Phildaupho Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 My current project is another one from my previously started list. It is a Revell 1948 Ford Woody which was only ever issued as a stock version. My build is inspired by a Vancouver ’48 Woody that I have been impressed with since I first saw it not yet finished a number of years ago. On the surface that car is perfectly restored and except or its stance looks absolutely stock. Underneath it has a full C-4 running gear including suspension and tuned port fuel injected engine. My build will also have a Corvette engine but a C-5 LS-1. As for a chassis I am using the great Art Morrison chassis from the AMT Wagon Rod which features an independent A-arm front suspension, rack and pinion steering, disc brakes, a Ford 9-inch rear end and air bags all around. I have also grafted the 5-speed manual and oil pan from that kit onto the LS-1. The ignition covers were modified with Evergreen siding to sort of look like finned flatheads. My first modifications to the kit were to separate the “woody” parts from the “metal” parts and the roof. Then I cut out the “wood” panel sections from the “wood” framing to eventually be replaced by real wood panels from cigar box separators. I have always been very impressed with the headliners of classic Woody’s. They remind me of the wood work on classic yachts. The headliners were in many cases an open grid of narrow wooden slats through which you could see the white inner liner of the fabric roof. The headliner in this kit is very well rendered but I have scribed open between the slats so the white under the roof can be seen so I may not permanently attach the roof. Before proceeding any further with the Woody work I decided I better do the modification to get the chassis and engine under the car. Fortunately, the wheel base of the Wagon Rod appears to be the same as the ’48 Woody. So far I have removed the gas tank and some raised surface areas from the Woody floor pan. Next up will be to paint and assemble the rolling chassis and engine to see how it all fits and what else needs to be modified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larman Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 That is a super good looking car! Love the color and stance. Your model is coming along really nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Looks fun! I’ll be following along! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I like your concept for this build. I have only built a couple of "Woodies" but never had the nerve to go as far as you are with the wood trim. I'll look forward to seeing how you bring everything together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 On 3/23/2020 at 11:34 AM, larman said: That is a super good looking car! Love the color and stance. Your model is coming along really nicely! On 3/23/2020 at 12:08 PM, Tom Geiger said: Looks fun! I’ll be following along! On 3/23/2020 at 1:52 PM, espo said: I like your concept for this build. I have only built a couple of "Woodies" but never had the nerve to go as far as you are with the wood trim. I'll look forward to seeing how you bring everything together. Thanks guys - I will be posting an update any minute now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 Update - I knew that my desire to use the Wagon Rod chassis with a LS-1 engine would require modification to the ’48 Woody structure. The only way to find out the extent of these modification was to paint and fully assemble both the chassis and engine. AMT deserves credit for the great job they did tooling up the Wagon Rod. It a long with the Phantom Vickie were completely custom model cars of vehicles that did not exist in full scale. The assembly of the chassis was straight forward but the LS-1 engine with all of its belt driven ancillaries was a tight squeeze between the upper suspension a-arms. I combined LS-1 exhaust manifolds with those from the Wagon Rod engine but they did not join with the exhaust pipes as well as I hoped. In order to establish where everything was going to locate and what needed to be modified, I had to temporally reassemble the body and floors of the Woody. To get the taped together structure to sit down on the rolling chassis quite a bit of cutting was required. I cut off the engine compartment sides which will need to be modified to fit over the a-arm front suspension. The transmission tunnel had to cut away for clearance and a new hump will need to be made. The engine sits a lot further back than the stock flathead so the firewall will need to be severely recessed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 That's a great looking chassis. You might consider just starting with a flat sheet of plastic for the firewall, or will the firewall from the Wagon Rod work ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 5 hours ago, espo said: That's a great looking chassis. You might consider just starting with a flat sheet of plastic for the firewall, or will the firewall from the Wagon Rod work ? Thanks David - The Wagon Rod firewall did not offer any real help so I have recessed the stock firewall. I will be using flat styrene for the engine compartment sides however. Photos to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Extensive modifications were required to the engine compartment to accommodate the LS-1 engine. The firewall was severely recessed meaning service to the back cylinders would need to be done from inside the car. New flat styrene engine compartment sides were installed to provide for the width of the LS-1 and give clearance for the a-arm suspension. The stock radiator was retained but twin electric fans were added. Inside the Woody a new transmission tunnel was installed. Because of the set back of the firewall into the interior and the location of the shifter pedals will be hung from the