AMT 1958 Ford roof question

[ChrisBcritter]

Hope someone can answer this: How much space is there between each of those seven grooves on the roof of an AMT '58 Ford? And the total width between the first and last grooves? (Kit, not promo - the promos all are shrunken and won't measure correctly anymore.) I might use a '57 roof to modify one of my '58 convertibles, if I can get the measurements. Thanks!

Edited April 6, 2015 by ChrisBcritter

[ChrisBcritter]

Just one bump to see if anyone has a '58 they can measure (a Modelhaus copy would work too).

[Art Anderson]

I don't have one handy at the moment, but here's an excellent rear view of a real '58 Ford: http://www.webseitenwartung.de/Kuba/Ford-Fairlane500-1958-1.JPG

Note two things: First, there are 7 grooves, all evenly spaced. Then note that the outer-most grooves are almost exactly where the sides of the roof panel flatten out, inboard from the drain moldings. I would measure the roof of the model you wish to groove the top on, then find, as closely as you can, and mark that as the location of the very middle groove. Then outward from there, to each side, measure outward (a set of digital calipers will make this easier!), from the center, toward the sides of the roof, first one side, then the other, a distance that looks right from this picture but yet will be easily divisible by 4 (keep in mind that using the line of the center groove, and going outward to either side, there will be FOUR grooves, counting the center one!).

This might not be PERFECTLY accurate, but if you think about it, most people (not having the real car to measure!), will be hard-pressed to argue that that outer groove is a fraction of a millimeter too far in or too far out! Sometimes, the illusion of perfect overwhelms most any observer having no real clue to the EXACT spacing of those grooves (in other words, come as close as you can!)

Just the ramblings of a nearly 71 yr old model car builder!

Art