Kit Karson

Been waiting to jump in here with a comment... the most enjoyable part of every build for me and many others is satisfying my imagination with the right parts and pieces. I've imagined several possibilities of rescaling the '58 Impala down to, in essences, Corvette sizing to create a coupe or roadster. You have surpassed any idea that I had in creating the '58 Impala inspired Show Rod! Absolutely

Here's an opportune moment, do you recall the era &/ kit that the trailer was issued?

Trevor, You are too kind, Brother! I would be first in line to see what you have in your stable... several here are hacks just like me; gluing our fingers together and slicing deep enough to draw blood from anyone of nine or ten fingers! Most are old enough to be able to recall many former hot rod builds of 'or. And now with the inter-web pictures and background information is right under our fingertips!

'28 XPU & Vintage Trailer

Wait 'til they're toned down a bit...

'28 XPU & Trailer

Early spreader bar forward... pure HOT ROD! We have to have a way of displaying Hot Rods from past very soon! -KK

Quick aside... several of you know that I'm building a '29 Track Nose Roadster: I have to thank RRR for sending a vintage single axle trailer to go under the roadster behind the '28 XPU all with open wheels! -KK

@bill-e-boyWOW! This is coming along swimmingly, Brother! -KK

OK, it's down to brass tacks... gotta set the V-12 between the rails: The Front Cover Assembly from the AMT 1941 Ford Woody Street Rod is now providing the front motor mounts resting atop the deuce frame. Due to the current overall height of the track nose, originally from the Revell '29 Ford Roadster/ PU kit, the nose needed to be further modified. Following a couple of different setups, each with a number of scale inches requiring excess material to be removed. A wedge cut will again bring the face of the nose back a few more degrees, that being a good thing! And, by slicing from the back edge of the nose to a single point on either side at the lower forward edge of the grille opening, the second cut would remove enough material to shorten the overall height without affecting the height of the grille opening. Here I intend to leave the line and remove the smaller v-cut area. The wider angle would have taken out too much height, following the old adage: measure twice and cut once! Big difference in attitude and profile! I have to share this, RRR came through with a vintage trailer and I'll keep the rest of the parts on the down low for now! Thanks, Brother! Oh! And ADL for chipping in and shipping a brand-new Rat Roaster TKO500 Transmissions all the way from the left coast for the '29 Track Nose build! Thanks, Bro! I'll leave you with this: the '28 XPU pulling the '29 Track Nose on the old-style single axle trailer all with open wheels?!. -KK

Outstanding, Brother! As with others following your expert hand at work... I too will be anxiously waiting for the next episode in the wonderful tail of the ol' '66 SS of days long gone and patently waiting its renewed debut from the bench of a hands down great model car builder! Thank you for being my friend for the past three decades! -KK

I honestly wonder sometimes, that if you had your own 1:1 Rod Shop RRR, would this be your signature style Model A Coupe "Show & Go" Hot Rod build?! . -KK

Big Tach - Little Tach - Factory Tach - Hooray! In a model car even the least notable detail is not left untouched. To the model viewer the size of the tach(s) is only caught by the corner of their eye and seeing any amount of model detail, even to the untrained eye, is the difference between a model built absolutely box stock and one with modified points of interest throughout! Not every kit comes with a big tach... think about it. Notwithstanding the amount of knowledge and reference material being drawn on in the construction of this pony car, but also the flavor of having your own 1:1 pony car is outstanding! Having owned a number of Mustangs from a '66 Six w/3spd Coupe with sequential T-Bird taillights to a '68 Shelby KR500 Convertible. Wait, a '69 351 Windsor coming in last. Got to drive @Rocking Rodney RatMustang shortly before he rolled it;-( Can you imagine how much fun it would be to drive ADL's SVT Cobra DOHC Pony Car?!. Keep watching because with what we've been left preview to thus far... the future of this pony car build is in excellent hands! -KK

I will defer to the Niekamp '29 Roadster: Need I say more? -KK

Cup Holder! Where's the Cup Holders? Otherwise, what the... so impressive and right on the edge of being "OVER THE TOP"! -KK

Steve, RRR & I Have chopped a number of tops and kinda documented each of them, here's the Revell '32 Ford 5 Window Coupe: K&R Kustom+Rods '32 5ive Window Rolling Bones Chopped Coupe Third Cut the C Pillar to the Back Lite but not all the way through untilthe otherside has been cut to the same point Blacken the C Pillar Cuts for Sanding to Create a Flat Even Surface Check your progress to make sure you do not remove too much material Sand the Surfaces to Make Them Flat Even Test Fitting again took out one more inch... '32 5W Chop Job - Step Cut the A Pillars Right & Left '32 5W Chop Job - Step Cut the A Pillars '32 5W Chop Job - Step Seven Set Alignment Blocks to the inside of the Pillars '32 5W Chop Job - Step Seven Back Lite Opening '32 5W Chop Job - Step Seven Left Inside '32 5W Chop Job - Step Seven Right Side '32 5W Chop Job - Step Seven Left Side https://public.fotki.com/jferren/rolling-bones-style/ Here the AMT '34 Ford 5 Window Coupe: https://public.fotki.com/jferren/34-5ive-window-heav/

'28 XPU Frame Mods being considered... This is intended to lengthen the frame... then the Z height will have to be determined... -KK

Had a thought about the easy belly pan method: Thought I'd toss the '41 Lincoln rear end under the rear end... Slipped the Revell Orange Crate Belly Pan between the narrowed Deuce Rails: Almost fits! Need to cut out around the steering box mount: Couple of cuts later... Nice simple way to add a belly pan under the Roadster! Either way you look at it... it fits (even with a little room for movement): From the side... and a little tilted: but you get the idea. -KK ps Or should the pan be located on the outside of the frame?

Craig, I hear ya, Brother! Actually, I seriously considering this set for the TROG version... might have to have an alternate set of wheels & tires to exchange & change the look, too! A close second would be one of these three: We'll just have to see how this all comes together... -KK

First things first... gotta get the height issue addressed: Knock down the rear frame mounting holes: Lay out the frame inner lines on the floorboard (remove the ridges) so the floorboard sits flush on top of the frame: File off the ridges: Here's the before & after: Ready for the body: Not bad for step one in channeling the roadster body over the narrowed deuce frame: Next, the inner fender panel needs to be notched over the frame:

I might have the perfect rims for your Tubbed Vickie:

@chris chabreYou only shared a few of your mockups with me over on fb, Brother! Watching you share your mix of parts & pieces makes me feel right at home looking over your shoulder. As others have commented, fulfilling what you see in your mind's eye and following the mod's made so far on each & every one of your mockups shows a survive case of HotRoditis! I see a Hot Rod Gathering Diorama in your future... a work in progress as a whole-life's art achievement. Much like a model train landscape, remember the corner hobby shop would have a small one on display. -KK

What a great start, RRR! You're one of the most prolific builders I know!! Will the never-ending waterfall of hot rod ideas ever dry up with you? The mix of parts that you draw from is most often so period perfect at times that it gives me chills!!! The slight modifications really define you as a hot rod builder!V -KK

What a Great Thread! It should go without saying, this forum has the world's greatest modelers sharing their talents for everyone to see!!

Looking a potential belly pan materials: Revell Orande Crate Belly Pan (2) -KK Some of you will remember when I pulled these together: '29 roadster tires & deuce wires -KK