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Revell 57 Ford wagon question


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2 hours ago, Phirewriter said:

Jimmy Flintstone has a Ranchero in his line that uses the current Del Rio kit. Only one version for now with the Custom 300 trim.

I was checking to see if anyone was doing a styrene conversion, it doesn't look that difficult, but I could be wrong......;)

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I started on a conversion from the two-door sedan, long before the wagon kit came out.  I'm using pieces of the old Revell Ranchero (the one with the body molded in sections).  The parts I cut off (parts of the quarter panels, and the rear piece that goes around the tailgate) actually fit pretty well.  Of course I got distracted and set it aside.  Now that the Ranchero kit is officially a no-go, I'll probably get back on it at some point.

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In real life, the Ranchero was a version of Ford's 2dr station wagon, so that conversion should not be all that difficult.  In fact, on the real Ranchero, the inner panels of the pickup box area are simply the stock station wagon steel inner panels, even down to the inside of the tailgate.  All you should need to buy extra, would be some fluted Evergreen styrene, with at least close to the correct spacing, and the back cab wall part from any of the Revell '57 Ranchero's---although ever since the middle 1960's that kit had a chopped top, but stretching the upper part of that back panel isn't exactly rocket science!

Art

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19 hours ago, Mark said:

I started on a conversion from the two-door sedan, long before the wagon kit came out.  I'm using pieces of the old Revell Ranchero (the one with the body molded in sections).  The parts I cut off (parts of the quarter panels, and the rear piece that goes around the tailgate) actually fit pretty well.  Of course I got distracted and set it aside.  Now that the Ranchero kit is officially a no-go, I'll probably get back on it at some point.

Mark, I would not discount the idea that Revell-Germany, once all the mess gets straightened out, does a Ranchero version--in fact I am willing to bet that probably most, if not all, the basic work (cad files, etc., may well even exist--but no direct knowledge of that, of course)

Art

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The last round of rumors (prior to the bankruptcy and subsequent sale) involved Revell deciding not to do a Ranchero, because it would require tooling yet another body. 

Whether or not the new company does one, I'll likely stick with the conversion, as the kit is already paid for and taking up space here!  If I want a second Ranchero, I can use the leftovers from the first one to fix the door and roof length on a multi-piece-body kit that is also "in stock"...

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I started one with that very idea. Since the 57 Ranchero is exactly a 2 door Ranch wagon with the back area cut off. Unfortunately, once I cut the entire roof off, I got bored with the idea and put it away. 

Shouldn't be too hard. As they say, just cut away everything that doesn't look like a Ranchero and "Voila"!

Use the old Revell chopped kit for the complete bed area and scratch build the missing window area. Should be relatively painless. You might even reuse the wagon roof part as a cool looking camper shell!

Even easier - has anyone built a delivery based on this kit?

Good luck!

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On 6/24/2018 at 12:36 AM, Oldcarfan27 said:

I started one with that very idea. Since the 57 Ranchero is exactly a 2 door Ranch wagon with the back area cut off. Unfortunately, once I cut the entire roof off, I got bored with the idea and put it away. 

Shouldn't be too hard. As they say, just cut away everything that doesn't look like a Ranchero and "Voila"!

Use the old Revell chopped kit for the complete bed area and scratch build the missing window area. Should be relatively painless. You might even reuse the wagon roof part as a cool looking camper shell!

Even easier - has anyone built a delivery based on this kit?

Good luck!

A '57 Ford Courier Sedan Delivery should be a breeze, off the Del Rio!    For the body shell (and tailgate/liftgate), the conversion is very simple:  Note that Ford did two distinctly different bodies though, with regard to the long side (quarter window area):  While the standard Courier used a flush-fitted sheet metal upper rear quarter panel (with just a hint of the upper B-post in the surface behind the side doors),  they also did a distinct version for the US Post Office Department:  This one had the same window openings as the Del Rio, but with just a single pane of Safety Plate glass in them, that did NOT slide open.  Apparently,  Ford also ran some  Couriers for general sale alongside the Post Office version, which did have the window opening, but not cut open for glass--making for a recessed upper rear quarter, which would be even easier to do off the Del Rio--just a piece of say, .020" Evergreen sheet styrene laid on from the inside of the body shell.  The other body modification would be to the tailgate.  While Ford station wagons used a split "Lift Gate-Drop Gate" unit (just as did every other US automaker back then), in order to reinforce the lift gate, Ford divided the rear glass into three sections, with framing members mounted vertically, in alignment with the upper hinges--and a second "tee shaped" handle in the middle of the lower portion of the lift gate, which also served to lock it.  Inside, the rear floor was extended all the way to the B-post,  with access lids for the spare tire (at the very rear), and where the second seat of the Del Rio would have been, a pair of plywood "lids" that served to provide not only the extended load floor, but were hinged down the center line with recessed handles for lifting them up (for the discreet loading of possibly valuable cargo).  

 

This is an ex-USPO Courier, with full side windows:  https://www.google.com/search?q=1957+Ford+Courier&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwip47Ll6-_bAhXWGDQIHaWiCBQQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=974#imgrc=ieV6D08EVZjodM:

Standard, flush-sided version--look carefully, you can see the hint of the B-post in the upper quarter panel  (note though that Fairlane trim likely was added to this one when it was being restored--never have seen any that were like that when new.

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/HF14/Hershey/lots/r224-1957-ford-courier-sedan-delivery/182038

Also, stock as built, these had single separate front "bucket type" seats, with the passenger seat made to fold down, then forward, for ease of access to the cargo area from the side door.

Art

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