Davewilly Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Yes a very interesting read.. Thanks for the time and effort going into this. I think I have the newer one in my stash...and I know I have the original release one. it wasnt built but came to me without the box and the body was primered. Someday I will build it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 That thought occurred to me, and I've been studying pix I've found of the in-process restoration, as well as lots of photos of the car as originally finished.For one thing, the photos of both the restored car AND the original agree very well with what is presented in the original kit, for the most part. Some of the photos I've acquired are scalable, so I'll be doing a careful analysis of them too, and measuring BOTH kits to see what's right and what's not.There would have been no reason to make the changes to the car that show up in the "new-tool" kit, though I DID consider the cockpit may have been enlarged, as is common on rods these days, to accommodate fatter Americans. Not so, judging from the resto shots I have.People who love this iconic car can be glad it got done the way it did, as at one time, Boyd Coddington wanted to entirely rebuild it as something else, with a newly-fabricated frame under it.As far as I can tell, the very sympathetic restoration carried out by Brizio's crew left as much of the car intact as possible, even leaving most of the old lead in place. Other than the fire, the car wasn't heavily damaged or modified previously. A new hood was built to match the curves of the original cowl and nose (and apparently new flat bed-side inserts) but as far as I know at this point, the rest of the panels are original to it as built by Barris. Boyd Coddington was a "wacko" as I've seen him a couple of times at a Goodguys show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 I'm glad those of you who have responded are enjoying it and find it to be worthwhile. There will be continuing updates and comparisons with photos and scaled renderings of the real car as we go along, as well as mockups using parts from both kits, and a good bit of swapping things around to see how best to capture the initial impression, lines and proportions of the original car. Since starting this, I've already noticed things about both kits I've never paid attention to before, and I'm beginning to see there's going to be more work in getting it right than I'd initially imagined. Still. I really want a correct-looking model of the Ala Kart, so I hope sharing my steps to get there will be of use to some of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psychographic Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I don't know enough about Hemi's, but read the one in the original Ala Kart kit was seriously undersized. Was this resolved on the new kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 I don't know enough about Hemi's, but read the one in the original Ala Kart kit was seriously undersized. Was this resolved on the new kit? We'll be getting into that, but actually, you have it backwards. The ORIGINAL Dodge Red Ram hemi in the first Ala Kart kit released in 1961 was CORRECT. The "new tool" kit has a significantly under-scale engine. I've written several commentaries about this on here and other forums, as have several other careful builders, and several of us (including me) actually measured the real 1:1 engines to verify our statements. The good news is that the newly-issued "Mod Rod" kit from R2, which is derived from the ORIGINAL Ala Kart tooling, has a correctly-scaled Red Ram engine in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisc63 Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Any progress on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 Any progress on this? Yup. Preparing the next comparison update as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Woodruff Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Interesting, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Haas Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 Here is one I built using both the new and the old kit. combined the nose hood and cowl of the old with the new kit, (the latest version that is). I used to see the car after the fire rebuild here on phoenix when AMT owned it and had a shop here. than a goodyear tire shop bought it and used it for advertising in front of his shop. It was later found in pretty sad shape and restored to its current condition. Looking forward incorporating your ideas in my own rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) Yup. Preparing the next comparison update as we speak. Hey Ace, anything more on this comparison? Edited July 30, 2017 by magicmustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38 Crush Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 Hey Ace, anything more on this comparison?I've got part 2 almost ready to ship, but it needs some editing I just haven't had time to do. Working most of seven days a week lately, trying to finish up a 1:1 custom Jag project that's dragging out long. I'll probably have the next Ala Kart segment up around Labor Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classicgas Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 Any progress Bill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 29, 2017 Author Share Posted October 29, 2017 Any progress Bill?Well...yes and no. During the editing process, I found that some of the photos I had were a lot fuzzier than what I like to post, apparently from trying to rush it and taking them without the tripod I normally use, which I'd left at the big-car shop. I'm cleaning up the model area now (to re-shoot the pix) and getting another installment out on this one is a priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DustyMojave Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 I was never a "Kustom" guy. But in exploring things around me and trying things even if I thought I did'n't like them, I built the original kit back in the mid 60s. Built a handful of other Kustoms too.Nah...Not for me. But I long had thoughts about what could be done with the parts to build a hot rod. For instance, I always liked the combination of '29 cowl and 27 back of cab. And the little red ram hemi has always been a cool engine, even if it's way to little for top fuel dragsters. They're still great for a smallish lightweight hot rod. Kinda like how I'm fond of Ford V8-60s for midgets.That original one got pretty badly damaged in an earthquake in 1971, and the remains got set aside in a box.So when AMT brought out the new tool Ala Kart. I bought one. Looked it over, and things just didn't seem right. The engine definitely looks different from the original which always looked right to me. The newer one didn't. I have plans for the cab and a few other parts, but not as many parts as I thought would be usable for my ideas. It's still sitting in the kit box in storage.It'll be interesting to follow this thread even though I'm not a kustom guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelbuilder Mark Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Really hoping this project does not stall.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joca Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 A nice and informative thread. Thank you!x2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Pugh Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 Yeah! I got SO excited when I started reading it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 On 10/29/2017 at 4:49 PM, Ace-Garageguy said: Well...yes and no. During the editing process, I found that some of the photos I had were a lot fuzzier than what I like to post, apparently from trying to rush it and taking them without the tripod I normally use, which I'd left at the big-car shop. I'm cleaning up the model area now (to re-shoot the pix) and getting another installment out on this one is a priority. If a man says it's a priority, he will get to it. There is no reason to nag him every four to six months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 3 hours ago, magicmustang said: If a man says it's a priority, he will get to it. There is no reason to nag him every four to six months! The new pix are in the camera, boys and girls. Next time I do a batch transfer to the computer (in a couple of days), it should only take an hour or so to edit them, add some text, and upload here. Stay tuned, but don't hold your breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Cohen Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 In 2009, the restored Ala Kart made an appearance at the Detroit Autorama. I took a few photos with my first digital camera See how the model kits compare to the real thing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 15 minutes ago, Howard Cohen said: In 2009, the restored Ala Kart made an appearance at the Detroit Autorama. I took a few photos with my first digital camera See how the model kits compare to the real thing Man, those are great. Many thanks for a very useful contribution to this endeavor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Bump (there's a glitch apparently keeping this thread from coming up; I'm trying a fiddle) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris chabre Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 great info!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Darby Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Back 2002, when the new tool Ala Kart was first released I did a pretty definitive comparison of old vs new. 16 years later I still consider the new tool kit to be a hot mess. Like something Trumpeter would come up with. The front tires are nice tho. http://www.bonediggers.com/2-3/alakart/alakart.html#kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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