Did Anybody Ever Build The Orange Crate? Well, At Least Once....

[Terry Jessee]

Hosted on Fotki

In that "worst kit ever" discussion somebody asked whether anyone has ever built the Orange Crate. Here's a shot from "Hot Rod Model Kits."

This original kit was purchased for the book. A friend was interested in it, so I told him if he built it for me so I could take photos of it, he could have it. And this is the result.

All of those Revell kits from the early and mid-60s were tough to build because Revell tried to include EVERYTHING. At the time, kids didn't have the skills to put them together and get a satisfying result. But almost all of the hot rods and dragsters could be done with some patience. And really, that was what made the difference--taking the time to do it right.

I like the Roth kits, and those are just as fiddly and frustrating as anything else Revell did at the time. But I want 'em, so I'll make the effort. There are some stinkers in that worst-kit-ever discussion, but many of them are just like this one--hard to build.

Ain't it purty?

Terry

[Terry Jessee]

Okay--why'd it post twice?

Computer illiteracy is a terrible thing....

Terry

[george 53]

Duuuuuhhhh, and I thought it was just me what made them kinda mistakes, If you do it too I dont feel so stoop......bad. J/K, George53

[Joe Nunes]

Hi, Terry! I can remember attempting the Orange Crate back when...but never actually "building" it. At least the way it was supposed to look ! Ended up using most of the parts and the body on other builds. (And yes, I did consider the M-80 route ) I have another unwrapped kit waiting for me to get the courage to build it....is a Weel Scarewee Thing...Ha Ha. Seriously though, I tip my hat to anyone who could complete that model back then and make it look the way it was supposed to look; was kind of like the Lil' Coffin model build. BTW Terry, your Hot Rod Model Kits book was GREAT!! Let us have some more books from you soon. Joe

[george 53]

Oh yeah the "crate ' really came out GREAT! unlike mine.

[Raymond Gallant]

Hosted on Fotki

In that "worst kit ever" discussion somebody asked whether anyone has ever built the Orange Crate. Here's a shot from "Hot Rod Model Kits."

This original kit was purchased for the book. A friend was interested in it, so I told him if he built it for me so I could take photos of it, he could have it. And this is the result.

All of those Revell kits from the early and mid-60s were tough to build because Revell tried to include EVERYTHING. At the time, kids didn't have the skills to put them together and get a satisfying result. But almost all of the hot rods and dragsters could be done with some patience. And really, that was what made the difference--taking the time to do it right.

I like the Roth kits, and those are just as fiddly and frustrating as anything else Revell did at the time. But I want 'em, so I'll make the effort. There are some stinkers in that worst-kit-ever discussion, but many of them are just like this one--hard to build.

Ain't it purty?

Yes, your build is certainly "purty" to say the least...

Way backintheday... I built that kit straight out of the box. I remember clear coating the bare plastic. Although I loved the kit and got great results building it, what I disliked most about the build was scrapping all that chrome to glue stuff. I also remember later repainting that model with a fade paint job that went from hot white grille to yellow to candy red from the middle of the doors back. The model is in pieces in a box, it hasn't survived the four moves since it was built.

After Revell came out with their '32 Ford 3-window coupe I bought a couple Orange Crates to fit the sedan body to the 3-window. When Revell reissued the Orange Crate I bought half a dozen from Hobby Heaven to "un-chop" a roof and maybe even make a 4 door. The advent of the new Revell Tudor has more than resolved most of those "air models".

Nice to see your build again... I think I'll search out my copy of your Hot Rod Models book and put it on my night table for the next little while.

Raymond Gallant

Terry

[Smart-Resins]

i TRIED DOING IT WHEN i WAS A KID AND GOT SO DARN FRUSTRATED WITH THE WARPED FRAME AND NOTHING FITTING THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, IT CAME TO A EARLY UNCOMPLETE DEMISE, THAT WAS FUNB FOR A FEW SECONDS ANYWAYS.nOW THAT i AM MUCH OLDER AND HAVE MORE SKILLS, PATIENCE AND CAN SCRATCHBUILD, i WOULDNT MIND EVENTUALLY PICKING IT UP FOR A FUN BUILD.

[Joe Nunes]

....uh, Raymond....what means you about dat scraping chrome thing....we doone scrape no stinking crome back then!..did we?

