tim boyd

Sorry guys...I've been involved with family-related responsibilities the last 24 hours. First, thanks Martin ("59 Buick") for measuring an actual engine as well as JB for his dimensions measured a different way, and thanks Bill for converting Martin's dimensions to 1/25th. That's all helpful info. Right now, my focus is on finishing the model so I am going to take a pass at this moment on trying to measure my kit (the engine is already painted and partly built), Hopefully I can secure another kit in the next few days, and I'll repeat the earlier photo exercise with the dimensions drawn in. In the meantime, for all of you reading this thread, I have two salient comments. 1) I too know a little about Nailhead V8's. While I've never assembled one in 1/1 scale, I've actually built the majority of them ever made in 1/25th scale. I've also been photographing and looking at Nailhead powered hot rods for nearly 40 years. This new kit's engine is unmistakably a Nailhead. Not only that, it may - underline may in totality be the best Nailhead ever put in a kit, whether the cylinder head exhaust port dimensions turn out to be close or not so close. I'll soon have one finished, and then you can form your own opinion on these these two statements. 2) In fact, at this point, my view is that this entire kit in totality, may - again, underline may - be the best hot rod kit ever offered in 1/25th scale. I want to finish it in its final form before I make up my own mind, and then, even more importantly, I want to listen to what other people who have actually built the kit have to say about it vs. the other hot rod kits that have been offered over the years. Bottom line - for most of you reading this thread - please don't let your initial opinion of this kit, be swayed by whether the cylinder heads are exactly correct, almost correct, or turn out to be dimensionally inaccurate, I mean to offend no one, particularly those who have posted here, but there is much, much more to an engine's, and a kit's overall goodness, than just that single series of dimensions. Instead, buy the kit yourself, build it, and form your own opinion. And then, if you like it and you had fun building it, buy a few more! TIM

Bill...thanks for the update....TIM

Andy Lemble (1930FordPickup) said on page 1: Now if we could just get the tire and wheel sets in a parts pack. How close are these tires to the rears in the Black Widow? ****** Guys...bit of an update here/correction of earlier info. Turns out the front tires in the '29A kit are the same as those in the Rat Roaster kit. The '29A rears still appear to be new tools. Neither of these match the reissued Black Widow tires (for one thing, they are the old school design with no hollow centers). However, the front tires in the Black Widow are near exact to the height & width of the '29A rears, and their tread pattern and sidewalls are near exact matches for the '29A front tires. This means if you adapt a set of wheels to fit both tire designs, you can have a matched set of tall'n'taller fronts and backs with the same side engraving and tread pattern. Beyond that, the Black Widow rears are much taller than the '29A rears, but the also have a larger wheel opening that you would expect from an old school design Monogram 1/24th scale kit. But, if you could find a set of rear wheels that fit the opening, these Black Widow rears would be great to work on the '29A Highboy, as they would put it on a rake, vs. the nearly flat front to rear ride height of '29A Highboy right out of the box. But what wheels would work? HAH! I've got an idea that might work...stay tuned. Thanks Andy for the question. TIM

Quick update....I started building the kit yesterday afternoon/evening. Most of the components are painted now, the engine is awaiting final assembly, and the body will be rubbed and waxed tomorrow. I can't believe how fast it is coming together. I'll post a build thread later, maybe starting tomorrow, so those that are interested or planning to buy the kit can get a hint of what fun is to come... Cheers...TIM

Bruce....that looks pretty darn sharp to me! TIM

Thanks JB....if I can find the button I'll definitely do this. TIM

Dave...your plans sound cool....and I hear ya regarding changing of the build plans. I started mine yesterday, the body and frame are painted (although it may need another coat or two as the paint shrinked a bit), and I've got the engine block assembled and just painted that about15 minutes ago (after changing the planned color three times). I'm doing the Highboy straight out of the box, but also buliding the second Z'ed A chassis up as much as possible from the kit parts, before I jump into the parts box to finish it. Probably going to slap a '27 T Touring body on top (with the rear seat removed to make way foro the Z'ed portion of the frame, and a leather tonneau cover added over the former rear seat engine area). Anyway, hope you can share pictures as your build comes together (and that goes for anyone else reading this thread who is planning to start a build project. Cheers...TIM

Snake...just fixed that! I have a problem here at Boyd headquarters. A few days ago, i did something on this computer that makes the print on this forum incredibly small. I have an extremely hard time reading the posts, and writing new ones. Usually spell catcher tells me I made a mistake, but "regards" and "retards" are both legal spellings. Oh well....and if anyone knows how I can reset my Desktop so that the regular size font returns, I;d sure appreciate knowing how. TIM

