Revell´s ´48 Custom Cadillac - The Eldorod of ´98, finished

[Koellefornia Kid]

Hi guys, welcome to my first WIP here on this board.

Some of you may have noticed already: I love to rebuild famous and legendary Hot Rods and Custom Cars in scale, so here is my new project: Revell´s Chip Foose-built ´48 Custom Cadillac, The Eldorod:

I could have built it box-stock and it would have been a nice add to my collection of custom rebuilds. But there is this whispering voice inside my head that keeps telling me: „don´t build box-stock, don´t build box-stock, don´t...“  And, as always, I will obey. The idea is to turn the 2012 Foose-built Eldorod into the Foose-designed and Boyd Coddington-built Eldorod that rolled out of Boyd´s shop in 1998. Back then it looked like this:

It´s actually the same car. Chip rebuilt it a few years ago into it´s, now blue, appearance that is shown on the box. But in my opinion, the original version looks better and cleaner. Maybe it´s because I´ve been a fan of this car for 20 years now and I just want to have it in my display case (could have bought the Franklin Mint die cast, but I see myself as a builder, not a buyer). So, let´s re-foose and boyd it...

I will begin to work on the chrome parts. I´m doing that first, because I want to send them in to a company for replating and that will last a few weeks. Not that cheap or fast than doing it with Alclad or Molotow but definetely the best way to get REAL chrome.

At first I removed the bumper guards from the front bumper...

...and did the same with the rear bumper.

The new Eldorod version features a ´54 Pontiac grille, while the original had a single, straight grille bar. I´ll be using a Chezoom grille bar from the Testors kit to replace the center (an original Boyd part for a Boyd-built car, I think that´s adequate):

Here is a mock up of the front:

I think that´ll look great when the parts are chrome plated...

In the meantime I will continue with some body mods, so stay tuned...

Thanks for watching!

[Oldcarfan27]

Looks good so far!

[tkzwolf]

I like the original version f the car better as well.  I like where your build is going.

[Can-Con]

I liked the original better too. 

and RESPECT, sending the chrome out for re-plating instead of going the quick & easy route.

[Dave Darby]

I'm neither a Boyd nor a Foose fan, but I like the direction you are going. I concur that the original design is better.  It usually is. Nice craftsmanship on your part. Can't wait to see it finished. 

[Koellefornia Kid]

Hi guys, nice to have some spectators!

I don´t have much news today, Pre-X-mas-stress has started and modeling time is getting rare...

Bumpers and Grille were sent for plating and I did some simple body work. On the hood and the trunk of the new Eldorod you find a pair of peaks, which have to be rmoved as well as the „Eldorod“-lettering on the front fenders:

Did some sanding...

...and now, everything´s clean and smooth.

Next, the roof will need some reshaping. The rear pillars of the kit have a different shape as the earlier version of the Eldorod.

 

The marked area will be cut away  on both sides and then I will have to deal with the rear window... See you soon and thanks for watching!

[Koellefornia Kid]

Hi there!

Roof modifications have been done. At first I cut away some areas at the rear pillars:

 

Then I reworked the rear window opening. I filled the window with a piece of plastic sheet, using the window glass as pattern:

Then I drilled a new oval window...

...filled and smoothed with putty and sand paper.

Next I will do the wheels. I have some ideas to make a set of one-offs, hope I will finish them before X-mas.

See ya!

[Koellefornia Kid]

When I posted model of James Hetfield´s Iron Fist a few months ago, Guy "geetee66“ said: "If the wheels aren´t right it can spoil the whole look“. And I totally agree with him. I think the right kind of rolling stock is one of the most characterizing feature of a custom car. Here ist he problem: The Eldorod (old or new version) has one-off wheels, manufactured for this particularly car only. Reproducing them in scale is an almost impossible task, but I have an idea to get as close as  I can get. At first I simply wanted to use these Pegasus Apollos:

After placing one of them under the front fender I thought they look just a little bit too small and too flat. The center of the wheel actually sticks out oft he rim:

Didn´t like that, so I took a set of aftermarket aluminium rims (15“ wheels for 1/18th models)...

And mounted the Apollos into them:

Left is the combined wheel, the original Apollo on the right. Now the wheels are a little bit staggered and the center is level with the rim:

Did this with all fours:

But now I have another problem. The larger wheels didn´t fit right...

...because of the inner fender wells:

I´ll have to enlarge them a little bit, will do that between Christmas and New Year.

