1957 Ford questions re Revell and AMT kits

[impcon]

I've been watching the forums to see if anyone has cut the trunk open on either the Revell or AMT '57 Fords and if so, how challenging was it - especially the Revell kit as the body shell seems a bit thicker. Mostly, I am concerned about the lower edge of the back of the deck lid where the license plate cove is. I'm no where near as talented as many of the people posting on the site are and I am not much of a fabricator, so I am looking to see what I can learn through the experience of others here. I am considering using the chassis from an AMT kit under the Revell body to give the sedan pose-able steering. The trunk floor on the Revell kit seems to be more accommodating to creating a respectable trunk compartment as the AMT model has quite an angle sloping toward the rear of the car.

My second question is has anyone ever used the AMT hardtop to create a two door imitation hardtop like the car that Robert Mitchum drove in the movie Thunder road?  Again, I am looking for ideas and input into framing the door and side window openings to make a sedan. And has anyone ever found the colour combination of that car? Mitchum's son seems to think that it was green and white although he is not totally certain.. it is difficult to tell from the photos that I can find. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

[ranma]

The actual car went to Mecums auto auction a few years ago. 

 

Edited September 12, 2017 by ranma

[ranma]

Did some looking for you and Most think that the car was Cumberland green w/ willow green or like the photo

[impcon]

Thank you Rick. That's a pretty combination.. I can;t say that I can recall ever seeing those colors on a 1:1 or even a built modell

[espo]

I've been watching the forums to see if anyone has cut the trunk open on either the Revell or AMT '57 Fords and if so, how challenging was it - especially the Revell kit as the body shell seems a bit thicker. Mostly, I am concerned about the lower edge of the back of the deck lid where the license plate cove is. I'm no where near as talented as many of the people posting on the site are and I am not much of a fabricator, so I am looking to see what I can learn through the experience of others here. I am considering using the chassis from an AMT kit under the Revell body to give the sedan pose-able steering. The trunk floor on the Revell kit seems to be more accommodating to creating a respectable trunk compartment as the AMT model has quite an angle sloping toward the rear of the car.

My second question is has anyone ever used the AMT hardtop to create a two door imitation hardtop like the car that Robert Mitchum drove in the movie Thunder road?  Again, I am looking for ideas and input into framing the door and side window openings to make a sedan. And has anyone ever found the colour combination of that car? Mitchum's son seems to think that it was green and white although he is not totally certain.. it is difficult to tell from the photos that I can find. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for when you say "two-door imitation hardtop". Ford offered what they called a Club Sedan model in the Fairlane and Fairlane 500 series. This was a pillared two door with very thin pillars with chrome moldings around the window just as pictured. Not sure why they did this since they cost very close to a true hardtop. The car in the picture is a Fairlane 500 model. The Fairlane had different side moldings that started under the rear side glass and came forward toward the door handle. Just before reaching the door opening the molding abruptly turns down and toward the rear of the body and then turns again to run straight back just above the rear wheel opening and ending level with the top edge of the rear bumper.  Both of the Fairlane body styles shared the 118 in. wheel base and the Custom and Custom 300 had the 116 in. wheel base. I don't know if this helps with what you are looking for or just confuses.   

[Ken Kitchen]

I wrote an article for MCM on the cars of Thunderroad. Terry Jessee and I collaborated on this very conversion. I don't remember the exact issue but it was at the end of 2015.

[Ken Kitchen]

Here's the cover

[impcon]

I'm not sure what you're looking for when you say "two-door imitation hardtop". Ford offered what they called a Club Sedan model in the Fairlane and Fairlane 500 series. This was a pillared two door with very thin pillars with chrome moldings around the window just as pictured. Not sure why they did this since they cost very close to a true hardtop. The car in the picture is a Fairlane 500 model. The Fairlane had different side moldings that started under the rear side glass and came forward toward the door handle. Just before reaching the door opening the molding abruptly turns down and toward the rear of the body and then turns again to run straight back just above the rear wheel opening and ending level with the top edge of the rear bumper.  Both of the Fairlane body styles shared the 118 in. wheel base and the Custom and Custom 300 had the 116 in. wheel base. I don't know if this helps with what you are looking for or just confuses.   

Back in the day when I was growing up and a '57 Ford was just another car, in our part of the world at least, the Club Sedan was simply referred to as an imitation hardtop because at first glance, that body style could be mistaken for a hardtop. Thank you for the post and no, it doesn't confuse me at all.

[impcon]

Here's the cover

Thanks Ken. I'll see if I can find that back issue with the information.