alan barton

Door alignment is a massive issue with this kit! ( and that's if they're straight and not warped all over the place!) The only one I ever finished I tweaked a bit by filing a square notch into the back edge of the sunvisor ( which is moulded as part of the roof) This then allows the cowl to stand up vertically and gives you a fighting chance of getting the doors lined up. The tweak is not horribly noticeable and makes a big difference. Cheers Alan

Snake, I don't know if I can find it in my stash but one of those great big MPC Chevy Caprices that came with a trailer had a very cool turboed big block in it. I'm thinking 1975 or 76. I still have the motor somewhere. The car was moulded in a deep blue shade. If I can find it I will post a photo. Problem is, I can't remember if it stuck through the hood or not. Maybe one of the instruction sheet experts on here can track it down. Definitely MPC, definitely a Caprice, just don't recall the exact year. Cheers Alan

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that this is the most important, the most significant model ever posted on this site, and probably any modelling site. Why? Because as a human being with two hands and an active brain, you scratchbuilt an entire car with the most basic of tools and materials to a standard that matches or exceeds most plastic manufacturers. On top of that, you shared every step along the way, including the problems, the mistakes, the accidents and even the lack of motivation. The entire build thread was just inspirational. I first started watching your amazing project on the Aussie Model Builders site and then was chuffed to see you post here as well so that everyone would see your skills. Thank you for being so gracious as to share this with the modelling world. The attention to detail in things like the dashboard, the upholstery pattern, the aircleaner, (never mind an entire engine!) and the simple and methodical ways in which you tackled them has given every one of us the greatest text book ever on how to build a model. Like the great modelling writers, Don Emmons and Tim Boyd, you have made your techniques accessible to all of us. There wouldn't be one person who read your posts that didn't think at some stage "That's a great idea, I could do that!" We could just about adopt a new catch-phrase ; "What would Shawn do?" Thank you sir, you make me proud to be Australian! Cheers Alan

I don't want to butt in on Dennis' post but yeah, the Lil Coffin interior, floor pan and chassis is a great fit in this body, needs very little massaging at all. I've just got a bit of work ahead of me prettying up the front of the frame rails. Cheers Alan

Here ya go, Dennis. A long way from finished, like I said, but the juices are flowing to get this done in the New Year. I write a model column for Australian Street Rodding magazine these days and I have a column planned on the variations and potential of the Monogram 32 roadster - still by sentimental favourite hot rod model of all time. And yes, the stance is ALL wrong - this was a very quick mock-up for the photo. Cheers Alan

I've never seen this rod before but it looks like a great choice for a model subject. If you are not too hung up on duplicating it exactly, could I respectfully suggest losing the cowl lights ( I can't think of a good reason for them being there!) and swap out the four bars for hairpins so that you can reduce the visual barb of that lower four bar mount. I know four bars are far more sensible on a 1:1 but you won't be driving this anywhere so it would make sense to clean up an otherwise cool design. Cheers Alan

Ace, I couldn't agree more about the undersized Ala Kart hemi and the Buttera smallblock. Until the Revell 32 series arrived, the only one that looked right to me was the Windsor out of the Monogram 55 F100. The Buttera Windsor added a whole new meaning to the term "small-block" and you didn't need a tape measure to see it! Fortunately it looked bearable in a T or A but you could not use it in a larger car with a clear conscience. Same goes for the few V6s out there. I also build dirt tackers and bought quite a few ASA kits - when I could I picked the V6 version because it is such a nice sized engine to use in Anglias or track T's. The few that came out in stock kits had been put in the shrinkerator! Cheers Alan

Shame about the driver having to have his legs amputated! Just joking, but I drive a stock bodied Model A, I'm about 5'11" and it's kinda like being in economy class in a 737. Still, like me, he probably got used to it. That thing would make a serious impression on the street! Cheers Alan

