Bernard Kron

Scale Modeling by Chris (SMBC) also carry them at the same price. Sometimes they have more color choices. Also excellent delivery. http://www.scalemodelingbychris.com/mad.htm They're as nice a pre-wired distributor as is out there. The SMBC magneto is also nice: http://www.scalemodelingbychris.com/magnetos.htm

Well Don, you won! What a build. It takes this already fine kit to a whole other level. It's so clean, simple and to the point that it perfectly captures all that is so compelling about a great traditional rod. I'll leave it for others to drill down into all the lovely details which always animate your builds (except to invite everyone to savor the the superb engine bay area) and just say one thing: Wow!

Absolutely. Golden Ages never last very long. The managers of money and money itself breed risk aversion and reward normative behavior. Sanctioning organizations recognize this fairly early on and focus on legislating safety and economy. In this they are supported by the money managers who wish to protect there investment. Eventually, even if inadvertently, they conspire to stifle risk in all its forms, whether it's on the track or in the garage. In the end we have a world of one car formulas at the highest ranks and the real excitement and romance is often found at the grassroots, if only because there appears to be "less at stake". In this sense drag racing has a real advantage, in that any single entrant has very little track time, permitting a rich mix of lower ranks and touring professionals alike, something which is largely lacking, now, from big time speedway and road course racing.

Good point Sam. I think, though, that at the high end in the pro ranks even drag racing has become more formulaic and less innovative and open than it used to be. But certainly straight line racing, perhaps like dirt track racing, has a long way to go before it becomes as ossified as F1, IndyCar and NASCAR all seem to have become. I agree that the drag strips offer more at the man/machine interface, even in the higher ranks. B.

I have built two of the Blueprinter version of the AMT '34 recently. This is the one with the stock beam axle and leaf spring suspension so I suspect the stance sits higher. However, both were essentially fenderless. If you channel the body you don' t have to do anything since lowering the body over the frame gets rid of the gap. I'm assuming your gonna build it as a highboy. On my highboy I also used the valence that covers the gas tank like Raul and Robert did, but in my case I reversed it to create a tucked under rolled pan: (Click on image to enlarge) Here's the channeled version in case your tempted to channel this beast (warning: it's no picnic although the result is very, very cool!): (Click on image to enlarge) Looks nice so far. I agree with kustom about the color. Maybe I'll use it, too! BTW Raul, nice job. I'll remember that approach if I ever tackle a '34 highboy again...

I’m finally getting back to this build after concentrating on completing the “Lil’ Beggarâ€, my ’34 Ford 5-window early 60’s gas coupe in red oxide primer. To get the juices flowing again I finished the interior which is mainly stock from the kit except for the cutting necessary to deal with the channel job. The only fancy touch is that I drilled out the buttons on the seat back and substituted small pin heads. The Signal Red acrylic paint on the seat is burnished with tissue paper to simulate worn leather. (Click on image to enlarge) The other part of the project that I completed was running a test panel of various primer and paint combinations to get really BRIGHT RED PAINT on the car. Following the description of how to get that extremely bright red paint that was seen on Ferrari F1 cars in the late 90’s and early 2000’s that was posted on the MCM board a while back, I determined that I could get the desired result by spraying a base coat of white primer followed by two coats of fluorescent (Day Glo!) red and then two coats of Duplicolor Super Red. Here’s a test picture I ran of the interior colors against a sample of the final color. I corrected the picture to accurately represent the final colors on my computer monitor, but I don’t know how well it will reproduce anywhere else. Trust me, it’s REALLY bright red paint! (Click on image to enlarge) Next on the docket is final fitting of the body parts before paint, then chassis paint and assembly and then final assembly. I’ll post pics over the next several days as I move along. Thanx for lookin’.

I'll be watchin' for the Deuce and waitin' for the Tub! B.

Thanx everybody! Looks like Plasti-Kote is the one! I'm relieved and delighted that it's that straightforward. Myles: When I was at the Plasti-Kote web site I looked up dealers near me and there are seceral Carquest stores near me so I'll call them and check it out. Thanx again. B.

