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NEW Build of Revell's '29A Roadster - a more appealing Channeled version...


tim boyd

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Yet another kitbash, this one takes the [ in the view of some of you ] aesthetically challenged box stock Channeled Roadster version and applies some tweaks to deliver a more visually appealing result.  

Changes include a vertically sectioned radiator shell to reduce 50% of the kit width (thereby relocating the grille shell rearward vs. the kit location), and chopping the kit's windshield and frame.

A sectioned '32 Ford Grille Shell and insert from The Model Car Garage. a 390 cubic inch Ford FE engine from the Round 2 AMT '60 Starliner kit, and wheels and tires from the Revell Miss Deal Studebaker Funny Car kit, cement the design vibe to the 1963-67 hot rodding time frame.  (Some details of this build are inspired by an Andy Southard photo of the Paul Hannon channeled '29A Roadster leaving the Monterey Kar Kapades on March 4, 1962 (source: p. 32, "Hot Rods and Customs of the 1960's, Andy Southard, Jr, 1997, Motorbooks International)   

Chassis changes include a further lowering of both the front and rear suspension, along with a Halibrand Quick Change out back. The steering gear box is relocated rearward, requiring a refashioned, longer drag link with a cowl mount location.  A flush firewall was fashioned and covered with BareMetal brushed aluminum foil.  

The color is MCW Automotive Finishes special order '56 Lincoln Island Coral (rubbed out and waxed without clearcoat, which is the period-correct treatment for exterior paint), and the interior upholstery is Testors Model Masters Lacquer Ford Wimbledon White and Tamiya Matte Black, with Tamiya Flat Clear.

Those of you that have been following the Revell '29A Roadster builds on the Forum will note that I've used some of the same changes already shown by the several of the highly talented builders who post here.  You guys know who you are - thanks for the inspiration!

Check out the photos at this link, starting at image # 22 for the latest details, and a few photos comparing this version to a box-stock build of the channeled roadster version.

DSC 0221

(a front three-quarter bird's eye view showing the changes described above)  

DSC 0224

(note - that exhaust tip on the driver's side was repositioned to match the other one after this photo was shot!)  

DSC 0226

(one of three photos at the link comparing the box stock channeled version on the left with the revised version on the right.)  

 

Thanks for looking and Best Regards everyone....>TIM .

Edited by tim boyd
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What a beaut! I like the changes you've made to the base formula...the heavy rubber rake and lowered suspension helps to keep the nose down where it belongs, and the chopped windshield frame makes a huge difference, proportionally.

I'll keep this combo in mind; the Miss Deal wheel/tire package is awesome. I'd probably go with bronze or orange paint and a black interior for that 1965-68 era look.

 

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I think the color really makes the car.  It's not just another cookie cutter car!   Great subtle changes Tim. I need to do a channeled version next!  As soon as I get a few 90% done projects off the bench!

Thanks Tom....yes, the color is a bit unusual but it is a period/historically correct choice. In looking again at the photos here after reading Scott's comments, this is one of those hard-to-capture-accurately-in-photography colors... the real color has a bit more orange than it appears with the images here.  It's similar to, but slightly less chromatic, than the 1964 Mercury code L "Bittersweet" color, for those of you familiar with that color.     

I've actually assembled a comprehensive article on this topic (e.g., period-correct color choices for traditional hot rod era projects) that I sent to Gregg/Harry/Darryl a couple of months ago, hopefully it will appear in the mag sometime early next  year.  

Best....TIM  

 

Edited by tim boyd
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So far this is my favorite of the channeled versions of this car, great job. Also, great choice on the engine, another one of my favorites.

Thanks Mark.  I had great inspiration (e.g., the \builds already posted by other forum members here and in the "on the workbench" sections) to add to my own thoughts....TIM  

Edited by tim boyd
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Outstanding! Your changes have made a world of difference. Paul Hannon's Studebaker-powered '29 has been a favorite since I was a kid and my Mom bought me the Hot Rod mag in which it was featured. The solid color, low stance, and especially the chopped windshield, well capture the character of the car.

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Tim,

Everything you have done on this model makes it infinitely cooler than how it comes in the box. The stance is so much better! It also reinforces my initial sentiments that this car needs a '32 grill to look right. The early A shell is just too antique for the rest of the car. I have to say that, so far, this is my favorite version of the new '29 from your work bench. :D

*Note to self: Must get a Miss Deal kit because that wheel & tire combo is wicked bad!

B)

Edited by Dennis Lacy
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Nice one. Definitely an improvement over the OOB. It really benefits from less air under the chassis. I'm impressed with how much you were able to do without increasing the Z on the chassis. l just got started on my swing at the channeled version. I'm basing it on an old Photoshop collage I made which is very low, so I'll be increasing the Z. And even though I agree that Deuce radiator shells look best on these cars, on this go round I'll be attempting to keep the stock A shell and make it look good. After seeing this I think I have my work cut out for me.

