Eric Macleod

Okay...I have it back together and feel much happier with the outcome of the relationship between the windshield and the top. It's subtle but no longer has a big overhang.

This looks the part in a big way. Very nice.

Here is the disassembled top front. Naturally I cracked it while taking it apart so it's fighting me every step of the way.

I followed the build up and now the finished product. Absolutely beautiful model of my favorite car in one of my favorite colors. Thanks for sharing this with us. Wait...did I read a model per week pace? I can barely do one per year! One a week, especially of this caliber is stunning.

This is really looking great. Well done.

I find I am quite dissatisfied with the relationship between the top and the windshield, i.e. the top overhang is too much. I made the decision to take the front of the top off and cut the top back about 2 mm. May the Force be with me.

Zen and the art of model making? I like it.

Thanks for the compliment and question Charlie.The silver is Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf. The blue for the body is Testors Model Master FS 15050 Blue Angel Blue, with Testors Model Master Ultra Gloss Clearcoat (3 coats) over the top. The interior is the same but with one coat of Model Master Dullcoat. The top is Model Master Fabric Tan inside with Testors Model Master FS 15042 Dark Sea Blue outside, with a coat of Testors Model Master dullcoat. The wheels are good old Testors 1203 Gloss Red. Probably more than you wanted to know, eh?

It is just a tad tall and the sides are too thick. It's probably me being too much of a perfectionist, but hey, I've come this far...

So what's the holdup now? Funny you should ask! I am struggling with two things. I am dissatisfied with the looks of both the trunk and the windshield. So...if you've been following along you know what I am going to do, scratch build both. I still think I'll make it before my self imposed deadline.

I will be curious to see your color selection. I've built this kit in several ways (always stock of course) and agree that it goes together beautifully. I look forward to seeing some photos of your work.

The next major sub-assembly is done, the convertible top. Eagle eyed observers will notice the top is a different color blue than the leather and trim colors. That was intentional as dark blue Stayfast material is almost never the same color as the rest of the upholstery. I feel like I am closing in on this one and will (finally) comply with the get it done rules of Snake's bring out your dead thread.

I probably have every piece of chrome you need. Will get it out shortly. I like your color choices.

That Runabout is the correct color of blue but the wheels are too yellow. There are numerous other non-authentic details here. It doesn't matter much unless you are a purist. One can combine the OP kit with a Jimmy Flintstone resin body and with a bit of work, come up with this Runabout.

Personally I think it looks like a million bucks. I too would be very happy to have it on my shelf.

Great car. I'll look forward to watching this.

When it was done in 2006 I would have argued (successfully) that it was the very best Improved Ford in the world. Since then I have continued to show the car while driving the snot out of it, including a 20 mile country drive today. I love the car as do my kids, however, they like our '13 Ford and our '29 Franklin even more.

Glad to do it. My car was restored with the intention of being as close to how a Ford would have left the factory as possible. It became clear after I had the car judged a couple times that I was onto something. Eventually I made a decision to enter the car in international competition with an aim of going after the Stynoski Award for the Most Meritorious Restoration of a Ford Model T. My competition was a 1911 Town Car with easily a $250,000-350,000 restoration. It was a great day when judging was over.

Such a cool build of such a cool model.

I told myself that I wasn't going to go crazy with details on the convertible top assembly. In the spirit of non-craziness, here is the interior of the top.

And here are the two decals on the car, the first under the gas tank filler door on the cowl and the second on the windshield where the driver can read it.

You are correct on all counts. Early in the production it is believed that the Model T engine was the same color as the rest of the car, red or gray. As the pace of production increased the engines were the same color as the chassis, black. By the time most mechanical production moved from the Piquet Ave. plant to the Highland Park plant engines were largely unpainted. By late in the production, mid '25 or so Ford again began painting engines, dark green: a color that remained until "Ford blue" was implemented.

That engine looks fantastic.

I may be wrong about this, and it may not matter to you, but on my '95 M edition the top boot was tan. My '90 Package B and '94 Package A cars both had black boots. And...I remember that there was a big hoopla when the BRG was introduced because the interior was tan but the top was black. There's the point I can't remember, was the boot tan or was it black? In either case, your interior looks excellent.

You definitely have a Johan Mercedes. If you need any spares I have a junkyard version with wheels, some chassis components and chrome bits I would be willing to contribute to the cause. I'll be watching this.