AMT 49 Ford

[oldscool]

The recent Fordillac thread and Gustavos 49 convertible build have inspired me to pull my 49 Ford kit out of the stash and start building. Gonna build it as a sleeper with the Caddy engine and otherwise stock appearing. Even gonna use a bland color to further the sleeper appearance. The paint used are Krylon Color Maxx Gloss Khaki, Rustoleum Flat Black and Tamiya TS-17 aluminum. They were sprayed right on bare plastic with no crazing. Guess I got lucky. Basic painting done, now on to detail painting the chassis and engine. Haven't decided on interior color yet. What would have come from the factory with a body color similar to this.

Edited August 22, 2022 by oldscool

[bisc63]

Nice! Loving your colors and the subtle sleeper approach.

[ea0863]

I'm digging this build!

[Paul Payne]

How about wider tires to get the power to the pavement?

[oldscool]

28 minutes ago, Paul Payne said:

How about wider tires to get the power to the pavement?

I plan on putting some slightly bigger tires on the rear but want to keep it period correct so really wide tires are not an option.

[espo]

You're off to a good start and I like the sleeper idea. You mentioned some question on interior colors. The dash and metal interior window moldings would have been a medium gray with a very light metallic looking finish. I have done the rear tire treatment you mentioned by using the tires from an AMT/Round 2 Chrysler 300 for the rear. Used to put 8.20 x 15's on the rear of a lot of old cars in 1:1 scale. Larger diameter with somewhat wider tread width and fits the kits wheels anyway.  

[oldscool]

Thanks for the info David. I'll se what I can find for a shade of gray. I am considering a larger diameter tire but not wider for the rear.

[Zippi]

That 49 Shoebox is looking good so far.

[oldscool]

Got a little more done today. Chassis is detail painted but I'm gonna repaint the drive shaft in a darker metallic shade. I mix my own metallic shades by adding flat black to silver until I get the shade I want using Testors little bottle enamels. Did the lower A frames and rear axle in semi gloss black for contrast. Got most of the engine painting done and drilled it for plug wires but don't have a pic yet.

I know this is pretty basic stuff but posting a WIP thread keeps me motivated.

[speedy5963]

Looking good so far!

[oldscool]

Made some more progress last night and this morning. Repainted the driveshaft in a darker shade of metal and drilled the exhaust ends. I always write my name and the date inside my models for some future rescuer to find. Dated it September as I don't expect to be finished with it this month. Got the engine finished as well. Tried to match the factory Caddy blue as best I could. First had the engine primed in white but the blue looked too bright so reprimed it with flat black. Looks closer to me. I routed the plug wires the way they looked in pics that I googled of stock Caddy engines. Also drilled out the carbs as I may or may not use the kit air filter. If I use it I will dechrome and paint it black to go along with the no frills scheme.

Next up is the interior which is my least favorite part of a build. I love detailing engines but have never been good at interiors. Still trying to find a suitable shade of gray for the dash.

[espo]

You might consider Googling '49 Ford for pictures that will show you an original interior, they were pretty plan looking in the base cars. Sears seat covers were often an improvement in appearance. 

[slusher]

I agree with David, 49 Ford interiors was pretty plain. I do like your engine..

[oldscool]

17 hours ago, espo said:

You might consider Googling '49 Ford for pictures that will show you an original interior, they were pretty plan looking in the base cars. Sears seat covers were often an improvement in appearance. 

I have looked at a lot of google pics as well as several nice Youtube videos. The interiors appear to be gray regardless of body color. Think I have found a good color for the seats but it's the dash color that is the issue. They appear to be a silver gray that I might be able to duplicate by spraying some Tamiya pearl clear over a light gray.

 

11 hours ago, slusher said:

I agree with David, 49 Ford interiors was pretty plain. I do like your engine..

Thanks Carl, the engine is one of my better efforts. Just wish it still had the Cadillac script on the valve covers. Weren't they on the original kit parts?

[bisc63]

7 hours ago, oldscool said:

Just wish it still had the Cadillac script on the valve covers.

The Cadillac engine from the AMT '59 El Camino has a nice set of ribbed valve covers on the chrome sprue with the Cadillac letters in the center. They would POP on your blue engine.

[oldscool]

1 hour ago, bisc63 said:

The Cadillac engine from the AMT '59 El Camino has a nice set of ribbed valve covers on the chrome sprue with the Cadillac letters in the center. They would POP on your blue engine.

They would look nice but I would dechrome them anyway. I want it to look like a stock Caddy engine as if it were a Fordillac conversion.

[oldscool]

Made a little more progress today. Don't have any tires in my stash that will work so I'm just going with what came in the kit. I did use the old Traction Master bars that came with the kit. That should help a little in the traction department. Were they around in the early fifties?

Got the engine glued into the chassis and the passenger side exhaust lines right up with the manifold. The other side came up short but not bad for such an old tool. Started not to use the trim rings but they look so nice I just had to. Did the seats and door panels in some Humbrol light gray enamel.

The body has more of a bulge in the passenger side than the driver side. Don't know if they are all like this or just mine. Not gonna let it bother me however.

Edited August 26, 2022 by oldscool

[slusher]

Everything looks great..

[slusher]

On 8/26/2022 at 9:04 AM, oldscool said:

I have looked at a lot of google pics as well as several nice Youtube videos. The interiors appear to be gray regardless of body color. Think I have found a good color for the seats but it's the dash color that is the issue. They appear to be a silver gray that I might be able to duplicate by spraying some Tamiya pearl clear over a light gray.

 

Thanks Carl, the engine is one of my better efforts. Just wish it still had the Cadillac script on the valve covers. Weren't they on the original kit parts?

You could sand the scrips off.   The scrips have been on every kit I have built since I have been building..

[oldscool]

5 minutes ago, slusher said:

You could sand the scrips off.   The scrips have been on every kit I have built since I have been building..

I like the scripts but not the chrome for this build. Think I achieved a decent effect fo the dash. This is Tamiya dark Ghost Gray with some pearl clear. hard to get it to show in pics.

[Slotto]

Nice clean build so far. I like what I'm seeing

[oldscool]

Got the interior done and took a pic of the major subassemblies. Next step is the most nerve wracking part for me- body detailing. Soooo many ways to mess things up.

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by oldscool

[slusher]

Looking great!

[oldscool]

Well this one's toast. Started foiling the rear window and the foil pulled the paint up. So it's going in the junk box. Last time it will ever mess with BMF. From now on I will stick to my silver Sharpie.

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by oldscool

[espo]

The foil lifted the paint on the body?