'32 Ford Highboy Roadster - Completed 06/22

[Bernard Kron]

Nothing fancy here, just a tweak of a classic kit. My plan is to do a Barry Lobeck style '32 Ford Roadster in the 90's idiom, clearly what Revell intended with it's '32 Ford Highboy kit. But details like the tires and wheels and the stance always bugged me. Somehow it came up short. So after a couple of hours work here's a mockup of what I think will be my next project. Plans are for a bright red paint job with brown interior, louvered hood and smooth sides. Perhaps a small block Chevy, too. So far I removed three leaves from the front spring to bring the nose down, adapted the front tires and wheels from the Revell Stone, Woods & Cook Willys Gasser kit and cut down a pair of rear mags from the AMT '53 Studebaker Starliner kit to fit a set of 11 inch Firestone dirt track tires from Replicas & Miniatures.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

Edited June 23, 2010 by gbk1

[Raul_Perez]

Looking good, Bernard!!

I really like the stance!!

Later,

[WickedWelder]

Looking good! I love the stance you have for it. cant wait to see more

[jedimastergary]

Looks good and sounds like it will be a good one when done

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx for the kind words, guys! Here's a minor update.

When it comes to how a vehicle looks, I've always felt that stance plays a critical role in how successfully the design comes off. This is particularly true of hot rods where many of the design elements are already pre-determined. The Lobeck-inspired Deuce roadster still didn't look quite right to me. Lobeck's style depends heavily on a really tight, dialed-in stance. I liked the rake on the car but the area between the top of the rear tires and the wheel well arch seemed much too large. So I lowered the front and rear suspension roughly equal amounts by changing to a mono-leaf front suspension (quite common on this style of rod) and cutting down the dreaded Revell airbags. The difference is not dramatic (probably lowered the car about 1 ¾" all around), but to my eyes the result is a tighter, more together look and much more like a 1:1 Lobeck Deuce.

The mocked-up red grill represents what I plan to use in the final build, but it will be a p/e piece.

I've started on an SBC which I hope to complete in the next day or two. I'll post pics when it's done. Meanwhile there's a lot of chassis and body prep and cleanup to do and then paint. I've got the main interior pieces painted out so this project, largely out-of-the-box, is moving along fairly quickly.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

[Steven Zimmerman]

Lookin good so far;are those the kit front tires?........'Z'

[Foxer]

In addition to the great stance, I like that tire choice.

[crazyjim]

Looking very good at this stage. Can't wait to see more.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx guys. Hoping for some color later this week.

...are those the kit front tires?........'Z'

The front wheels and tires are from the Revell Stone, Woods & Cook Willys gasser kit (black car). While I'm not convinced as to how accurate they are for the actual SWC car, they sure look right for this one!

Edited May 10, 2010 by gbk1

[george 53]

Yeah, I gotta agree, that stance is where it's at Daddy-O! That last pic just has it. Lookin good so far, Keep us updated!

[Steven Zimmerman]

Thanks !..I'll have to look at those......'Z'

[Bernard Kron]

A lot of progress has been made on this build. I'm very close to final assembly but habe now hit some snags that will need attending to.

First off I purchased some louvers from Archer Fine Transfers (http://www.archertransfers.com/ ). This is an interesting product, resin surface details attached to a decal substrate. They are 3 dimensional but you apply them like a decal. There are many pluses and minuses but the bottom line is that they are a huge labor saver and permit you to do things that might be difficult or impossible otherwise. For a full review see my post here: http://www.modelcars...87&#entry308687 . I put 4 rows of louvers on the hood and a short row in the bottom rear corners of the smooth hood sides from the later Revell Deuce kits.

Next up I made the interior. It's kit stock finished in Testors Leather acrylic paint. However, I've never cared for the kit dashboard with its air conditioning outlets and radio and cassette player (?!). So I cut them out, glued in a blank panel and installed a p/e dash from Replicas & Miniatures.

Then I built the small block Chevy. It's made from various bits and pieces from my parts box but it's basically a Revell piece. The major snag is that the alternator drive is too big and pokes out beyond the hood side, so this will need to be modified. Otherwise it's done.

