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AMT 1960 Ford Ranchero


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If you go with the Comet chassis, you might have to adjust the front axle, so the tires will be centered in the openings-

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I also used the Mercury's black wall tires, and those are the kit wheels... I filed down the flange from the outer rim to reduce their diameter and make them look more like the stock small-diameter steel wheels.

Dang Chuck! You're not wasting any time are you? That looks nice! I sectioned a couple of inches out of the cab area on my chassis to get the front wheels centered a little better and that's as far as I got.

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Roger- easy to make progress when you're skipping over the stuff like adding a full detail chassis and engine and just making it a coaster. B) I'm way more interested in seeing how yours turns out.

So, that's the kit chassis under it or...? I hope you're patient. It's untelling when or if my Ranchero project will see the light of day again. Although, it may move up in the lineup once I get my '61 F-100 and the trailer from my '60 F-100 done.

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Nope, that's the '64 Comet chassis- in hindsight I might have been better off using the kit chassis, I just didn't want that gaping hole where the engine would have been. Even though once the model is done it is likely I will never flip it over and look at the chassis. Weird, huh? I am using the kit chassis under the other one... yes, I've got another one in the pipeline... I just had to see how that big push bumper looked on one... ;)

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I just didn't want that gaping hole where the engine would have been.

I've done curbsiders with just the essentials of an engine glued into the chassis. Just assemble what you'd see from under it. I'm doing that right now with my Dodge A100 van. The Little Red Wagon kit has a removable engine cover in the cab, and the doors open so you can access it. I'm doing a Jimmy Flintstone resin van and the doors don't open. Thus, I will glue the engine cover in place in the interior. So the slant six I'm putting in the engine bay will only be detailed enough of what you will see from down under. May not even get a valve cover.

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Nope, that's the '64 Comet chassis- in hindsight I might have been better off using the kit chassis, I just didn't want that gaping hole where the engine would have been. Even though once the model is done it is likely I will never flip it over and look at the chassis. Weird, huh? I am using the kit chassis under the other one... yes, I've got another one in the pipeline... I just had to see how that big push bumper looked on one... ;)

I have a Ranchero on the shelf with the kit chassis under it. I couldn't stand the BB Chevy engine in it any longer. So, I took it out and left it as is. Planning on sticking the 289 from the AMT '66 Mustang into it someday.

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I've done a few "just the basics" curbsides myself- just enough of an engine to fill the hole, but for this one, I had the Comet chassis, and no other use for it, so I thought "Hey, why not?'. I think the next one will get a partial Mustang '66 engine stuck in there, just for that purpose.

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I have a Ranchero on the shelf with the kit chassis under it. I couldn't stand the BB Chevy engine in it any longer. So, I took it out and left it as is. Planning on sticking the 289 from the AMT '66 Mustang into it someday.

So far I've used an original curbside chassis under all my Rancheros! That one had the engine molded in, but most important, had a single exhaust system on it. The later kits had dual exhausts molded in.

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I don't wanna go back and read the entire thread, so sorry if this is repeaing someone else's post, but...

I'm sure you've noticed the custom 'panel' graphics on the decal sheet have fuel filler cutouts for both sides, when only the driver's side cutout is needed, but take note- the two smaller scallop decals both fit DRIVER'S SIDE only. Shades of the minor Dirty Donnie Chevy van decal debacle all over again. :lol:

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So far I've used an original curbside chassis under all my Rancheros! That one had the engine molded in, but most important, had a single exhaust system on it. The later kits had dual exhausts molded in.

I've never seen the promo/curbside chassis for the Ranchero. Does it have a gas tank molded in? I've got three or four promo chassis' from the Falcons. But, never have really paid any attention to how they are molded. I'll have to dig one out and check it out.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've been kicking around the idea of using the Pro Street '66 Nova chassis under this kit, with the front suspension modified to a proper Ford setup and a Ford big block. I know some serious cutting of the cargo bed would need to take place, but I think I'm up for it. Good or bad idea?

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Interesting idea, Chuck - could be cool! The Nova front suspension design is actually quite similar to the stock Falcon set-up, and as I remember it, those parts are pretty well detailed.

In the real world, putting a big block in a Falcon usually entails using a Mustang II type suspension - that would be another unusual way to go for a model. There are a few street rod kits that have that suspension.

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I think I have all of them- Monogram's '37 Ford and the Revell Beatnik Bandit II come to mind off the top of my head. The suspension in the Nova is pretty close to the Ford setup, but I know an AMT '67 Mustang setup can be adapted to the Nova chassis, if you just can't live with knowing its a GM suspension under it.

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A 351 Cleveland will fit in the stock engine bay but you need special headers. That is what is sitting in my brothers 60 Falcon right now. Very tight fit.

Chuck just chop away and use the bed cover.

Yeah- in the Falcon I'm building (with the pro street Nova chassis) I had to use stock exhaust manifolds because none of the headers I had in the stash would fit the ports AND clear the suspension.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Sort of apples and oranges, and seeing that this thread has languished I wanted to post a few pictures of an AMT 1961 Comet that I cut the hood open and added the chassis from an AMT 1967 Mustang along with a Ken Kitchen 170 straight 6,

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Being that the Comet and Falcon shared the same chassis it should be about the same to convert the same donor to a Falcon. I bought a couple of these reissued 1960 Rancheros, one just for a 1960 grill with clear head lights for this blue '61 Falcon

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In 1980 I bought this 1962 Falcon 4 dr. with 46 thousand miles for $75.00-drove it until 1986 when I sold it with almost 100 thousand miles. Bought the light blue '63 just for parts although it did run/drive very nice too. Just liked the black one better.

img035_zps695ba259.jpg

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