50 Ford Pick Up and Kurtis Midget Racer. Finished

[Johnt671]

This will be my next build, maybe.

I say maybe because this is what the frame looks like.

Not good. I'm heating it with a hair dryer, hoping it will get much better than it is now.Strong glue might hold it if I can get it mostly unwarped.

I'm planning a gloss black paint job because the racer has some gold decals that look nice on the black car shown on the box. This is the motor I want to use because I have an Idea for the flat head in the kit. I want to get the frame better before I try a trial fit, so I'm not sure about this this being final.

I have some thin balsa wood that I can use on the bed floor and some pieces I can load into the bed.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2017 by Johnt671

[Miatatom]

I've had that idea run through my head a few times. I thought about building the truck to look like a beater and building the midget like a little jewel. Represents the idea that all the money goes into the race car. The truck is just a tool. I've also thought about using a southern dirt racer instead of the midget.

[stavanzer]

Nice! Waiting for more pics.

[espo]

#1 I would contact Revell about that frame. You may get it close but only if you're lucky. Revell is very good about replacing items in their kits that are that bad. They have helped myself and others in the past.  I like the big Hemi idea. I built a similar truck/midget combo a few years ago using the Arden engine.  They match up perfectly together.   

[Johnt671]

I've had that idea run through my head a few times. I thought about building the truck to look like a beater and building the midget like a little jewel. Represents the idea that all the money goes into the race car. The truck is just a tool. I've also thought about using a southern dirt racer instead of the midget.

That's a neat idea. I'm going for a rich guy nostalgia racer racer look. The year may be decided  by what motor winds up in the truck. I also have a spare 390 from the Tall T kit an a 427 parts pack motor I could try. I'd really like to use the kit motor for another build.

#1 I would contact Revell about that frame. You may get it close but only if you're lucky. Revell is very good about replacing items in their kits that are that bad. They have helped myself and others in the past.  I like the big Hemi idea. I built a similar truck/midget combo a few years ago using the Arden engine.  They match up perfectly together.   

Good idea. I'll give that a try. It would be great because I could use the warped frame to see what I'd need to do to fit the motor in.

[Mr Dedo]

Just adding my two cents here but I agree from personal experience

Revell has an internet site that makes part replacement easy.

They replaced the entire floor and fenderwell casting from a warped newer release 

we were building. The replacement part was at the house in a few days. 

This kit is one of my favorites...lots of possibilities. I know I'll enjoy this one.

 

[Johnt671]

No word from Revell saying that the frame isn't available, so I'm hoping one will show up. I'm still working on the old frame, and it's a little bit better. I think if I have to I could use some strong glue to hold it to the body, paint it and then mount the suspension pieces to it. I think if I were to put the suspension pieces on before I glue it nothing will line up right.

I played around with the old school hemi today, and it will need a lot of work to make it fit. Because it has an automatic trans I'd have to work on the rear mount, and move the hemi back because there's no room in the front for the radiator.

When I move it back the flat pan on the tranny hits the rear mount and pushes the motor up.

I'd have to rework the rear mount and trim and refab the interior floor pan to fit it.

I started building the parts pack 427 to see how that fits. That motor has a stick shift so it may be the way I go. I did some spray painting today on some of the parts, and now I'm thinking about a two tone paint job with red on the cab and hood, and black for the bed and fenders. Along with the real wood floor I'm thinking of real wood for the slats that mount to the bed.

Back to work.

[Johnt671]

It looks like the parts pack 427 is a much better fit. I'll need tho fab a front motor mount for it, but that will be far less work, with a plus of it being all Ford. Now I'm thinking about a parts pack 283 with the front mounted blower for the race car. I've been working on painting some small parts. and soon I'll be to the point that I'll be waiting on the frame. If it gets to that point maybe I'll start on the race car.

At least Revell didn't tell me yet the frame isn't available yet.

I need to see if I have another pre-wired dizzy and put my pin vice to work.

[Johnt671]

Here's another attempt to show the motor of choice.

I trimmed the wood to fit the bed, and I'm working on staining it.

Today I rigged the motor mounts up glued the bed together, and took a chance that the frame was close enough to try gluing it up. I used some strong glue and I hope it will stay where it is.