Bill, .would it be possible for you to provide the actual 1/1 scale dimension (e.g. centerline to centerline for each of the four exhaust ports)? Also...just curious if you looked at the other six pictures on this subject at the link I provided? Thanks TIM

As promised a couple of days ago, I just did a comparo of the exhaust port spacing vs. the AMT-Ertl 1966 Riviera kit, the Revell lParts Pack Buick, and the AMT 32 Ford Custom/'40 Wiillys Double Kit Nailhead engine. .. Some of you have commented on the exhaust port spacing, suggesting that it is not entirely correct. I don't have a 1/1 Nailhead block out in the garage to measure, but i did do a comparison with some previous 1/25th scale Nailheads. In each of the following photos, I've highlighted the machined facing of the exhaust ports in red paint. Here, the Revell '29 A Nailhead cylinder head on the left, the Revell early 1960's Buick Parts Pack engine on the center left, the late 1990''s AMT/Ertl '66 Riviera kit cylinder head on the center right, and another Revell '29A kit cylinder head on the far right. It's hard to photograph in a way that allows an exact comparison, but these all appear very close in exhaust port spacing. Here it looks like the two center ports are closer together on the Buick Parts Pack engine, but this is less obvious looking at the actual parts. I've posted six more photos including more cylinder head comparisons,, and exhaust header comparisons, at this link: http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/first-look-at-all-n/first-detailed-look/first-detailed-look/page4.html Start at image #73 and go from there. As I point out there, this is an incomplete comparison without having the 1/1 scale component measured or photographed. But at this stage, I think we can conclude that either the Revell '29A Cylinder head exhaust port spacing is either correct, or very close to being correct. Thanks for looking...TIM

Snake....I'm thinking you are correct on that '29 "Fad A" approach, using the Z'ed Model A frame. I dug out that old article a few months ago, intending to revisit it for a possible new build exactly along these lines. I also did a quick fit under the AMT '29 A body AND fenders....looks like it would adapt fiarly easing, with relatively little trimming. Not sure about the resulting wheelt/tire stance as I didn't have the suspension mocked up yet. But theoretocally all the 1/25th scale Model A bodies should adapt with minor to modest kitbashing, as welll as some Model T's (specifically, the '26/'27 Pheaton and the resin aftermarket turtleckeds...) Best Regards...TIM

JB....your are correct in that some of those tabs are added to make sure the tool fills completely. My impression is that the chrome tree attachment tabs are pretty small and inconspicuous, but I've started building the kit, so we'll see I prepped and primed the '32 frame a few hours ago, and there was no issue with the sprue attachment points and the character line. The frame did need some cleanup, but pretty minor stuff. The '32 frame 'sweeps" were much better than the Revelll '32 Street Rod series frames, just as I suspected. When I first saw the rough tool 18 months ago, I had exactly the same worry about the rear tires and the highboy version. But when I built it, the tires centered properly, both in the '32 Highboy frame and Channeled 'Z'ed Model A frame version. We'll see if that holds with the production version, but i would expect it would. More to come as I go through the build process....>TIM

John....appreciate the feedback. This show is really starting to become a "can't miss" event, for all the reasons you mention. Cheers, Tim .

Chris....I agree that the kit was indeed a headache to develop, but it was a good headache - or perhaps more accurately, my impression is that it was a labor of love for everyone inside Revell and the people they hired outside to help them to deliver it. It's sad that Roger never lived to see the reaction to it from the modeling community - but what a wonderful legacy to leave to the hobby. All....thanks for your comments, particularly around the front frame horns. Fellow Modeler and now 1/1 scale '32 Ford Highboy owner Fred Farrand just completed his 1/1 hot rod (it was in the Pete and Jake's booth at the Street Rod Nationals a couple weeks ago), I sure don't recall his frame horns looking like this, but then again it would not be the first time I've been wrong on something like this either. I believe his frame has the pinched rails (and it has a way cool spreader bar), so when he brings the car by my house in the next week or so, I'll be looking with interest anew on this, and taking pictures if I find anything one way or the other. Glad you guys enjoyed the review. If you like this sort of subject (and plainly many of you do), the best thing you can do is make sure the first kit run sells out quickly so Revell will be encouraged to look at additional future derivatives. Best to all...TIM