The bodywork has been painted but the grill shell is too dark. I probably lost count of the number of color coats. The color is Duplicolor Torch Red over Duplicolor Red Oxide Primer. I think the grill is still showing too much of the primer so it will need some more coats of color and clear. And finally there's the chronic problem I always have with the Revell Deuces. For some reason the hood sides never fit very well without a lot fiddling. If any of you have any tips regarding this issue I'd sure appreciate it!

If the photos seem a little all over the palace it's because I'm experimenting with different styles and lighting. Overall the car is starting to look like I want it to but it still needs some work to get it right. But the color and stance are there, the motor done if I can solve the problem with the alternator drive, the chassis half completed and the bodywork part way there. Maybe I can finish this one up in the next week or so…

Thanx, for lookin',

B.

[Raul_Perez]

Hey Bernard,

This one is coming along nicely!!

So, your trusty old bodyman friend is here to help you with the hood fit problems.

The problem is the radiator shell is too high (or maybe the cowl is too low).

This pic shows a slight gap between the bottom of the radiator shell and the top of the frame.

Bring the radiator shell down just a little bit and the sides will fit much better.

Later,

[Scott Colmer]

Looks good Bernard. I really like the wheel and tire selection. Stance is right on the money.

Scott

[Bernard Kron]

So, your trusty old bodyman friend is here to help you with the hood fit problems.

The problem is the radiator shell is too high (or maybe the cowl is too low). ... This pic shows a slight gap between the bottom of the radiator shell and the top of the frame. ... Bring the radiator shell down just a little bit and the sides will fit much better.

Thanx Raul.

I noticed that the grill shell is currently a little high, too. It's because the locating tabs on the resin grill shell I'm using (from Replicas & Miniatures) are just a bit thick and don't slip into the slots in the Revell shell quite right. A little trimming of the tabs should do the trick. Then the hood will sit at a better angle and come down to meet the sides more correctly.

Also, I may need to slightly shim the the top of the firewall. I removed some material the from underside of the rear edge of the hood to allow for the use of a firewall from the AMT Phantom Vickie but abandoned that because I couldn't get enough clearance for the distributor on the SBC. Now the hood sits down slightly from the cowl. I have to do some filler work on the Revell firewall anyway to get rid of that single hood support bar thingy and install a proper pair of supports, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

Looks good Bernard. I really like the wheel and tire selection. Stance is right on the money.

Thanx Scott.

I've always considered these sorts of semi-replica builds as composed of a series of small victories (and, potentially, defeats). Now that I've gotten the stance and wheel/tire combo dialed in I have to get the hood combo right. If I do that then maybe I have a chance at a proper Lobeck-style street rod. This build is certainly turning out to be more complicated than I had thought! But I've always wanted to do one of these so I'll keep plugging away...

Edited May 17, 2010 by gbk1

[Foxer]

I'm a Archer resin decal fan and the louvers are looking real good in the full body photos. The WHOLE car is looking good, actually!

[Ragnar]

NICE Work!

CHEERS!

[ajulia]

Mornin Mr. B' Ive been checkin on and off for awhile now and yer nailing these projects to the wall. I say keep on wit the keepin on!! and I know mos-def where to go when I need my early iron hot rod cravings!! Thanks for allthe awesome build up pics and how to's as well! AHH! thought I didnt see them did ya! lol Keep on wit the keepi on bro'

peace

tito

[Raul_Perez]

...I noticed that the grill shell is currently a little high, too. It's because the locating tabs on the resin grill shell I'm using (from Replicas & Miniatures) are just a bit thick and don't slip into the slots in the Revell shell quite right. A little trimming of the tabs should do the trick. Then the hood will sit at a better angle and come down to meet the sides more correctly.

Also, I may need to slightly shim the the top of the firewall. I removed some material the from underside of the rear edge of the hood to allow for the use of a firewall from the AMT Phantom Vickie but abandoned that because I couldn't get enough clearance for the distributor on the SBC. Now the hood sits down slightly from the cowl. I have to do some filler work on the Revell firewall anyway to get rid of that single hood support bar thingy and install a proper pair of supports, so it shouldn't be a big deal...

