What is the best rendition of a 34 Ford Coupe?

[twopaws]

Wondering about everyone's opinion on the most accurate 34 Ford Coupe. Thanks ahead of time for all answers.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The accuracy of ALL the '33-'34 Ford kits has been discussed at length here: http://www.modelcars...showtopic=81776

BUT THE LINK DOESN'T WORK, & GOES TO A DEAD END.

MODS, WHAT'S UP WITH THAT ??

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

In general, the best one in terms of scale accuracy is the old old old Monogram 3-window 1/24 scale version, and all its derivatives (though the later chopped and street rod versions have their share of inadequacies and problems).

The 1/25 Monogram / Revell SNAPPER KIT is a fair rendition of a mildly chopped 3-window coupe, BUT the nose is WAY TOO SHORT and gives the car a wonky look...if you actually know what a '34 Ford looks like...or care.

The old Aurora 1/25 double (complete stock and hot rod versions in the box) 5-window coupe kit is rare, expensive, and looks good built stock, but has significant scale deficiencies. The body is too narrow, for a start.

The old-tool AMT 3-window coupe kit is horrible, horrible, horrible. Don't even bother. Did I say horrible? The body shell makes a fair starting point for a lakes-style chop. Throw the rest in the chipper.

The later AMT '34 5-window coupe is actually pretty good. The same era AMT '33-'34 two-door sedan has some inaccuracies, but it's not too bad, really.

The Revell chopped-3-window coupe GLUE KIT on the tube frame, derived from the Buttera T kits, is seriously UNDERSCALE, and is entirely idiotic. The body shell is about the right size for a '34 Fiat, which is tiny compared to a '34 Ford.

I've actually MEASURED REAL CARS to verify this information, and the above is true and correct

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Art Anderson]

Bill's got this pretty right, with one exception: Every AMT '34 Ford from the mid-1980's has a cowling, hood and top of the grille that is more than a little bit too flat--the real ones are much more rounded, albeit nowhere near as rounded as what AMT did with their 3-window back about 1975. Anyone besides me think it's time for a truly accurate model kit of a '33-'34 Ford Model 40? Hmmmmm?

Art

[Force]

The stock version of the AMT 34 5-Window Coupe came out 1996 and the street Rod version came 1995.

I'm not sure if they are based on the older AMT 34 tooling as I don't have one of those to compare with.

[Mike Kucaba]

It would sure be helpful if there was a photo spread on these like the 250 Ferrari .

[Ace-Garageguy]

The stock version of the AMT 34 5-Window Coupe came out 1996 and the street Rod version came 1995.

I'm not sure if they are based on the older AMT 34 tooling as I don't have one of those to compare with.

The '34 5-window and the '33-'34 two-door sedan share NO tooling with the older 3-window. The 5-windiw and the sedan were all NEW tools. The older 3-window is a pig. Even the frame and engine in the 3-window are horrible.

Note: The 1/25 5-window street-rod version doesn't have stock suspension, but has pretty nice 4-wheel independent. And the AMT '33 two-door sedan is on the same chassis as the '34 5-window, but the body shell is different.

It would sure be helpful if there was a photo spread on these like the 250 Ferrari .

I can do that (have all the kits in stock), but not for at least a week or so.

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There are 2 more I recall, not so far mentioned...Revell has a 1/32 scale snapper too. Though I have one, it's sealed and I have no idea about how accurate it is.

Pyro / Lindberg ( I think there's a Life-Like branded version too) had a 1/32 glue kit. I never have seen a real one.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

. Anyone besides me think it's time for a truly accurate model kit of a '33-'34 Ford Model 40? Hmmmmm?

Art

I'd buy a mess of 'em, as this is another car where WAY too much time has to be put into getting a decent starting point before doing something creative. Still, there are a lot of good looking models out there that have been built from the truly second-rate kits available.

Let the rivet-counter and old-fogey-who-cares-about-these-fossils-let's-have-new-cars wars begin.

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EDIT: My next long-term 1:1 project scheduled is a full rebuild on an original '34 3-window, for Josh Mills shop. The car will be available for measuring if anyone from the industry should want to get it right.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[southpier]

I need more coffee

[Cato]

This is exactly what Harry asked about in his thread-why do manufacturers bother to release a kit if it's a cartoon of the subject? Nobody expects perfect and all that lame talk but, with this subject as an example, it's been going on for decades.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The AMT 5-window is mostly pretty good. How about just tooling an ACCURATE 3-window body shell and keeping the rest of the parts in a new kit? That should be pretty cost-effective, and I'll even supply ACCURATE dimensioned drawings, made from a real car, for far far less money than an in-house team would do it for. I'll get it right, too...first time, no extra charge.

