Dennis Lacy

Hot off the bench is this little '34 Pickup I've been working on, off and on, for over a year. Chopped the top, shortened the bed and raised the floor, shortened and Z'd the frame, Ala Kart suspension/wheels/tires all around, cobbled together hot flathead and exhaust, '50 truck dash, '37 truck wheel, pleated buckets. Paint is Tamiya TS55 Dark Blue with semi-gloss clear.

Yeah, quite a few things different on the Blue Beetle version: - solid and 5-spoke mag wheels (vs. generic slotted 70's wheels) - whitewall front bias-ply tires and M&H slicks (vs. ugly 70's wide tires) - early Ford style brake plates (vs. flat finned) - Cadillac script valve covers (vs. finned) - 6 carburetor intake (vs. tunnel ram with 4-bbl's) - pleated firewall (vs. plain) - pleated bucket seats (vs. bench) - roll bar (vs. nothing)

Are you implying that out of the three model kits listed that it is not possible for someone, for whatever reason, to form an opinion of which one is their favorite? Is the Tony Nancy kit much better detailed than the other two? Absolutely, but that may not be the reason it's someones favorite of the three. I don't see where the poll asked for a specific set of criteria...

That was the 1929 Ford Roadster, which originally was a double kit with the Ala Kart. Back when I got one and opened the box I was blown away by all the extra parts, it really made the purchase feel worth while. Some key pieces were missing, but probably 80% of the Ala Kart parts were there and were excellent extras for kit-bashing. The Ala Kart cab alone is a great starting point for a hot rod. The Ala Kart at some point was altered into the "Mod Rod" which had a basic '32 style grill and the pickup bed was replaced by a platform with a keg-like gas tank on it.

I voted for the AMT Double Dragster. It is not overly detailed but good enough that it allows you to build a couple of period correct drag cars in multiple configurations that look great on the shelf. Add a few basic details like ignition wires and fuel system plumbing and both vehicles really come to life. The construction of either vehicle isn't complicated so it makes for more fun and less frustration. The only gripe I have with the current re-issue is the front tires, I think the size is a total fail. Replacing them with smaller diameter and slightly narrower versions make a dramatic difference in the look of both the Rail and the Fiat, for the better. Now, should a guy buy a DD kit strictly to harvest parts from, there are TONS of parts there, especially from the Tin Box version. I would rate the Slingster second. I'm very impressed with it because like the AMT DD it's got killer vintage vibe, just enough detail to look good on the shelf, offers a variety of configurations, isn't complicated to assemble and also like the AMT DD, a few extra ignition and fuel details really make it POP! While some of the parts are simplified like the rear axle and basic engine assemblies, it also has some shining examples like one of the nicest early Ford dropped I-beam axles ever rendered, beautiful hairpin radius rods, wheels & tires, and the Hilborn mechanical fuel injection for the Chevy engine which actually has "Hilborn" scripts on it and separate chrome short venturi tubes. The bodywork and frame are also quite nice. I haven't completed one yet but have started on the basic sub-assemblies and so far, so good! Last, I have but have never worked with the Tony Nancy double kit. Hands down, the more detailed and intricate of the three. Definitaly a GREAT source kit to swipe parts from. I have heard from those who have built it that assembly takes some patience, typical of Revell kits from back in the day.

Thank you, all, for your comments and compliments, they're greatly appreciated!

Thank you, all, for your comments and compliments, they're greatly appreciated!

Thanks! The front tires and wheels are from the stock version of Revell's 1940 Ford Standard Coupe. The rear tires are older Modelhaus black resin (before Firestone made them remove the name) that I found at a local NNL show and the wheels are from the most recent re-issue of the old Monogram 1:24 1932 Roadster.

Inside door panels and 1/4 panel structure were built from .020" Evergreen sheet. Not correct compared to a real Model A. I just did it on the fly one day without looking up references. Decided to go for a "semi-finished" interior look.

The body is Monogram '30 Coupe kit funky green plastic. Chopped it about 1/8", smoothed out the roof for the filled look, added the missing body molding around the base of the roof, made wheel wells and modified a Revell '32 5-Window trunk lid to fit in the hole. Here's a construction photo that more or less shows the body modifications:

I had seen other guys build some pretty cool rods using all of their leftover parts. It always looked like fun so I decided to give it a try.