Would this be a different angle? Tool up 26/27 turtledeck roadster and coupe bodies, and then release a pair of kits sitting on the chassis x 2 from the Model A coupe roadster release and another pair sitting on the fenders and running gear from the old Buttera series. That way you get 4 spinoffs straight out of the gates! Cheers Alan

This is looking period perfect and well thought out as always, Dennis. I like shortened grilles but agree that the longer shell is perfect for this era. By some strange coincidence I pulled out a long stalled channelled Monogram 32 project (an old Lil Deuce) last Friday and have started selecting the parts to finish it off as a mid to late 60's Australian channelled roadster - these were flavour of the month back then. I'm using a Mysterion FE motor to represent the 332 or 390 Galaxie motors that an Aussie would have had available. I've used the Lincoln wheels before but never thought about grafting in different centres - I will now! Cheers Alan

Like everyone else here who collects Hot Wheels as well as building 1/25th, this set is a fantastic crossover between the two genres. I love that you went to the trouble of adding a rollpan to the Vette and changing the shape of the King T to match the Hot Wheels, even if the Hot Wheels isn't the prettiest rendition ever. When you have them all done, please post of a photo of all sixteen laid out together. What an amazing project. Cheers Alan

Such a sweet ride! I am rapt in the glossy blue paint. I built mine (AMT body with Modelhaus hood) in a similar style and painted in Testor's Guards Red one shot acrylic. I like it a lot but, wow, I just keep going back to that blue paint and thinking of what might have been. These are easily the most under-rated pony cars. I don't understand why you don't see more real ones and more model ones. Congratulations on a beautiful job. Cheers Alan

Thanks guys. And Bob, you were right on the money. I mocked up the car with Ice T side tanks and a visiting friend said "I could laser cut those from aluminium for you at work." So he did! I then filed and sanded them into a more streamlined shape but finished them with 800 wet and dry but no polish so that I got that fabbed aluminium look rather than chrome. For those that are playing at home, there are at least another six significant donor models in this one. And no, I didn't notice the black rear window glass had slipped out of lace while I was photographing it! Cheers Alan

With all the swoopy coupes on here lately I thought I might join in the fray. Believe it or not, this thing spent over thirty years on the bench. It received two front ends, two rear ends and at least three paint jobs before it got on the shelf. It got dropped during one of those paintjobs and cracked the roof off. It travelled with me when I took a year of exchange teaching in Alberta Canada and it even got on the primer table at the 1997 NNL West and the LAIRS show in 2010 which means parts of it have crossed the Pacific Ocean from Canada or the USA to the west coast of Australia or back no less than five times!. It was made entirely from either glue bombed parts or leftover parts that others didn't want. I call it Spoiled Rotten because it has at least six aerodynamic aids by my count, and as a Bonneville contender it probably shouldn't have any! It is strictly a curbside and I didn't dare tackle scribing door lines on it through all the layers of plastic and Bondo - that could have only ended in tears! It started life as the lower body of an AMT 36 coupe but I want to see if you guys can identify the other bits that went into it. Some are obvious while others are a bit obscure, .It is a pure fantasy build but if it could race anywhere, Bonneville (or Lake Gairdner here in Australia) would be the place! Let me know what you think, good or bad.

I don't have a problem with late model large diameter wheels, especially these ones, but I thought the early style mags and whitewalls /slicks worked better with the aggressive chop. Just my two cents. Have you thought about a Greer Black Prudhomme or Tony Nancy style scoop - a pointy sheetmetal style in body colour rather than a polished aluminium style? Might work well with the chop/grille/wheel combo. What amazes me is your vision in seeing something usable in this car. I have the kit myself but with a reasonable stash of AMT 5 windows, Monogram 3 windows and even a tatty pair of Aurora 5 windows, I basically hang onto it for its historical aspect. Who knew you could do something cool with it! I will be very interested to see how this pans out. Cheers Alan

This looks great Rodney. I think the thing I like the most is that it is neither a 33 or a 36. It's a happy blend of both. No one model overpowers the others. That is quite a skill you have to make this thing look so balanced. The grille is growing on me so I will wait to see the finished article.