Any takers??

And while you're at it, throw in the trees from the street-rod and make it a 2-in-1so that the model can be built either as stock or modern rod (but ditch the street-rod wheels; surely there's a wheel-tree from something, maybe 5-spoke Americans or even the steelies from the '40 Ford, that would be better).

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mike Kucaba]

Aurora also did a '34.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Aurora also did a '34.

Yes, that's a rare one. I mentioned it in post 3 above. The kit is pretty cool, one of my particular 'grail' kits, and came with a complete cycle-fendered OHV V8 powered hot rod,

plus a complete stocker in the box.

I was disappointed by the scale inaccuracies and the kinda odd proportions of the hot-rod version.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

The nose-proportion problem on the Revell snap kit is pretty obvious when you look at it next to a real one.

Again, I've MEASURED real ones, and I'm not just repeating 'opinions' that have been endlessly repeated without empirical backup.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

This is one you DON'T want (the chassis is nice for a model T, and the body is way small for a '34 Ford). It's been issued in other packaging and art over the years.

The kit on the left is the AMT 3-window that's horrible...the nose and several other major faults ruin it. The body shell will make a good chopped lakes-style model, but the rest of it is trash. Really a shame too, 'cause the box art is cool.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Jordan 191]

It's very interesting to read this thread! Good info.

[Ace-Garageguy]

This is the "pretty good" AMT 5-window coupe kit. It really is pretty good.

This is the street-rod version of the same kit. The body and frame rails are the same as above, but the suspension is independent all around, and it can NOT be built stock.

[Dan Helferich]

The last version of the AMT '34 5 window can be built as a rod or stock, it has both interiors, suspensions and engines. The box is similar to the red one pictured and is hefty with all the extra parts..

[High octane]

Hmmmmm, this is an interesting thread as I guess I never paid much attention to the inaccuracies of the '34 Ford kits. I did assemble the snap-kit last year, but that was just for grins. You guys posted a lot of good info on the subject matter. Thanks!

[Ace-Garageguy]

The last version of the AMT '34 5 window can be built as a rod or stock, it has both interiors, suspensions and engines. The box is similar to the red one pictured and is hefty with all the extra parts..

Very good to know. Do you happen to have the kit # for the one that has all the bits, or some other identifying points? I was pretty disappointed when I opened some of the red-car boxes and found no stock parts.

[Mr Dedo]

Look for the Monogram 1934 three-window chopped top kit. Get lots of long fingered clamps and some good plastic cement. Try attaching small pieces of brass sheet to help support the door tops and door sides.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Look for the Monogram 1934 three-window chopped top kit. Get lots of long fingered clamps and some good plastic cement. Try attaching small pieces of brass sheet to help support the door tops and door sides.

The kit he's referring to is this one, in 1/24 scale, and it is a derivative of the old old old '34 Ford kit mentioned in post #1. It has come in several box-art versions. Like he said, it's chopped. It also has only hot-rod parts and cannot be built stock.

[Casey]

On 3/8/2014 at 3:14 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

The Revell chopped-3-window coupe GLUE KIT on the tube frame, derived from the Buttera T kits, is seriously UNDERSCALE, and is entirely idiotic.

How about the 1/16 Revell '34 Ford 3-window Coupe?

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

How about the 1/16 Revell '34 Ford 3-window Coupe?

That's one I've never had my hands on, though I've been told it's shaped and proportioned well.

[Art Anderson]

On 3/8/2014 at 10:18 AM, twopaws said:

Wondering about everyone's opinion on the most accurate 34 Ford Coupe. Thanks ahead of time for all answers.

I've been working on an original 1964-isssued '34 3-window coupe (stock bodied) by Monogram.  While this kit does have some issues, mostly in regard to parts of the various body character moldings (for example, Monogram tooled the kit as though the roof should have pronounced drain moldings around the tops of the doors (or at least a very heavy molding), the real car has merely a faint flared edge to this are of the roof),  that model is actually spot on for shapes and proportions.  In my considered opinion (and I have the much later AMT '34 5-window and the holy grail Aurora version as well), the original Monogram kit has all those shapes and proportions about as close as close can be.  This is the kit, BTW, from which Monogram derived the ZZ-Top Coupe street rod kit from.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Art Anderson