both corners to tuck it in a little where the top meets the body. The cut on the passenger side is shown here. ---------- I also wanted more angle between the top and sides, so I V-cut that juncture as well. Sorry about the lousy pix. Maybe an iPhone 14 will help? Not likely... ----------- I cut the side apron upper corner so it has a sharper angle and then added a few pieces to the side curtain. I also added a piece all around the bottom edge to increase the height about 1/8" or so..... ----------- That side curtain was way too long....I cut it along the marked edge.... ---------------- I lengthened the top with a front edge piece from the AMT T ragtop. It's the same width... --------------------- A strip of Evergreen half round across the top corner and some 0.020" square pieces around the edges dress it up a tad. Next a schmear of two or putty, some sanding and off to some primer to check the progress.... More later.... -RRR

Thanks, Carl!! -RRR

I like it.... -RRR

I realized I was going to need a transmission tunnel in order to get the engine to sit properly.... A little creative slicing and dicing along with a schmear of putty did the trick. ----------------- A quick mock-up.... ----------- I got the frame squared away with some tube supports around the trans mount, driveshaft loop and got the front engine mounts dialed in... Next up, tackling the ragtop... Stay tuned... -RRR

LOL... I hope it won't be too outrageous!!! 😬 -RRR

Slicin' and dicin'! -RRR

The basis of a good hot rod (well, any car) is a solid foundation. I decided to build my own frame. I started with strips of Evergreen styrene rectangle for the rails... -------- Fabricating a suicide perch for the front axle... ------ Make the rails about this long with a Z in the rear.... ------ This should do.... ------- I added a transmission crossmember mount. I'm going with coil springs in the back, sourced from one of the Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth kits from Revell. I 'm using the 9" pumpkin from the Revell '32 series. I cut off the axle shafts, glued on some Evergreen round and then put the wheel mounts back on. From there I fabricated up some spring mounts on the axle and the frame. The springs will be cut to length once I figure out the desired ride height. The trailing arms are the 'thicker ones' from the front suspension on the Revell Model A kits, mounts on the axle end to be made. The pickup bed will be notched on each side so that the spring mounts on the frame will fit under. I still need to fab up engine mounts and I have added a driveshaft loop, not pictured here... Stay tuned, more later.... -RRR

Looking good, Steve. That's a great old kit. I based a build on that one, too. -RRR

Thanks, I'm heading it that direction, but probably won't go all the way!!! -RRR

I got inspired (or is that insipid?) by my good friend Dennis Lacy 'ADL' when he started texting KK and me pix of a T bucket has was putting together. I decided to join the fun and now Dave Darby has also posting up pix of his build so...why not...here's my entry. I decided to of full-on "Fad-T". I guess the origin of the Fad T goes back to the 60s with the Kookie Car from the TV show 77 Sunset Strip with Norm Grabowski building the little T Bucket. The style really got ridiculous in the 70s. In all honesty, it's not a style that has appealed to me that much as a T-Bucket is almost a cartoon car. Probably the most impractical car you could ever drive. Dinky T body, oversized ragtop, motorcycle front tires and huge meats in the back with an over-the-top motor. Kinda like this. Sorry for the crappy quality pic!!! Oh, well, squint and you get the idea.... So, here's my 'yard sale' of parts I've gathered together. Front suspension from The Slingster dragster kit, body from the AMT '25 T kit, shortened pickup bed from the Revell Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth Tweedie Pie kit. Engine from the ole Revell Rat Roaster SBC with the Weiand blower and side pipes (should fit really nice). I had cut the trans off of the block for another project, so I'll graft on the other trans (4 speed?). Big rear meats from the Revell '41 Willys street rod kit, 9" rear end from the Revell '32 series and the nice swoopy ragtop (which will be much modified) from the Monogram Black Widow kit.... Follow along as I turn this pile o parts into a really goofy build. I just may go full "lanterns for tail lights" and squeeze bulb curly Q horn and all...lots of CHROME!!!! -RRR

Here's another entry I missed earlier, although I have been being kept up-to-date via text. I like it! I like it so much ADL inspired me to try my hand at a Fad-T. I'll have to get in the game and start a thread myself.... -RRR

Nice work, Dave. I too have been toying with a Fad-T recently. I love your use of the '32 grille for a finned valley cover. I'm filing that trick away for possible future use. The top fits nicely with your mods. Bring it on home! -RRR

I'm still catching up with some summer posts here. Another one I missed!! Nice job on that chopped '48 Ford. I have a few, have looked at it several times but never came up with a suitable style for it. Thanks for posting. I'm surprised you didn't fill in those two square holes in the firewall.... -RRR