Been working on this little coupe for a couple of years off and on and finally, it's finished! I don't feel like writing a novel so I'll let the pictures do the talking. Any questions or curiosities, just ask!

The problem there is that if a new modern-day Bullitt movie was made it would SUCK. The new version would have the McQueen character played by someone retarded like Zac Efron so women would want to go watch it. Look at how badly Gone In 60 Seconds got butchered. The original had one of the most epic, 30 minute, filmed in 1 take with no permit! car chase scenes ever put on film. The new one is a total POS. Terrible plot. TERRIBLE cast. Terrible "car tech". The only decent car action/car chase movie in recent times is Tarantino's "Death Proof" because he was passionate about making a real car movie and Kurt Russell was perfect for that role.

Heck, this is a kit that never seems to get built in any configuration. Nice!

This reminded of hanging out at a friends house back in high school. He had found a YoYo and was trying to do "tricks" with it. His Dad walked into the room, watched a minute, then asked his son, "Can you do the trick that gets you laid." My friend replied, "What trick is that?" Dad replied, "Exactly." Priorities...

They probably realized YOU were going to buy the kit so they did it wrong just to piss you off.

The Burbank Choppers car club and the late Gray Baskerville would have been better off kicking themselves in the balls than coining the term "rat rod" back in the 90's had they had the foresight to know what it was going to devolve to. For what it's worth, there are THOUSANDS of shiny, pretty, "finished" street rods that are absolute safety and mechanical engineering failures too. People generally have the misconception that if a hot rod has shiny paint and chrome and looks nice then it must be perfect. Probably 50% of them that you see on the road aren't as well-built as you think. A lot of "good enough" and "close enough" goes on in the garages they are built in.

Cool choice on the wheels. They look kinda like old school Stern 3-piece wheels that Saleen used on their 1993 SC and SA10 models.

Text book dry lakes profile. Absolutely awesome work going into this roadster, Bill. If I close my eyes I can hear that Olds crackling on alcohol at the starting line!

I just read through this entire thread. I knew very little about the car, let alone that there were so many variations. The amount of variations did not surprise me, though, because many vehicles back then went through running changes until they were correct or, at least, better. The die-hard attitudes the builders of these machines had has always fascinated me. To have a seemingly "finished" vehicle, take it and run it, decide it's not good enough then take it home, tear it all apart and in some cases start over - that is dedication. Then take into account that many of these vehicles were "home made" with, in some cases, 20-30 year old components (LaSalle transmissions for one) and what these men were able to accomplish was nothing short of incredible. It truly was the romantic age of automotive racing. Of course, advancements in technology has led to faster and fancier machines, but it's nothing I can relate to. Bill: There are other builders that are revered for their eye candy but many times feature obvious mechanical errors that are always dismissed and brushed under the rug, Every time I see a thread by you it puts a smile on my face because I know I'm in for a treat. Yes, I enjoy the subjects you choose but just as much I enjoy your dedication to quality and fidelity.

The bodies are also re-inforced with steel structure and that will rust too. Sometimes during restoration it is necessary to cut the body open and repair the inner structure. Moisture is a Mo-Fo.

I didn't think scale mechanical fidelity was important? I was under the impression that as long as the model is jam-packed with stuff and shiny paint that it's good enough for the girls we go with? Now that I know accuracy is important to some people, I need to re-think my approach.

And look at that, the doors even fit the body! (that's an inside joke with myself) Seriously, this is an incredible piece of work. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread, it put a smile on my face. I remember the adds in automotive magazines in the 80's and early 90's. There was one with a head-on shot with a dark car and the interior glowing yellow/orange. I personally like the swirly wheels like the red W8 car in that video has. When I think Vector, those are the wheels that come to my mind. If you made a set of those and do decide to sell copies of the car, I would buy one. I wouldn't care if the wheels aren't "era correct" for the rest of this versions details.

BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH, man, this coupe just keeps getting better. Gonna be one killer hot rod when finished!

It's too bad that you got in such a hurry to paint that you didn't take the time to make the doors actually fit and be the same shape as the holes in the body. Those gaps are gonna stick out like a sore thumb no matter how fancy the paint job is. Kind of a shame with all the detail you've put into other areas of the project. I will concede that the final fit of the engine does look better than the mock-ups and more true to the 1:1.