tim boyd

Mike...my impression is that Norm's caps are different than the AMT '32 Ford caps....I should pull those parts out and compare. I'll try to do that tomorrow and let you know what I find out. And Norm's wheels do not have hub or lug nut detail...I did finish the interior of the hubs in a gunmetal type color to try to add some authenticity. Maybe I should mockup Norm's wheel caps anyway and see if I like that look better. Cheers....TIM

Chris....I would love to see yours completed, whether or not I get mine done first or not. It's all about how each builder interprets the kit, the colors, the chassis components, the overall build theme. This is what I like best about modeling....seeing how each individual builder carries out his or her construction of a specific kit or topic. Cheers...TIM

Richard,,,,I did lower the front end on this build. I opened up the center of the crossmember so the spring could locate farther upward in the chassis, and I also removed two leaves of the spring itself. I also moved the tabs for the radius rod ends upward in the chassis and trimmed off the tabs flush with the top of the chassis. I also had to modify the shock absorber mounts to the frame as the shocks now sit higher relative to the frame rails. My mod here gets the job done, but for a contest build, someone should probably scratch all new shock mounts instead. I remove parting lines from everything except plated parts. That's a step too far for me right now, although I have nothing but respect for those that go to that level of prep and the additional task of using Alclad or sending the parts off to a plating service. I have done that on occasion in the past, but it's not part of my normal build process. For this particular build, my original plan was to strip the chrome from most of the chassis parts and paint them matte black, but I changed my mind based on the rear end/quick change components I ended up using. Cheers....TIM

Norm's wheel and tire set is complete as shown, (tires, whitewall inserts, and spoked wheels). He also includes correctly scale hubcaps, which I omitted due to the overall theme/flavor of my model. All the parts are Norm's incredibly well done resin. Those wheels spokes are demonstrably thinner than any of the kit based styrene wire wheels I've seen, and they contain the correct circular section for each spoke that is just not possible with photo-etched spoke setups. His wheel/tire setup is not inexpensive, but it is well worth the money in my view. Thanks for asking....TIM PS = hopefully will have Coupe photos in a couple of days or so. TB

Brett...it's build #4, but #5 is also underway with the kitbashed body in primer. It uses the old Revell '29A Roadster PIckup body on the new Revell kit frame. May do it using the Highboy frame, and a small stake bed instead of the pickup bed. But concentrating on finishing the 5W coupe first. Now that I think about it, build #6 is also underway, another '29 A Channeled Roadster, but with the radiator depth reduced, and possibly the Model Car Garage sectioned '32 Ford grille shell, slightly lowered suspension, and either AMT/Ertl Aka Kart (II) chrome reverses with big'n'bigger whitewalls, or perhaps the Rat Roadster wheels and tires. I also want to use Norm's entire Halibrand Quick Change rear setup that he originally engineered for his old '29A Highboy Roadster kit with one of these new Revell roadster kit builds. Not to mention a Y-Block somewhere along the way. So yes, I like the kit! Cheers...TIM

sorry...posted twice somehow

Next up? A '30 Chopped A coupe, employing the extra, unused parts in the new Revell '29A kit, with the '30 A Five Window Coupe body from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland. It also includes tall/'n/taller wires and whitewalls from Norm Veber/R&M of Md,, a hot rodded '59 Cad engine, a Halibrand Quick Change on a Model A transverse spring, and much more. The overall vibe is very much "Race of the Gentlemen" (other than perhaps the post-WWII Caddy engine) as opposed to the "spit/'n/shine" gloss of the Roadster kitbash displayed here in the "Under Glass section a few days ago. previously. Here's the essentially completed chassis. The body is also essentially done. The next step is to marry the two, and add final details. Getting close. In the meantime, a few more photos of the completed chassis are at the link.. http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyd-on-line-mo-2/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/ Thanks for looking....TIM .

Chuck IIRC you are not too far away from Toledo/Sylvania....if possible, bring your '29A to our "Traditional Hot Rods" Cult Theme display at the NNL Nats in a couple of weeks! Cheers...TIm

Chuck....lovin' that! Congrats on a sweet project. TIM

Rob....really, really like how you framed out that pickup bed frame....well done! TIM

Sharp....really sharp....and two of my most favorite modern era Ferrari cars, too! Thanks for sharing....TIM

X2 above. Some in the works will blow you away. Let's just hope that they actually make it all the way to the marketplace. Just hoping that Revell's top leadership's focus on entry level kits, which is well timed and appropriate in my view, does not begin to exclude continued effort/investment in newly tooled kits aimed at the adult model car audience. That would be a huge mistake ( an example would be the lack of full detail C7 Corvette and new generation Mustang kits being introduced during c.y. 2016). Absolutely ZERO insider knowledge at play here, just expressing a minor but emerging concern on my part. TIM

No surprise to anyone, I'm sure, but yes, I am building one too. Roadster cab is fully modified and wearing final primer. Still need to reengineer the bed to fit on top of the chassis. TB

Dennis...thanks for the tip on those exhaust pipes. At one point I had convinced mysefl that was the right approach, but changed my mind, perhaps due to the A frame as you've noted. Best! TIM