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To Everyone that responded here....Guys...thanks a bunch for all the comments and feedback.  Much appreciated.  

Just remember to share the credit here....as a number of you inspired this build with the changes you did on your own projects involving this kit.  I would have probably ended up somewhere like this on my own, but your ideas and suggestions helped me focus my thoughts and certainly egged me on to get on with it and start/complete this project.

Specific comments back at 'ya... 

* Chris...I agree that the orange/bronze metallic and all-black interior might be even more period correct for a build started/completed in the early 1960's....might I suggest 1961 Chrysler Cinnamon Metallic as one choice back when hot rod builders picked their colors from the latest OEM color chip manuals...(All: watch for more on this topic in your favorite model car mag (Model Cars) soon...)  

* Bill...yeah that low angle rear 3/4 might be my favorite view too....I need to re-shoot that with the corrected exhaust tip alignment...

* Aaron and James...let me see on those photo requests....keep your eyes on this thread.... 

* Dennis....this one might be my favorite of the Revell kit roadsters too so far...either the favorite or tied with the original turquoise build of the box stock highboy version back in August...

* Bernard....needless to day I am highly eager to see what you do with this kit.  Bring it on, Man!   Also...my next build of this kit will also feature an increased Z.  Cool thing about this kit is that with both those chassis designs in one kit, the extra parts stack up quickly, making that Z operation a breeze without scratchbuilding or having to buy yet more kits.  

As regards the sectioned Deuce grill vs. the stock Model A grille, I actually mocked up the A grille on the nearly-completed model, and it looked very cool too. (This is the way the 1/1 scale Hammond car, pictured in the Andy Southard book and mentioned in John's note above, was configured).  Of course, the non-sectioned A grille was nearly touchin' the ground, but that's OK too!  

* All.....glad you guys like the Miss Deal wheels and tires.  I've used this combo on a whole number of builds over the last 15 years or so, but mostly on drag fuel altered or gasser-themed builds.  .But after looking at all my old car mags from the 1960's, this style of wheel and rubber combo started to come into play on (semi-) street driven hot rods as well.  And as you noted, the rubber rake helps the overall stance, beyond the suspension lowering.  

To bring this model to the shelf actually required more work than I expected.  Much of it, though, would have been avoided by sticking to the kit Nailhead (maybe with the tri-power manifold and spark plug covers from the old AMT Trophy Series 1932 Ford Custom/1940 Willys Double Kit) rather than jamming in that FE V8. The FE swap actually fit surprisingly well as a basic swap without mods/kitbashing, but lots of little tweaking was required to make it fit 100% the way I wanted.  Again, going with outside the frame rail headers - instead of the factory exhaust manifolds - would also have avoided the frame rail tweaking and steering gerar box relocation, further easing the swap, but the inside frame rails exhaust setup was much more common on 1//1 scale hot rods built during the early-mid 1960's, so that's the way I did mine.  

Again, thanks guys for your enthusiasm and comments.  And keep posting your own work, be it just-started or well underway projects, or completed models,  It inspires all of us.  

Cheers...TIM  

 

 

Edited by tim boyd
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Nice build, and really cool take on this kit.  I like the fact that this kit can work for the '50s, '60s, and the modern crowd too.  You got the rake and feel of the car perfect.  I never would have chosen that color, but it really works on your version.  This is the reason this kit had me so excited.  Everybody is going to have their own take on the perfect hot rod.  We get to see many variations.  I just saw a project a guy is working on with a Ford modular motor and a set of narrowed wheels from the AMT 55 Chevy Stepside street machine.  (The star centers)  I have only seen it in primer, but he has smoothed it out a lot, and I'm afraid he is going to paint it monochromatic pink!  (He is stuck in the late eighties, early nineties)  If a kit can make him happy, and keep a traditionalist like Tim Boyd happy, it must be a pretty decent kit.  

I think this kit's flaws are becoming a boon for model builders.  The kit is a bit of a compromise between two building versions that would not share as many parts in real life as the kits do.  Channeled rods and highboys would have different suspensions, body parts,  and even different sized wheels and tires.  The kit makes some serious stance compromises, especially to the channeled version.  That encourages us to kitbash, and do some serious parts swapping and plastic whacking to make everything fit together.  In the end, this is making the builds far more interesting and personal than if everybody just built the kit OOB with different paint.  

I finally got to sit down at the bench for a few minutes last week, and work on mine again.  I am fitting a flattie, and I still need to get the nose down a bit.  (Not trying to build a "Daisy Sniffer", but more of a vintage rake).  I am also eyeballing some changes to the interior and scratchbuilding an exhaust system for it.  Hopefully, I will have some time after Christmas to get back to the bench.

 

Again, incredible build and another cool take on the '29 Roadster.  

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