styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) I actually completed this build awhile back but never got around to posting pics. If you are an aging baby boomer like me you might remember this iconic T Roadster ...it was actually built by New England hot rodder Fred Steele. Record company promotion people were looking for a hot rod to grace the cover of The Ventures new release, and wanted it photographed overlooking the L.A. basin from high up on Mullholland Drive...and California newcomer Fred's ( who had joined the LA Roadsters car club ) ice box white T Bucket was perfect for the night shoot...or so the legend goes. First step in the build was to get the Revell 29 model A frame shortened and narrowed with a 90" wheelbase. Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) Selections for components come from my massive kit collection and parts box in order to duplicate the car in the photo. The engine was an easy choice...the venerable Chevy small block from Revells "Tweedy Pie" kit. The wheels on the real car are apparently 58 Chrysler Imperial wheels, I didn't have anything that remotely resembled them but thankfully Fredericksburg Va modeler Jerry Fraser's own parts box furnished reasonable facsimiles. The romantic couple comes from the classic old Lincoln Futura kit...with a little alteration they can assume a "parking" pose. Other suspension parts are easily sourced from Revells classic 31 Woody / Sedan kit for the dropped I-beam, and rear leaf spring from Revells 29 Model A kit..... Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) The Columbia Two speed rear comes from the Revell 40 Ford kit...or was it AMT ? Either would suffice. ( I checked my build notes...it came from AMTs '41 stock Woody kit ) The T Bucket body is from the old AMT '25 T re-release kit ( not the Revell Custom Car Parts 23 T Bucket as I previously wrote ) Body required some minor modifications. An ancient re release of the Revell "Tweedy Pie" in "Rodfather" form furnished an interior, the seat will be re upholstered in tuck and roll format with half round Plastruct strips. Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) Spark plug wires.....fitting the photo etch wire looms. Edited April 22, 2019 by styromaniac Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) The Stromberg 97 carbs in the original 60s edition of the Revell "Tweedy Pie" kit are really well executed...especially with those nicely detailed curved stacks...but I thought I'd give The Model Car Garages own Strombergs a shot. The tri carb intake manifold is an after market resin item from Replicas & Miniatures of MD, the chrome bell air cleaners are from the new Revell 2in1 29 model A kit. The Rams Horn exhausts come from AMTs stock 57 Chevy re-tool kit.....along with the fan belt and generator. Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) Tamiya paints...rattle cans for the chassis , suspension , engine and bucket body....bottle paints for the cruising couple. The wide white Big and Little tires are from the Revell 29 Model A "Rat Rod" edition, with the backing brake plates from Revells 48 Woody kit. The photo etch dashboard gauge rims are from Model Car Garage with Detail Master paper gauge faces. Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) Carriage Lamp tail lights ( with MV model Railroad red lenses inserted into drilled out lamps ) ....and photo etch wire looms in place on the engine block with Detail Master distributor. Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Great job, so far. I still have my "Ventures In Space" record in my collection, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 I can almost hear that surf medley music wafting over the smoggy LA night air.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 (edited) Looks like this guy is going to need a "Nokie" (necker) knob on his steering wheel!! Edited April 22, 2019 by magicmustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 A simple yet fun build. I'm going to display it on the wall...right under that framed album cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike999 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Awesome build of an awesome car! And being a card-carrying geezer, it reminds me of seeing that album cover in the stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Thanks Mike...Geezers rule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 1 hour ago, styromaniac said: ...Geezers rule! Absolutely. Great looking build. Always a treat to see somebody build a car I remember vividly from my yoot. Spinning the album as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styromaniac Posted April 23, 2019 Author Share Posted April 23, 2019 (edited) Thanks Bill. A compliment from an expert post war period hot rod builder such as yourself means a lot. I have always enjoyed your own build threads.... as well as your constructive comments on others work .....because they inform and instruct. Your knowledge of real full scale hot rodding coupled with parts sourcing in the scale world is a great contribution to the hobby! Edited April 23, 2019 by styromaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Excellent post. Liked everything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Nice build of a fun subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBcritter Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 (edited) Don't forget the license plate; just print to scale and trim: Edited April 23, 2019 by ChrisBcritter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Great looking build. Outstanding attention to detail, and thankyou for the list of parts used. I'll have to remember some of them for future builds of my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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