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Chopped/sectioned 39/40 Ford


Ferbz

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Even though there's a few things I still need to add like a license plate, rear shocks, steering linkage, I'm calling this one finally done! It's an AMT 40 Ford body that's been chopped, sectioned, fenders widened, running boards removed, rear fender openings filled and flush skirts scribed in. Old bumper bracket holes in fenders filled and relocated to accomodate the 41 Lincoln bumper brackets, hood and grill area replace the original AMT hood/grill. Firewall is smoothed and windshield height reduced further by getting filled in slightly. I used the Revell 48 Ford chassis/motor for the wider track width and nicer detail. Solder was used for exhaust tubing and suspension was modified to lower the stance. The wheelbase also had to be shortened slightly but it fits surprisingly well(I wonder if anyone ever did this mod back in the day). I added the Revell 40 Ford trunk floor/gas tank underneath and notched it to accomodate the lowered rear suspension. I'll add undercarriage shots soon. Some new detail techniques were tried out on this build: white plug wire for fender beading(welting)and pie pan tin to make rear fender guards and the grill shroud/cover. Adding some wiring harness detail in the engine compartment is also something I've never done before, as well as modifying a 2x2 intake to make a 4x2. Hopefully this all visually makes up for the lack of any carb linkage which I just didn't wanna do this time around :) Doug Rice's 1:1 39 Ford was my main inspiration for this build. I wanted to try to faithfully build an early postwar custom that could have also run at the dry lakes. Period modifications, parts, colors all hopefully represent this purpose. Enjoy the pics! I may try to take more with better lighting and post those as well. 

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Man, this thing is stellar. Very clean execution on your traditional style modifications. As noted in the build thread, you did an excellent job on the ignition wiring and I think a few of us will be trying to imitate your technique. Two thumbs up on this one

Thanks! I'm always happy to share something new I've discovered that works for me. I'd also like to see more people try the fender welting(beading) detail on fendered cars too. Also try using pie pan tin if you haven't yet for misc. aluminum or thin gauge metal detail. 

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Thanks for the compliments everyone! Here are a few more pics. The undercarriage shot shows how nicely the Revell 48 ford actually chassis fit under the AMT 40 Ford body. I had to shorten the wheel base a tad(upon researching I discovered the 1:1 48 Ford wheel base is 2in. shorter than the 40) I had to cut the interior tub apart separating the rear panel and door panels from one another and each of these from the floor in order to integrate the notched Revell 40 Ford trunk floor(and also to install the interior into the body. Once I glued the fenders to the body during the customizing phase, there was no other way for me to install the interior). Another side note: I also used the 48 Ford chassis for it's wider track width as a functional reason for widening the fenders. As it turns out, the track width was still too wide and I had to mess with the offset of the wheels to get the tires to fill the fenders properly. At some point I'll get around to adding the missing chassis detail I mentioned previously. I don't plan on entering any contests so who knows, I may just be lazy and leave it as is :) Just for fun, I've included a fictitious photoshop mockup of my build as it might have appeared on the cover of Hot Rod magazine in the late 40's if it was a real car. 

*I really like the idea of some of the early postwar customs serving double duty as cruisers AND record chasers back in the late 40's. To me, they epitomize the combination of speed and style.

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Thanks for the compliments everyone! Here are a few more pics. The undercarriage shot shows how nicely the Revell 48 ford actually chassis fit under the AMT 40 Ford body. I had to shorten the wheel base a tad(upon researching I discovered the 1:1 48 Ford wheel base is 2in. shorter than the 40) I had to cut the interior tub apart separating the rear panel and door panels from one another and each of these from the floor in order to integrate the notched Revell 40 Ford trunk floor(and also to install the interior into the body. Once I glued the fenders to the body during the customizing phase, there was no other way for me to install the interior). Another side note: I also used the 48 Ford chassis for it's wider track width as a functional reason for widening the fenders. As it turns out, the track width was still too wide and I had to mess with the offset of the wheels to get the tires to fill the fenders properly. At some point I'll get around to adding the missing chassis detail I mentioned previously. I don't plan on entering any contests so who knows, I may just be lazy and leave it as is :) Just for fun, I've included a fictitious photoshop mockup of my build as it might have appeared on the cover of Hot Rod magazine in the late 40's if it was a real car. 

*I really like the idea of some of the early postwar customs serving double duty as cruisers AND record chasers back in the late 40's. To me, they epitomize the combination of speed and style.

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Whoops, I goofed and accidently posted the magazine cover pic twice..... 

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