Rob...same here with the whitewall decals. I think I am going to try them on my build. I'll coat the sidewalls with Testors Semi-Glloss Clear before I apply the Whitewalls. Not sure if I will assemble the wheel/tire set before doing the whitewall decalls, but that's the way I'm leaning right now. Cheers...TIM

Bill...interesting comments from your perspective as one who works on the 1/1 versions. I just did q quickly comparison of the exhaust port spacing between the heads and headers of this kit, vs. the AMT-Ertl '66 Riviera Nailhead, and the original Revelll 1960's Nailhead Parts Pack engines. There appear to be very small differences, but I couldn't come to a clear conclusion. They appear almost a perfect match for the Parts Pack engine exhaust port spacing and cylinder head length, but slightly different than the AMT/Ertl kit. I'm tied up right now but I'll try to take some photos and post them this evening. I do know that the engine was measured/photographed/scaled off real 401/425 Nailheadss under construction in a Midwestt Rod Shop. The kit's engine received a great deal of effort to make sure it was right. It will be very interesting to see the results of your measurements. i do feel confident in saying that most modelers will find this to he the best Nailhead ever put in a kit, whether the exhaust port spacing ends up being correct, or slightly off. Thanks for your comments and insights on this Cheers...TIM

http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/first-look-at-all-n/first-detailed-look/first-detailed-look/ It's finally here..71 detailed pictures and captions at the link above..thanks for looking....TIM .

I'll be posting an online preview soon...hopefully later this evening. Will post a link on this Forum when complete. TIM

Congrats Jesse. I heard earlier today that one shop in the NE also got theirs, and my own shop - I just leaned - has theirs too. I'm on my way to pick it up...."news at 11" as they used to say. TIM

Luc...don't think I didn't mention similar ideas (actually, the same ideas except for the wheels), and several others along the same vein...maybe they'll consider them down the road.....TB

Hopefully Round 2 corrected some of the errors n the original kit'a decal sheet, specifically the non-correct "hump" in the side stripe under the C-pillar, the omission of the vertical blackout panels for the R/T-specific door depressions under the A-pillar, and the too-large ciutout on the hood blackout panel, which left a body color margin around the fresh air scoop....TIM

Cars...no I didn't attempt to fix it, but if I did so, it would involve re-contouring the edge of the fender that envelops the wheel/tire assembly. It could be done by someone experienced in model car bodywork, but it would take some significant time and effort to do so. TIM

Excellent job on this conversion, Cars! The problem with the wheels/tires not being centered in the rear fenders is with the original Revell kit, at least that has been my experience. IIRC it is much worse on the right side (passenger side in US and Germany) than on the Driver's side. Best Regards...TIM

2015 Concours d'Elegance of the Americas at St. John's After its move several years ago from Meadowbrook Hall in Rochester to the Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth, Michigan, what used to be known as the Meadowbrook Concours continues to grow in success and importance at its new location. As always, Michigan weather this time of the year can be good or bad...after a soggy event last year, the weather was brilliant - just perfect - this year. Local media reported over 300 cars on display and well over 10,000 visitors during the event, which has now stretched into a three day affair. It takes over the entire St. John's facility and grounds, which is a highly impressive venue on its own. The Concours committee continues to add special and feature classes, broadening the appeal beyond just the automotive Concours Cognoscenti. This year's special classes included a phenomenal display of six Duesenberg Model J's, 1950's Indy Roadsters and Midgets, early 1960's factory Super Stock drag racers, ten historically significant early hot rods in a pseudo-garage layout, a few cars from Bruce Meyer's collection, classic Hearses, Vintage Bentleys, and three of the five 1960's Italian Bizzarrini Syders (poen top coupes and roadsters) ever manufactured, displayed together for the first time ever. This year I opted for VIP show passes, so the first half of the album is mostly devoid on people in the background. Also, please remember that I shoot all the cars I think would be of interest to anyone viewing this album, not just the ones that I find personally appealing. Where possible, I've included a photo of the information plaque displayed next to each Concours entry. Alas, while clear skies and tons of sun make for pleasant environment, they may for harsh lighting and shadows in photography - a small price to pay in my view. Now....pour yourself a glass of fine wine or grab a cold beer, relax, and take a look at this year's edition of one of the top Concours events in America. 339 pictures at the link below....(also see Howard's pictures further down this board, iff you haven't already...) Thanks for looking....TIM http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/11-scale-automotive/2015-concours-deleg/