It sounds like you know exactly what you need to do to get the side panels to fit!! (Come up a little in the back and down a little in the front)...

It looks like this one is on the home stretch!!

Later,

Edited May 17, 2010 by Raul_Perez

[Sixties Sam]

Lookin' good! I like the color. It looks a lot like the old Monogram Big Deuce in my avatar.

Sam

[Romell R]

Hey Benard: your build has the makings of a winner but i would like to giv you a little advice for future builds. Get in the habit of mocking up your project over and over again, take your time make sure all pieces fit nicely before you even think of going to the paint stage. Ive been building close to 40 years (started when I was 5 im 43 now you do the math) but one thing i figured out early in my building career is "make sure it fits first" and keep some sheet styrene around it's great for making those gaps fit better. anyway I apologize for leaving a book on your thread but i hope i was of some help. keep up the good work and dont be in a hurry!

[Bernard Kron]

Hey Benard: your build has the makings of a winner but i would like to giv you a little advice for future builds. Get in the habit of mocking up your project over and over again, take your time make sure all pieces fit nicely before you even think of going to the paint stage. ..."make sure it fits first" and keep some sheet styrene around it's great for making those gaps fit better. ...

Thanx for the input, Sometimes, unfortunately, you get mockuped-out and you wanna see the color. You're right, of course, and when you have to go back your gonna pay the price! This was not the first time the alternator on a Revell SBC bit me on a Deuce so I shoulda known better! As these things go I'm not paying a very high price on the little problems I've encountered.

BTW, I'm diggin' the fabrication work on your Chevelle!

Edited May 18, 2010 by gbk1

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx for all the lind words The chassis and engine are completed and assembled. I took some more formal shots to show the stance and rake as a result of the lowered front and rear, and also to enjoy all the shiny bits up against the bright red paint! Now for detailing the bodywork and final assembly and I can call this project done…

Thanx for lookin,

B.

[Bernard Kron]

I got close to getting this done but then hit a roadblock that'll take a little time to rectify.

First off was the continuing issue of the fit of the hood sides. They just would not line up with the edges of the hood top, no matter how I tried. Then it occurred to me to compare the hood sides that came in the Revell Deuce roadster kit with the blank hood sides I was using from a Revell Deuce 3-winodw coupe. Comparing the lower edges I noticed that the sides from the 3-window were curved upwards to conform to the fender valence that fits over the frame, while the louvered roadster good sides were straight along the bottom edge. Eureka! The roadster kit does not come with fenders at all, it's a pure fenderless highboy. It was the original kit and they made only one set of hood sides, louvered ones, that were made to fit snugly top and bottom between the frame rails and the lower edges of the hood top. Significantly, the Revell 32 Ford Sedan kit comes with all three variations, stock, hot rod louvers and blank, but all three are curved along the bottom. This means if you want to run blank hood sides on a fenderless highboy ideally you would have top sand down hood sides (which have the hot rod louvers) from the roadster kit. Having used the blank sides with the curbed bottom originally, this is exactly what I had to do. Below are pictures of what I'm referring to.

But during final assembly came the major setback. After installing the nice taillights from the AMT Phantom Vicky kit, along with adapting some hood supports from the Phantom Vicky as well, I started to install the Model Car Garage p/e grill into the Replicas & Miniatures grill shell with its lovely detailed radiator. Low and behold the p/e grill didn't fit. Now, I've used this combination many times before, always without any problems at all. This time the p/e grill was too tall and I couldn't get it to sit properly. So after lots of fiddling around, the poor little p/e grill finally said uncle and split down the middle. I have ordered replacements of both pieces along with notifying the vendors of my problem but it means this project is on hold until I solve this issue.

Here are some pics of the taillights and the car as it stands now. I hope to get the rest done in the next few weeks once the parts get in. It's frustrating because the car was starting to have "the look" I was after and the red painted p/e grill was promising to really complement the build. Oh well… in the meantime I've got another project to keep me busy.

Thanx for lookin',

B.

Edited May 28, 2010 by gbk1

[Scott Colmer]

Setback are all part of the game, Bernard. Jus' keep on keepin' on. You are working on a really good build.

Scott