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Vern Luce 33 Ford


Lowlife ! !

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Hi guys..

Been away from the models for a while, just got fed up !  But Ive always wanted to build  the Vern Luce 33 Ford and this has inspired me to start it !

Now im not going for an exact replica, but a heavily influenced car shall we say !

Starting with the ZZ top kit ive spent a few years trying to find one, this came over from the USA !

As with most of my builds first thing was cutting bits up !

Ive opened up the door, going to be hinged ,  then switched to the chassis. It s chopped about but I still might end up scratch building this, but were see...
 

First heres Verns 1933 Coupe.....

 

Luce 33.jpg

Edited by Lowlife ! !
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Hi Martin!

Now, THIS is an iconic car. The one who started the whole "smooth look" in contemporary rods. And you seem to have the rake/proportions right in your mock-up. Nice.

Do you plan to scratchbuild the IFS, or aim to transplant something? 

The closest thing to the delicate scale required might be the Buttera's tall coupe IFS.

Monogram had one in the 37 sedan street-rod, and AMT in the Phantom Vicky, but both (nice units) are a smidge too "massive" in the a-arm department, IMHO. 

Just curious...

CT 

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Martin, I cut the doors out of one of these some time ago- be very careful of the bottom door frame area since mine wanted to break- might be good to figure out some reinforcing asap! Great job on the cutting- very smooth and even- really like what you did on the chassis. Looking forward to more!

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Thankyou guys !

Claude, there is an aftermarket front independant set up, available in the UK  that i may need to invest in ! 

And Paul, yes its fragile all right. Im getting all the main parts together now, then ill go back and clean it all up ! When its bodywork time i`ll look at it then, but thanks i`ll bear it in mind !  

I realised something needed drastically changing with the chassis, the front rails were way too low and the side rails were too high in the interior.  

So i had to add a Z section in,   and i chose just below the firewall. This also lengthens the front rails which helps ..

The lower half of the firewall was removed too to fit the chassis up higher , i`ll rebuild this later, and a smooth firewall  !

I also didnt like seeing any of the chassis from the side so ive curved the bottom of the rails so they cant be seen.  After adding a 1mm strip, the boot fits too, got to be hinged next...

Added pieces to the hood sides to support the grill, and its starting to fit together better now, more interior space and room for a sump and exhausts !

 

 

20201201_213947.jpg

20201201_214921.jpg

20201201_214305.jpg

Edited by Lowlife ! !
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Hi Martin!

I didn't know about this aftermarket IFS, so I look forward to discovering it trough your project. 

Your new "lower and longer" stance reminds me of a car that was very similar to the Luce coupe, but was built in 1/1 by an Oklahoma shop. I think they called it the "Chrome shop special" back then in the rod mags. It had, however, a grille similar to the famous Jake Jacob's yellow 3W. 

Regarding the Boyd wheels that were on the Luce coupe, I saw something very similar in a kit, but I just can't remember exactly which one. I'm still searching, but I'm also getting older by the day, so...

Keep on!

CT 

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Thanks guys !

David, regarding the grill,  i think its a bit too slanted looking at my new mock up, and once its up on suspension it wont be this low.... hopefully it will all fit ok !

Thanks Oliver,  3 beautiful builds there, im looking forward to your Vern clone !

 

2 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said:

Regarding the Boyd wheels that were on the Luce coupe, I saw something very similar in a kit, but I just can't remember exactly which one. I'm still searching, but I'm also getting older by the day, so...

Keep on!

CT 

 

Thanks for the interest Claude,  as far as im aware ( web research ! )  the original coupe went to Australia.  It is kept pristine (and driven !)  by its new owner and was slightly revamped.

The wheels at the top, the straight 5 spokes, are not original. These were added later.  I should have noticed and used an original pic !

If you look at this pic these are the original Boyd wheels,  and the wheels im using are as close as i can find.  Ive had them for years, saved especially for this build !

 

Luce 33 - 2.jpg

Edited by Lowlife ! !
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41 minutes ago, Lowlife ! ! said:

If you look at this pic these are the original Boyd wheels,  and the wheels im using are as close as i can find.  Ive had them for years, saved especially for this build !

 

Luce 33 - 2.jpg

The closest to rim I've seen to these came in some of the 80's/90's releases of the Monogram 39 Chevy Coupe. But I don't think they were big n' littles.

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5 hours ago, Koellefornia Kid said:

A very nice start on a very cool car! I Nice job with the doors!´ll keep an eye on this project because the VERN Luce Coupe is on my to-do-list, too! It is still missing in my famous ´33/´34 Fords collection:

546542803_10FamousFordHotRodsinscale.jpg.e78f9808874cc0efe5f2d5d98d7967b3.jpg

Don't forget about the Jim Ewing Superbell coupe. 

413f076669f2da1ccd638ebb663adc42.png.ac8453463156c7d03c5ed2dc2fd6b9d2.png

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3 hours ago, Jantrix said:

The closest to rim I've seen to these came in some of the 80's/90's releases of the Monogram 39 Chevy Coupe. But I don't think they were big n' littles.

Also a set in this kit that's big and little. 

They have lug nut holes that could be filled and the cooling holes could be made slightly larger and you'd have the exact wheels you need after painting.

Hot Rod Custom Model "A" Pickup, Revell 7136 (1986)

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  • 4 weeks later...

 

Either way i go, i still cant figure out the front end.  It needs to be low enough for the engine and rad, high enough for the independant front crossmember. Oh and wide enough for the headers !

So i cut this off again, cut a big hole,  and fitted an engine, a smallblock from the spares box !

New firewall fitted, and i might now try a tube front and rear chassis... ?

 

 

20201228_115940.jpg

20201228_115854.jpg

20201228_155338.jpg

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On 12/2/2020 at 2:02 PM, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Martin!

Now, THIS is an iconic car. The one who started the whole "smooth look" in contemporary rods. And you seem to have the rake/proportions right in your mock-up. Nice.

Do you plan to scratchbuild the IFS, or aim to transplant something? 

The closest thing to the delicate scale required might be the Buttera's tall coupe IFS.

Monogram had one in the 37 sedan street-rod, and AMT in the Phantom Vicky, but both (nice units) are a smidge too "massive" in the a-arm department, IMHO. 

Just curious...

CT 

 

 Oh and thanks Claude.  This is the independant front suspension i ordered ( i have a rear set too)  Lots of clean up needed but it should be ok, ive only done the front crossmember so far......

 

 

20201214_183500.jpg

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