dash plus a longer steering column and bucket seats will be used. The wood panels are made from cigar box liners. When fully assembled I think it will sit a little lower in front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3fan Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Looks great Phil. Can't wait to see it in person- someday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 19 hours ago, m3fan said: Looks great Phil. Can't wait to see it in person- someday! Thanks Russ - I am going to work on the stance and have some questions for you regarding your use of the Wagon Rod chassis under your 40 Ford Pickup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 16, 2020 Author Share Posted April 16, 2020 Up Date April 16 - With all the modifications completed I decided to paint, assemble and finish off the entire non-Woody portion of the model. I had predrilled the floor pans so I would be able to pin and locate the chassis at the correct position. I did notch the frame rails forward of the floor so I could bend it up to get the front a bit lower. As mentioned previously I hung three pedals from the dash. The steering column was shortened where it meets the firewall and the column shift rod was trimmed off. I must mention that the dash and steering wheel are very nice pieces with this kit. The dash has a separate chrome section with clear lenses for the gauges and the steering wheel has a chrome horn ring and centre emblem. Testors lacquer Phoenician Yellow was applied to the dash and steering wheel. The seats are Testors leather enamel. The green paint is a custom blend of Testors Colors by Boyd enamel air brushed. The wheels, tires, hubcaps and rings are from the Revell 32 Ford 5-Window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 (edited) Up dated April 21 - I used a technique of painting plastic to look like wood on the ’32 Ford Woody I built last year and was pleased with the results so decided to try the same with the ’48 Woody. The plastic Woody parts were first painted light yellow. The “wood” around the windows was brush painted with Light Yellow Testors enamel while the body was sprayed with Model Master Daytona Yellow lacquer. All the “wood” parts were then dry brushed with Testors light brown enamel in an attempt to give some grain affect to the “wood”. The previous time I employed this technique I used Tamiya clear yellow acrylic for the final coats but all I found on my paint rack was orange clear so went with that. The “wood” around the windows was brush painted with the orange while the headliner and body were airbrushed. It took some time for me to adjust to the results that are so different than the ‘32 Woody. The brush painted pieces look more like wood than those airbrushed which are definitely way more orange than I would have liked and the grain affect has virtually disappeared. Anyways it is what is and I think the Woody will be rather eye catching when fully completed. Thin wood sheets that separate the two levels of cigars in their boxes are being used for the exterior wood panels with the other side being the interior side panels. I am not sure where it came from but I had some incrdebibly thin wood veneer or paper printed on both sides to represent wood grain. I used that material for the trim on the interior side panels. Both sides of the wood were given multiple coats of polyurethane clear. I trimmed the door handles off the plastic interior side panels and reinstalled them on the wood panels. I really like how the headliner looks after opening up the spaces between the wood slats to expose the white behind Now that the wood parts are completed I can move onto final assembley Edited April 21, 2020 by Phildaupho Forgot to mention update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 I decided to see how the "woody" parts of the body would fit with the "steel" part of the body and discovered I had to do some trimming here and there. So far I am very pleased with how it has come together but getting it all together it might be a challenge. I have become a big fan of Shoe-Goo for such jobs. I want to get this completely finished up soon so I can enter it in the Desert Classic Virtual Model Car Contest of which I am very impressed with how organized it is. Going to prepare a couple of entries later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 That’s looking really sharp Phil! Suspected this might have your WIP entry for the DSC. The green looks perfect with the wood treatment, very impressive. Cheers Misha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyser Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Nice woodwork. Orange clear darkened things up nicely, happy coincidence. Great work as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 That's a lot of work you have going on there. All of it very well executed and a great improvement to the original kit. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Really beautiful looking. Your wood treatment stands out nicely against the dark green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 13 hours ago, Misha said: That’s looking really sharp Phil! Suspected this might have your WIP entry for the DSC. The green looks perfect with the wood treatment, very impressive. Cheers Misha 6 hours ago, keyser said: Nice woodwork. Orange clear darkened things up nicely, happy coincidence. Great work as always. 4 hours ago, David G. said: That's a lot of work you have going on there. All of it very well executed and a great improvement to the original kit. David G. 39 minutes ago, espo said: Really beautiful looking. Your wood treatment stands out nicely against the dark green. Thanks everyone. Your comments are much appreciated. I am going to my bench now to stick it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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