[DumpyDan]

Looking good, I will be dropping in to keep an Eye on this one

[Johnt671]

Looking good, I will be dropping in to keep an Eye on this one

Thanks. Progress is slow, but I got some spray painting done yesterday. My goal was to paint the chassis so I could get it looking like a truck, but when I glued the front piece on I didn't like the way it fit so I had to putty the gap. I may be able to prime it tomorrow, and the weather may be nicer Monday so I can finish paint it and really get on with this build. Here's some progress.

I got a nice shade of mahogany on the bed floor.

The trailer is almost done. I foiled the floor and did most of the small stuff.

Black wash on the hub caps. Maybe today I can test my new Molotow chrome markers. on these.

A lot of the small parts are painted. Today I'll flock the interior, and use the chrome markers to detail the interior.

 

[tedd60]

Coming along pretty good.

[Johnt671]

I worked on this a lot yesterday but I couldn't do much right. Today brought good weather so I got to paint.

The bed and front fenders are cleared, but I want to decal the cab before I clear it. Big difference! Yesterday caused me to have to strip the hood and repaint it.

I had to strip and repaint the dash thanks to yesterday, but I did the interior flocking at least. I also have to strip the inner door panels because I overloaded my new  Molotow chrome markers. I do like them, the chrome looks great.

I found a single four barrel intake so I don't have to use the tiny two four barrels that came with the motor.

Started doing the plug wires yesterday when I dropped the pin vise and broke the bit. I went to the next size and finished. Also found a resin four barrel carb for it.

 

Wheels and fenders ready.

In a day or two I'll buff the front fenders and bed so I can do the suspension and make it look look a truck. Yesterday seems so far away.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Johnt671

[vintagercr]

This is coming along nicely

[Johnt671]

Thanks vintagercr. I got some big things done.Buffed the fenders and bed. Now I need a nice not windy day to clear the cab when the decals dry.

I got most of the suspension done so it finally takes shape.

The stained real wood bed floor worked out nice.

Shaped the wood for the rails for the bed.

 

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Looking good

[Intmd8r]

Looks great - can't beat that color combo!

[Johnt671]

Thank you. Some more progress.

Real wood side slats.

Working on the interior. That new chrome paint stick sure is nice.

First fitting of the interior to the cab. Y can see that I had to remove the bed because I got sloppy with the glue.

Detail on the dash. Looks like I need some touch up. It's amazing what the camra shows that I can't see.

 

 

[Johnt671]

I had to step away from this for a bit. I went to repaint the bed and rear fenders and on the last fender on the final spray of clear dust got in it. Now I have to wait for a nice enough day to finish the paint. I also had problems finding a way to mount the 427. I had to glue the badly warped frame to the fenders to make sure that the superglue would hold the frame, which didn't leave me much room to work or to see. I don't like the way way I finally got it in, and it will look OK.

Here's the motor in the truck.

I also didn't have exhaust manifolds to fit the 427, so I found s set in and old Mustang 302 kit that fit OK after some custom bending.

[Johnt671]

I finished the chassis and suspension, and finally got the motor mounted. Guess what came in the mail today. A nice unwarped frame, plus a set of decals for a 67 Plymouth GTX. Nice job Revell, and thanks.

The motor in its final resting place.

I found a push bar front bumper to use instead of the stock chrome bumper to make it look more like a push truck. This will be covered in real wood like the bed floor and side siakes. The bumper came in the Ohio George 60 Ranchero kit.

Interior done.

[Johnt671]

Tow / push truck almost done.

 

[Johnt671]

Other than a radiator hose and some paint touch up the truck is done. On to the midget racer.

[Johnt671]

Here's a shot of the truck and trailer.

[Johnt671]

Starting on the race car.

I like the way there is bright chrome and some parts with a duller finish.

I found that I had to sand the mating edges of some of the parts.

The kit also has a few photo etched parts, steering wheel, dash trim and hood straps.

[Johnt671]

Looking like a car.

First fit on the trailer.

I had to move the front tire stops to the top of the frame. I had put them inside the frame rails but the tires wouldn't fit in them.

This little race car is a real nice kit. I'm glad I bought it when Ollie's had them.