Paul Payne

Martin, I had thought about that but the nose profile will match better with the grille profile when installed upside down. This is definitely a series of mini projects and trying this and that to see what works!

Bubble top cars can get very hot inside, and can also be claustrophobic. Keep it open and enjoy the breeze! I'm enjoying this ride- you are doing things I would not have thought of.

Well, progress has been a bit slow due to way more puttying and sanding than I anticipated, as well as how much slow, patient, (tedious?) work is required to continue building the egg crate grille! This project is a bit different for me since there was a vague idea of what I want to achieve, then letting the parts dictate construction. I decided on a rounder nose for the hood, so I cut it in two, added stock (not very symmetrically as it turned out), and a lot more putty than I really wanted- I may still sand away the putty and try to use plastic. I got one half of the airplane body in primer, still puttying the opposite half- I suspect the primered half will still need some work. When I extended the boat tail to the passenger compartment, there was quite a gap between the Tbird body and the new plastic. I decided to try filling this with short lengths of sprue and some scrap that will be worked into final shape. I plan on a divided passenger compartment with a seat divider and console running from the back to meet up with the underside of the dash. Here are some pix so far- more will come!

Are these ships too early for deck prisms? If not, must have been really dark below decks!

Martin, I cut the doors out of one of these some time ago- be very careful of the bottom door frame area since mine wanted to break- might be good to figure out some reinforcing asap! Great job on the cutting- very smooth and even- really like what you did on the chassis. Looking forward to more!

I think the deuce rules. Plenty of A and T hot rods got deuce grilles. Looking at the old hot rod photos in Don Montgomery's books, most were deuces, especially if they were both raced and street driven. The A-V8 hot rod was built on a deuce frame with an A body.

WOW! Let's get in and take a drive! Absolutely love the color- been looking for a deep slatey blue. The intake system you chose is choice- everything about this build is a gem!

Great mods- I think you nailed it! I remember from the tv show that the car rolled over to hide it in the garage- I assumed a dry sump system which would drain the oil and then pump it back in- can't have fouled plugs ruining your fast starts!

Claude, glad you are enjoying this project! I have been using liquid styrene cement for the initial bond, then, after this sets, reinforcing the joints with superglue. I have puttied up the fuselage halves, sanded, the re-puttied, then sanded again, then re-puttied again- maybe this will be the last time! I wanted to do as much work as possible with the airplane parts unattached, to reduce stressing. Once they are attached, there will probably be considerably more fill in pieces and putty to get final contours, which are still somewhat undecided. I am using a one part auto putty (red stuff) which I have used in the past without shrinkage problems (yet)! Right now I am gluing up more modules for the egg crate grille as well as working out the interior opening and hood. I will post more pix soon!

Can't beat a DOHC engine.

Looks great! more! more!

A little more progress- using plane wings, I extended the boat tail up to the passenger compartment. The hood has been split and a more rounded section for the nose was found and trimmed. The fuselage halves have additional patch pieces grafted in and are almost ready for initial sanding, then putty, then sanding, then putty...you get the idea! Haven't done much on the grille- need to devote some time to it and make it start looking like something!

Subject matter is paramount- if I don't like the car, it won't be purchased. Scale is also important- I only build in 1/25th and 1/24th. I don't like kits with white metal parts although I have built a few- plastic or resin would look better and be easier to work with. Metal bodies on plastic chassis are a joke- the plastic (especially axles and suspension components) parts break from the weight. Again, I have built a few. I appreciate good box art, but it won't sell me a model I don't want. Part count isn't as important as part quality. Lately I have been doing more kit bashing, junker restoration and repurposing. I like 40's style hot rods, sports cars, Bugattis, and big luxury cars of any era. Here are my seven full size rides: Bugatti T57SC Atlantic (borrow Ralph Lauren's)? Fully hot rodded 1932 Ford roadster Fully hot rodded 1932 Ford 3 window coupe 1961 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible 1961 to 1963 Thunderbird convertible Jaguar XK120 roadster 427 Cobra And don't forget the Duesenberg SJ, Bugatti Royale, Bugatti T35B, !956 Continental MK2, 1953 Studebaker hardtop, 1936 Ford 3 window coupe, Matranga Mercury, Jaguar XK-E coupe, Harley Davidson knucklehead, Miller front drive Indy car, and my latest project- a boat tailed 2 seat 40's idea car with an egg crate grille and a dual overhead cam V-16!

I have dreamed about the out of the way hobby shop or hobby area in a department store. Usually slightly shabby or neglected. Only car models- some are built and on display. Most kits are of cars which have never been made 1 to 1: usually exotically bodied Bugattis or other foreign cars. Sometimes there are multi build kits with the incredible 60's box art, but again, nothing that has ever been produced. Wishful thinking in dreamland............

That looks really good- I assume it is 1/25th or 1/24th scale? Shouldn't be hard to fit a chassis and engine, as well as the interior.

Keyser, looks like you are from a Welsh village- addressing envelopes must be time consuming with the possibility of running out of room. When I first wanted to tackle this, I looked a strainers and other mesh, but decided that they would not offer the depth I wanted. I think the rendering is a Harley Earl design study, not sure it is quite as early as 39- maybe mid 40's? The Buick Y job is on my list as well- maybe Moebius would tackle this one- or perhaps a 3D printed one?

Please go to work in progress- egg crate grille and the car behind it- to see pictures of progress on this project. Thanks everyone for looking.

A little progress- removed the windshield frame and cut and fit part of an airplane wing to extend the boat tail to the passenger compartment. This wing section almost exactly matches the contour of the 40 Ford hood. So far one side fitted, then used this piece to outline the shape on another wing. Added a center shim support for both halves- not glued in since this may become an extension of a passenger compartment divider/center console.

While kruzing the internet, I found some inspirational photos of real car projects- these builders are doing in real steel what I am attempting in plastic! One thing which I plan to really re-work is the passenger compartment surround. he existing windshield frame will go and a divided screen will be constructed.

Just like a hot rod, a garage diorama is never really done- always something to tinker with.

Ditto for the paint job, also the wood inlays! How about a trailer hitch to tow a matching speed boat or cruiser?

I snagged these pix off the internet some years ago. This has to be one of the greatest barn finds of all time.

Nice job- clean and sleek. Interior looks great.

My favorite T-birds, both beautifully done, and a great story as well. You have done your friend proud.

Nice restoration.