Ford 9 inch axles in scale...

[mk11]

Has anyone else ever wondered why it seems companies will 'reinvent the wheel', so to speak, with new kits coming to market with parts that could have been copied from previous similarly equipped offerings? What led to this question was a survey of the contents of Revell's new '29 model A. There was tooled for this kit yet another Ford 9" differential, which turns out to be the best one done yet. They also have five other toolings of this subject ...

There were basically two oem styles of rib designs applied from this axle's first use in '57 to it's end of use in the mid '80s. Got motivated to go dig through the pile to see what other variations existed in scale. Along the rail in the pic from L-R are examples from the new revell '29, the revell GTO Mustangs, the monogram nascar T-bird, the new revell '57 Fords and the revell '64 T-bolt. The complete diff above these is from the amt '70 Torino. Diffs on the right hand side, from front to back, are the '67 AMT Mustang 8", Polar Lights Talladega 9" and the AMT Comet/Fairlane 9". The no-effort-wasted-on engraving one up at the top is from the AMT '78 Bronco. Other well done center sections can be found in the revell bronco and the amt '39 wagon rod. With the 1957 model year being the genesis of the 9 inch axle design, I'm finding I faintly ironic that the part tooled for the new revell '57s is among the less accurate versions  

Here's a couple of pics of the real McCoy that I had 'in stock'...

the basic design...

and the coveted 'nodular' high strength center section

 

mike

Edited November 7, 2018 by mk11

[unclescott58]

????? Interesting? To a point. But, what is the point? Of coarse there would be several different variations of this axle made. Each kit for the most part would have parts designed specifically for that kits tool/die. With a rear end as popular as this one, I'd expect to see many different versions of it.

[jeff f]

Also in the real world you would never plate the center section . It almost seems that there is one person one the team that's never seen real 1 - 1 cars .

Jeff .

[Deano]

Also in the real world you would never plate the center section . It almost seems that there is one person one the team that's never seen real 1 - 1 cars .

Jeff .

While this is an Oldsmobile rear end and not a Ford 9-inch, it still has a center section like the Ford and it's been chrome plated.  There's a prototype for everything; never say never.

[Brett Barrow]

Lowrider much? 

[Brett Barrow]

Street Rod much? 

[Brett Barrow]

Hot Rod much? 

I can keep going....  

[High octane]

Hmmm, in all the years I've been car modeling, I've never cared much or at all 'bout the rear ends. Maybe because they're on the bottom of the car and all cars I've seen at shows, contests, and club display tables were displayed right side up.

[sfhess]

 Scroll down a bit.........

http://speedcityresin.com/PartsPageChassis.html

[mk11]

This is admittedly a subject with maybe limited appeal but the main point, I guess, is to show what's been produced on the off chance there might be other Ford nuts like me wondering if anyone got it right, as there are applications where they can be seen.

Here's another pic to show better profile...

diff from amt '39 wagon rod

 

mike

Edited November 7, 2018 by mk11

[Art Anderson]

Also in the real world you would never plate the center section . It almost seems that there is one person one the team that's never seen real 1 - 1 cars .

Jeff .

It may not be as much a matter of the kit manufacturer wanting a particular small part to be plated, as it can be a matter of "just where on the parts trees can we put this part in"--that's often a consideration.  Also, the kit in question isn't a model of a stock production car, and as has already been shown above, some rodders have been known to have parts such as that center section chromed  (that happened frequently back 50-60 yrs ago with hot rods and custom cars).  So, why not plate the part?  It's not rocket science to strip the plating off and paint it, if that is what is desired.

Art

[louie]

I found this review very interesting. I guess what I am trying to say is that I learned a few things here and I appreciate the subject matter. I like to learn about anything and everything so Thank you for posting this one.    Jeff 

[tim boyd]

Hmmm....interesting.....the guy that did the parts breakdown and much of the engineering for the Revell '29a kit is indeed QUITE familiar with real cars....in fact he has his own '34 Ford Five Window Coupe Street Rod, that he built in his own garage....and it's a very sharp looking piece, too.  I've seen the photography of real Model A Hot Rods that he and his associate did during the kit development, too.  Highly extensive reference material it was.   

Thus, the most likely explanation is the one in Art's post above.  

Personally I would have exchanged the plated differential for four plated brake backing plates...but that would have taken up too much space on the plated parts trees.  

These are examples of considerations in the development of a kit that do impact the final result.  

TIM 

 

 

[Greg Myers]

and again, we all learn something. 

[mk11]

Thank you for the insight, Mr Anderson. And thanks, Revell, for taking the time to get that diff right   (small potatoes, I know, in the grand scheme of things)

 

mike

[horsepower]

Just so I can confuse you more, a few of those "chrome" third members shown in the photos are actually polished aluminum gear case's, and just the axle housings are plated, we ran one of these Aluminum Mark Williams third members years ago in a late model asphalt car, not because it was so pretty, but because it was so light, and the NASCAR gear cases are in a lot of instances after market pieces, not Ford production parts and they will differ in appearance. Plus some of the difference in appearance can be do to the fact that the NASCAR parts are 1/24th scale instead of 1/25th scale.

Edited December 5, 2015 by horsepower

[Reeves Racing]

I think it's funny when someone picks apart a model part because they see one picture of said piece and think that was the only incarnation of said part.

There are more rib formations on the Ford 9" center sections than the handful of parts from the different kits.

Ford made them out of cast iron, nodular iron, the aftermarket did the same plus aluminum.

 

[mk11]

I think it's funny when someone picks apart a model part because they see one picture of said piece and think that was the only incarnation of said part.

There are more rib formations on the Ford 9" center sections than the handful of parts from the different kits...

You might want to have another look at that 'handful of parts' pic. These are patterned after the original Ford parts, not aftermarket ones. Your pics do nothing to disprove the idea of two oem basic rib designs

I do agree with the idea of different scales affecting the look of a part to a point, but the scale nascar and racing mustang diffs have kind of a 'high browed' look as well. The new revell diff captures the proper sloped brow look; these cases did after all house a round gear, not a square one 

 

mike  

Edited September 3, 2017 by mk11

[Reeves Racing]

True Mike, and reread my post as well and it sounded snarky and that wasn't the tone I meant. Sorry about that.

I was at work when I typed that and I really didn't finish my thought. The other issue is all the rear ends are assumed to be 9" versions. An 8" rear end was also a Ford option with at least 2 more, could of been 3 more, rib configurations to throw into the mix.

 

[Art Anderson]

One thing to always keep in mind here: Many modelers say a manufacturer should just take this part, or that part, from one kit and insert it in another kit.  Frankly, that is impossible to do, unless the entire parts tree (sprue tree) was done in separate tooling, and has compatibility with another model car subject.  That's just not at all possible--model kit tooling is a series of large, hardened steel mold blocks.

Ar