No worries Pat. I've seen your scratchbuilding skills on all your workshop machinery so I don't think you will have any problems mastering this conversion, no matter what you start with. Just for reference, here's what the Oldsmobile front clip looks like. Cheers Alan

I would be definitely looking at the Beverley Hillbillies kit for more parts and inspiration. It was supposedly based on about a 24 or 25 Oldsmobile if I recall and the grille and fender shapes are close to what you need for the Dodge - better than the Model T I suspect. I would also be using any Revell or AMT Model A four cylinder to replicate the Dodge powerplant. (The Revell motor from a 29 Pickup or 30 Tudor/Woody/Delivery is far more detailed with more separate parts that you wont have to grind off like you would with the AMT). From your photos the block and head are very similar in shape and detail but you would be up for scratchbuilding or kitbashing a new front cover. The Olds also comes with very detailed wooden spoke wheels that may be better than the Model items in your coupe kit. Finally, the Olds cowl might graft onto the T coupe body to get more swoop into it and to match the Olds hood. Finally, I would look at the Revell 27 T Tudor, Delivery or touring kits for the rear fenders as they have a very similar cross section to the Oldsmobile ones. I agree with your choice of the AMT T coupe - I think if you bulk up the sides and the top of the turtledeck area with sheet styrene you should be able to file it up to match the Dodge contours. Hope that helps - I loved what you did with the frame! Cheers Alan

Hey Nick, I know the car you used for inspiration!!! Your model is every bit as tough as the real deal ( and yes folks, it has one of those scoops) but, for shame, you chickened out on the right hand drive dash! That would be the final touch on an awesome replica (yeah, I know it's not a four door but the two door looks cooler anyway!) Fantastic job on replicating the colour, what did you use for that? Cheers Alan

Just a wild crazy thought about the grille. One I have never used but always wanted to is the custom grille out of the AMT 37 Chevy coupe. It could easily be laid back a little and fitted up to your 36 style leading edge. Bottom could be shortened, reshaped as desired. Like I said, just a thought. Cheers Alan

Congratulations on your fantastic progress so far, Boban. I am really enjoying your creative use of such a wide variety of materials to produce a very unique model. I like the way you think! And like many others, making those hinges out of crimped earing clamps just blows me away! Cheers Alan

I love the way you do very non-traditional mods on these fine Fords to produce a very traditional look. I'm not wild about the grille but with the way you have thought everything through so far I suspect the best is yet to come. Cheers Alan

Thanks Tim and Bernard, I'm not a boat person per se but I think they look great behind hot rods and classics so they make a great accessory. Speed boats are cool! Cheers Alan

This is looking terrific Bernard. The decal artwork is very creative and a much more controllable way of managing fadeaway art work. I cant wait to see it all buried in clear. I am currently doing a Hemi Hydro as well, in a surprisingly similar tone of gold but not coarse flake - it is one of the Testor's one step lacquer colours. I planned to run the Hemi but you have me thinking about the FE now. Mind you, I already have an FE and a SOHC in the fleet so the Hemi might stay put after all. Cheers Alan

Thank you Alan and Ron. Without a doubt, the masking was the most challenging part. I did the rear deck and left hand side with Bare Metal foil and the right hand side and the lower part of the hull with Tamiya masking tape - I definitely got better results with theTamiya tape and far less cleanup. The shape on the side of the hull is outlined with a groove so cutting the tape is not a drama. The only tricky part is where the spear widens out as it goes towards the rear - the edge is a bit soft here and tricky to cut cleanly. I still have to psych myself up to gluing the windshield frame on - lots of room for error here as the mounting is very vague! I used Tamiya Pure White and Testors Fabric red from the spray can and Tamiya Dark Red airbrushed on the hull to reduce paint build-up on the masking. I can definitely see lght metallic blue working on this colour scheme! Cheers Alan