As someone who appreciates both the racing aspect of motorsports and the technical aspect, the thing that bothers me most is the drive towards standardized formulae in all areas of the sport. The successful and laudable drive towards enhanced safety cannot be accepted as an excuse for this unfortunate trend. The demise of real stock cars comes from a combination of the evolution of stock street automobiles into a form inappropriate for traditional speedway racing combined with a misbegotten attempt to enforce economy and equality on the track via the rulebook. With apologies to American football fans out there (all sports can provide interest and passion if you look for it) this has turned NASCAR racing into something akin to the arcane and contrived sports that are contemporary US stick and ball sports today. Sadly, Formula One has not escaped the same fate, IMHO. Technologically, at least, mediocrity and sameness are rapidly becoming the order of the day. However, drivers are drivers and builders are builders, wherever you find them, and on any given day, in any given class, great, passionate driving skill and mechanical innovation are on display, and sometimes it actually makes its way past the rules book to create great competition on the track and in the paddock.

A while back I read a post here describing how to achieve a really bright “Ferrari Red†of the type seen on their race cars in the 90’s. The poster described applying an undercoat of fluorescent red. I ran a test panel using various combinations of my regular sealer primer, Duplicolor, which is a medium gray, Tamiya Fine White Primer and Tamiya TS-36 Fluorescent Red as the undercoats and Duplicolor 8801560 Super Red as the final color coat. The ideal combination was White Primer only followed by two coats of fluorescent red and then the final red color coat (minimum two coats for depth). The result is a stunning “knock your eyes out†red that’s just what I’m looking for. Any hint of gray primer spoiled the effect. Here’s my question: Can anyone recommend a sandable white primer available in aerosol cans that, ideally, would cover well and would be sandable? The Tamiya Fine White Primer really doesn’t cover very well at all. I’ve used it before and I find it expensive and difficult to use because of this. Unfortunately I don’t airbrush yet so the primer has to be available in aerosol form. I would like to avoid using any gray primer for body prep work if I can in order to assure the brightest possible final color. I have done a limited web search and see that Plasti-Kote offers a white sandable primer. If you have had experience with this primer, can you tell me if it covers well and does it have adequate mechanical qualities to tolerate sanding during body prep? Thanx! B.

Moodel

Cool! I'll take the '32 for now. Then I'll wait for the Tub! B.

Tell me the slight orange peel on the rear bumper valance wasn't done on purpose! A great out-of-the-box build.

I had to look this one over a few times to notice all the cool little details you put in it. Nice build.

You've really captured the essence of the car in this build. Breathtaking in it's execution and detail, but most of all, totally true to the beauty of the original design. The contemporary stance is just stunning. As others have said, thanks for giving us this.

I Can't wait! B.

Superb and very original. Amazing how final detailing and BMF pulls things together. Clay: Most of us only see these builds digitally. We'll want to hear your impressions once you receive it! B.

I was racking my brain in my earlier post trying to remember them. Early Years has great prices and some very cool and unique vintage parts. Definitely an important source.

Thanx Don. I don't know about that. Your '34 was a real inspiration and is chock full of cool details that I really enjoyed. I've got this realism hangup and I was hoping to get more into the modern rat-rod, jalopy thing but once again I found myself headed toward a specific era and "back story". @#$%^&* it!

Thanx Mark. No problem. I was aware of the radius rod issue. The Revellogram ’32 series annoys me because it imposes that whole mid-late 90’s “Good Guys†thing on you (for example the steering wheel which infects all the variants). Indeed, in retrospect I should have based the front suspension on the Revellogram ’29 Ford kits because the dropped axle on those kits are beam axles, not tubular ones as found in the ‘32’s. I actually have several of the ’25 T hairpins and had considered using them but they are way too long and are chromed pieces so cutting and modifying them opened a whole can of worms (airbrushing and Allclad are still a ways away in my future). I wanted to include a bit of chrome because so often on these types of cars they were a constant work in progress with some parts back from the chromers, primer applied in anticipation of a new paint job, etc. I had gone to some trouble to dull out the motor and rear axle and I wanted the contrast. One thing I enjoy tremendously about the web-based evolution of car modeling is learning how people meet the challenges they set for themselves. Your list of parts sources is exactly what I’m looking for and I appreciate it. On another project I have going I’m building a Buick Nailhead and researching and acquiring parts for that motor has been quite an experience! This was a sort of “out of the parts box†build, albeit someone else’s parts box. I think authenticity is a stern taskmaster and presents its own challenges in resourcefulness and modeling craft. I’m definitely headed that way but as this is only my second completion since I started building again after several decades away from modeling there’s still an awful lot of ground to cover before my chops are up to it. Ideally, where parts aren’t readily available I would like to be able to scratch build what I need to accomplish my goals. This will come in due course. It still was a total blast to capture a bit of the vibe of that particular era in this build.