[jbwelda]

right, i think i might be that "someone" from the other thread and i gotta say, im impressed.

now its like a challenge, i *gotta* build it. looking at my reissue though it looks like it picked up some flash over the years. oh well gotta scrape that chrome anyway which really was the problem when i was a kid.

i just got back from the NNL West where I ran into my friend kurt wilson, who i hadnt seen i a very long time. coincidentally he is the one person i mentioned in the other thread who i knew had finished one, a reissue at that, and did a very nice job. i did ask him about it and he says its still together and in a display case.

but i did look around on all the tables and orange crate count? zero.

saw gregg too and said hello!

[jbwelda]

oh yeah, forgot to mention, i love that body too and have used it on other

projects, like last years NNL West giveaway car:

[novadose71]

.........maybe twice. I am looking to do another one of these, in one of it's earlier yellow configurations. But for now here's my reissue build from 5 or so years ago. Couldn't use the bad resin hood that came with it. Used the hood and sides from another kit with the Crate grillshell, worked good except I forgot to drill the holes in the driver hood side for the velocity stacks to breath. Otherwise it is a fiddly kit and it leaves you feeling good that you successfully finished it. Oh yeah, it looks great sitting on your shelf too.

[59 chev]

I built one as a kid, I think maybe I was 12. Toughest one I'd ever done but it came out well and I was sure proud of it. I got around the chrome scraping nightmare by using Elmer's glue. Really. I used to use it on everything but engine halves and basic subassemblies. If I wanted to change a car later I would just soak it in warm water overnight and presto, a "new" kit to assemble!

[Casey]

The "Chopped Deuce" Street Demons reissue got me in '83...so many tiny chrome plated parts. So very "fiddly"... 

[Force]

I tried this version from 1976 when I was a teenager and gave up....it's the same as the one above except for color and boxart and it's a modified reissue of the original Orange Crate.
The Orange Crate has a flip up body and this version was supposed to have a fixed body...it did not work that well. 

[DumpyDan]

I started one, got as far as motor build and removed rear fenders to put on a 32 full fender then lost interest.  Funny thing it came with a resin hood, never new why.   ???

[Mr mopar]

I always liked this car but never built it , but I did build the Canned heat , outlaw ,Mysterion  and with a lot of time and patience they came out great .

[Daddyfink]

I kinda finished the Chopped Deuce version back in the early 80's, but never actually did. too  many little parts and not enough skill 

 

[Casey]

4 hours ago, DumpyDan said:

I started one, got as far as motor build and removed rear fenders to put on a 32 full fender then lost interest.  Funny thing it came with a resin hood, never new why.   ???

I think the insert(?) for the hood as lost at some point, so Revell included a resin cast piece. The most recent reissue from 2012 again included an injection molded styrene hood, sealed in a separate bag, so things should be good for the next (Atlantis?) reissue.

 

[RancheroSteve]

Not easy, but it can be done (not sure how I missed this thread before):

[Dave G.]

I know I had the kit in it's original form, I believe back around 1960 or so ( or when ever the first release was). For the life of me I can't recall it ever being finished or on display or even working on it. I bet I parted it out into other builds. I may have used that body on a slot car chassis actually now that I think about. Yes, and I put the big motor in it and it got in a crash and got smashed into an overpass bridge lol ! No clue what the other parts migrated into.

[oldcarfan]

I found one in a junk shop that was missing a few pieces and built it up. I ended up gluing the suspension in place because I couldn't get it to stay together. Definitely needs a steady and patient hand. Early Revell kits and Fujimi's Enthusiast kits are both similar in the way that they have so many fiddly bits.

[ChrisBcritter]

I've always had the idea to use the Orange Crate body on the AMT Show 'n' Go chassis and use the stock body for something else; I take it door alignment is an issue with the Crate? Do the hinges work OK?

[Scott Colmer]

I built the blue version way back when. I think I never got the body to tilt up or the grill to tilt forward. The doors opened so that was a win.

[DonW]

I built it when I was a teenager, the doors did open and close about twice then I left them shut. I remember scraping the chrome and the grill tilted fine - but the support for the body was tooo flimsy! Painted the centre of the grill black, didn't like the orange crate decal much. But a real favourite, along with the Beatnik Bandit, sadly both long gone from my collection.

[chris chabre]

I have a few, and Im determined to build one eventually. I also have most of a "chopped deuce" version body