Erik, I fully agree with your observations. TIM

Dennis....yes I propped up the engine with spacers....thanks for the earlier headsup on that as I don't know I would have caught it on my own. It does make a big difference. I used the Channeled version front and rear exhaust pipes. They fit fine, but the rear ones really need to be vertically sectioned about 1/8" as they tips hang too low on the completed car. I shortened the chrome exhaust tips by 50% which reduces the visual impact, but they are still too low beneath the body. I need to mock it up with the highboy rear pipes but I don't think those will work because of the difference in floorboard (actually trunk floor) heights between the two versions of the kit. I photo'ed a how-to article on this conversion because although it is a relatively easy kitbash, there are a few things that will make a big difference between a successful vs. a less-than-successful result. Dennis, now that I think about it, you are right on the taller ribbed rears, historically speaking. But doesn't the aftermarket today (Coker Tires) do a taller OD ribbed rear tire these days? Seems to me (without double checking) that many of today's 1/1 scale builds do have matching front and rear sidewall/tread patterns???? All - Thanks for the comments on the color scheme - I wasn't sure myself about the result....glad to know it registered favorably with a number of you... TIM

Sonny....you bet they are! Here's how they look coming out of the kit box....Just in case you or anyone else missed my detailed review of the kit contents I posted about a month ago..here's the link - http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/first-look-at-all-n/first-detailed-look/first-detailed-look/ Cheers...TIM

Don't forget that those of you planning to attend the NNL Nats in October are invited to bring your Traditional Hot Rod Builds....including partially completed Revell '29A Roadster kits, to display in our "Traditional Hot Rods" NNL Cult Theme this year. TB

Thanks everyone for your comments. I don't know why exactly, but for me this kitbash seems to perfectly capture the more pure, late 1950's/early 1960's time period of the hot rod world. It's not even close to being slammed on the ground, and it's almost too simple or plain in its appearance, but somehow it delivers a purity of thought about the hot rod genre and build style of the period. Now....onward to finishing the next project! TIM

Marty...no it's just the stock Highboy (not lowboy) radiator grille assembly. I don't know why the lowboy/channeled radiator is so much larger in depth, but the radiator of my next build of the channeled version is going to cut back to match the depth of the HIghboy radiator with a big improvement (I'm betting) in appearance as a result. Cheers...TIM

Mike...nah....they're the FRONT tires from the Revell/Monogram Black Widow kits (the recent reissues with newly tooled tires). Pretty amazing match, huh? Of course, they're not hollow centered so if you are using the Revell kit wheels (which fit better than the Holthaus wheels which were a tad too small in diameter), you'll have to remove the center rib on the Revell wheels. All of a couple of minutes of work if you have a Xuron style parts runner nipper tool....TIM

Paul...a super clean build and love your choice of colors....too bad you can't travel to the States for the NNL Nats Cult Theme Traditional Hot Rods Display....but you'll be there in spirit, for sure. Congratulations...TIM

Here's a link to my first completed kitbash of this kit as posted in the "Under Glass" Forum here...a Model A Roadster Highboy based on the Z'ed Model A frame instead of the Deuce frame.... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/106064-my-first-completed-kitbash-of-revells-29a-hot-rod-roadster-kit/ Cheers...TIM

Here's a sneak peak of a Highboy based on the kit's Z'ed Model A frame (as opposed to the Highboy with a 32 Deuce frame and a Channeled Roadster with the Model A Frame, the two build versions in the stock kit). As we've discussed here in other threads, Model A Highboys based on Model A frames are not nearly as popular as Highboys based on the Deuce frame, but they are seen and often are older restored rods, or new rods build in the old school style. This one uses mostly kit components, modified to accommodate the Model A Highboy/Model A Frame configuration, along with these changes: * BareMetal Foil applied to the brake backing plates, with color insert accents * Chrome Firewall * Hairpin front radius rods * Larger OD rear tires, that also match the tread pattern and sidewall patterns of the kit front tires * Dual Four Barrel intake, carbs, and air cleaner * Holthaus Steelies with Chrome Spyders * Pinstripes from Revell's '50 Olds Custom kit. Paint is Tamiya, Pearl White with Clear on the body, Maroon interior/brake packing plate inserts, and Dark Blue driveline/wheels (it appears black in pictures, but in reality its a dark, midnight/navy blue). Here's a picture....five more posted at this photo album link: http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/tim-boyd-on-line-mo-2/tim-boyd-on-line-mo/ Next up? Not shown right now, but well underway is a '30 Chopped A coupe, employing the extra, unused parts in the new Revell '29A kit, with the '30 A Five Window Coupe body from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland. It also includes tall/'n/taller wires and whitewalls, a hot rodder '59 Cad engine, and much more. The overall vibe is very much "Race of the Gentlemen" as opposed to the "spit/'n/shine" gloss of the Roadster discussed above

Turns out that the three Revell Double Kits did have some subtle modifications to some of the Parts Pack trees to ease (relatively speaking) the assembly of the Double Kit feature models. I did a buildup of the Bantam Roadster in an article in Model Cars about 8 years ago or so (pearl yellow with red chassis...). I used Parts Pack components, but compared them to an original issue Double Kit with the Bantam Bomber during assembly. There were, as I said above, some subtle differences in some of the parts between the original parts packs and the kit. This kits were not anywhere near as easy to complete as the new Revell '29A, for instance, but for realism and scale accuracy, they were hard to beat back then and still hold up well today. Needless to say, I'd love to have the three Double Kits back just as much as the rest of you posting here. Cheers...>TIM