Thanx everyone! I have to say this was a fun “fantasy†build. The motivation was as much from using up all those parts (the ’34 body was originally a practice shell for things like top chops, etc.) and doing a car in red oxide primer as it was in trying to capture the spirit of those funky early gassers. The is wayyyy funkier than the Mooneyham and Sharp 554 and has a completely different stance. The 554 is a beautifully finished and proportioned car: CalSurplus sent me one more 5-window which I’m keeping to do the real 554 once I’ve got my chops to the point where I can pull off a proper replica build, It’s gonna be a while.... Thanx Crap’n. I work real hard at getting those little details down. In this case I was trying to capture the realism of running the car through a pool of Super Glue during staging to get maximum traction!

Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland is most likely your single best source for flathead parts of all flavors. Beautifully, made too. They have everything from complete engines to the smallest detail parts from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and all kinds of hop up parts including a finely cast S.C.o.T blower setup. Check this thread out under Tips, Tricks and Ideas: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12063 Here's all the contact information in one convenient spot: Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland 317 Roosevelt Ave., S.W Glen Burnie, MD 21061 Catalog: $4.00 Tel: 01-410-768-3648 Hours: 9am-5PM EST Mon.-Fri. Norman Veber e-mail: replmincomd@aol.com

Is it too late to enter? I say the curb is a Model!

Right out of the pages of the “little magazines†circa early 1960’s, a stripped down A/gasser coupe. Cars had names back then and this one is called “Lil’ Beggar†because, with the exception of a couple of aftermarket parts, she’s made virtually entirely from parts given to me by a very generous MCM forum member who has been sending me stuff to get me jump started as I re-enter car modeling after a very long hiatus. The trouble is I have no parts stash of my own....yet. Inspired by both Don Banes’ cool primered ’34 highboy (thanx Don!) ( http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.p...amp;#entry81599 ) and the Mooneyham & Sharp “554†’34 5-window competition coupe ( http://554.ne1.net/ ), I wanted to build a red-oxide primered beast, a rough and ready weekend warrior. I wanted to capture the look of a car that was in transition from being a street rod to becoming an all-out altered competition coupe. Based on the AMT ’34 Ford 5-window I decided to use the “jalopy†parts in the kit and build it as a highboy using the kit chassis as well. The roof has a wedge chop – 2†at the back and 3†at the front. The engine is the Revell parts pack Pontiac 421 The front axle is from the Revell ’32 Ford family and the rear quick change is from the AMT ’25 T kits. The interior uses one of the bucket seats from the ’25 T kit smoothed out and finished to look like a sheet metal seat. Most of the rest of the interior is from the AMT ’34, with a scratchbuilt roll bar and an aftermarket Moon tank. The wheels are after-market early 60’s Halibrand mags from Competition Resins. They’re painted Metallizer Magnesium. The paint is Duplicolor Red Oxide primer. The decals are my first stab at making my own. The pics show the Lil’ Beggar with and without her “war paintâ€. Special Thanx to the car’s “sponsorâ€, CalSurplus Auto Parts, without whom this build would have been impossible. Thanks for looking!

Rik Hoving is a great student of all things hot rod and kustom. He's also a great modeler: http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/model_cars/ He's made many beautiful masters for Replicas & Miniatures. He also does colorized photgraphs that are stunning: http://www.rikhovingkustoms.com/RHK1/Kolorized_Photos.html Be prepared to spend a lot of time digging down on his Fotki site. It's one of rodding's great treasures, IMHO... B. P.S.: Check out this Hoving designed paint job: http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_pho...-1960-ford-sta/