So, merry X-mas everyone!

[Modlbldr]

I love what you are doing with this. I like the grille change and especially like the modifications to the wheels. I don't like the wheels in the Food kit for the car and I don't like the OOB Pegasus Apollos. Your modification with the rims is a definite improvement. I have a couple of sets of those that I may have to try a similar approach with. Can't wait to see what else you do with this build.

Later-

 

[espo]

I like what you're thinking on the wheels and tires. Looking at the picture of the model it looks as if the front inner fenders have a slight "tubing" for clearance. Would you have the room you need with your wheels if you increased the size of the Tub or would it just look wrong ? 

[Bernard Kron]

When you said backdate I assumed you were going to convert it to a traditional Old School Kustom, as has been done by others. But I never new that Foose's recent Revell project was itself an updating of work he had done for Boyd. And i agree with others commenting here, the Boyd version is simpler, purer and more to the point that the contemporary pseudo-retro variant that Foose has given us. You're doing beautiful work and the result should be every bit as impressive as the 1998 original.

[squirrel886]

There's a couple videos floating around, new from SEMA, and one filmed at the a shop.  Chip talks about the A pillar mod, front and rear wheel well openings, the grille, added chrome accents, the top/side window mods, and reworked front wheel well liners  

 

[mod3l Lover]

   This is very cool!!  But, I can't help but wonder now, has anyone

done a build using a Chevy Fleetline roof?

   If anyone could steer me to a build of that, I would like it very

much indeed!!  I have seen the Olds done that already.

      David S.

[Koellefornia Kid]

Thank you, guys. Good to know that you like what I´m doing...

David, Idon´t know if somone has done something like this, but I remember to have seen it done with a AMT ´51 Bel Air hard top.  I think a ´51 Fleetline roof and trunk might do the trick to make a Sedanette, but I guess there´s only one way to find out...

In the meantime I made some new inner fender wells. First I cut away the kit ones...

...to allow the front wheels to sink deeper into the fenders.

Then I scratch built new, raised arcs from sheet styrene:

Now the body can sit nice and low on ist new wheels:

Really like the looks of that

Thanks for looking, see ya...

[tim boyd]

Oliver.....very cool project and how-to photos so far....looking forward to your future progress......TIM 

[gotnitro?]

Wow your mods definitely flow better than on the kit offering  !!!!

Your wheel work looks fantastic too filling up the empty space the Apollos left

[Ace-Garageguy]

Looking good, Oliver. Cleaner is better.

 

On 12/23/2018 at 10:50 PM, mod3l Lover said:

 ... But, I can't help but wonder now, has anyone done a build using a Chevy Fleetline roof?

I just bought the two kits to do exactly that, but somebody on here has combined the two already, and I believe is offering the result in resin.

EDIT: Yup.

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[cobraman]

You have my attention. I like what your doing .

[DumpyDan]

13 hours ago, cobraman said:

You have my attention. I like what your doing .

Yes sir gonna be watching.  You showed the pic of the magazine cover and I got a flash back, remember it well.

[espo]

Your front inner fenders are like what I was thinking. They look natural and give you the tire clearance you need. This is a great looking build and I enjoy watching your progress.  

[Koellefornia Kid]

Hi guys. A happy new year for you all!

 

I started to do some engine modifications. I preassembled the block and drilled some holes for the plug wires:

Then I built a new air cleaner. I´ll be using this one from my parts box:

I shortend it a bit and scratch built a box from sheet styrene:

That will sit on top of the manifold:

Then I realised that the old Eldorod didn´t have any mirrors, so closed the pinholes in the doors with putty:

Think I´m ready for paint now, so stay tuned...

[Belugawrx]

Looking forward to colour Oliver.

Cheers

[crazyjim]

Very nice modifications. I look forward to future progress.

[Koellefornia Kid]

Hi there, just a little update:

Applied some paint to the body. First a basecoat of Opel Apache Copper:

Then two coats of a custom mix of brillant red and red metallic:

[Koellefornia Kid]

Added some BMF to the body, as well as the head- and taillights:

Also finished the interior. It´s box stock except for the steering wheel which came from a Testors Smoothster kit (another original Boyd part):

The engine is completed, too, with a custom air cleaner, wires and self-made decals for the valve covers:

The roof was painted with the same tan as the interior. The new window was equipped with a clear plastic piece from a folder cover:

Got info about my rechromed parts. They should arrive next week, so the Eldorod will be finished soon!

Thanks for looking...