40 Ford Flower Car - With Mods

[talon63]

So, after the 41 Plymouth turned out so well, I thought a 40 Ford would look good sitting next to it. Grabbed one off the shelf, opened it up and found this.

Heavy flash, short shot, and other issues. So while it was sitting there, on the verge of going back on the shelf, I decided that rather than ever tackle the the problems to make it look as good as the Plymouth, I'd let it tell me what it wants to be.

And suddenly, the back half of the body was gone! What will take its place?

Ah, the back half of a Gravedigger body presented itself. But not all of it. 

 

The rear quarters join the front of the body.

Then the back of the roof comes back, but that isn't right.

So another cut is made.  Looks like it might be getting closer to becoming something. The back half of the rear fenders have come off, since the cutouts on the quarters are somewhat larger than the original body. No worries, by extending the fenders, I can get some bigger tires back there.

A quick sectioning of the interior bucket will provide a guide for the final cuts to the top of the body. 

And so the first cuts are made. I have no idea where this is going, but I see a few more cuts, a lot of modification, and scratch building some custom parts.

First profile mock-up

As always, feel free to add comments, ideas, criticisms, and Happy Building!

Edited April 1, 2017 by talon63
Title Change

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Lindeberg '40 Ford. 

I had one. Used the chrome to restore a old AMT and the rest went to the bin. 

[talon63]

Lindeberg '40 Ford. 

I had one. Used the chrome to restore a old AMT and the rest went to the bin. 

Oddly enough, the Dodge L-700 in the same kit looks pretty good. I know Lindberg models are sloppy at best, but I can usually turn them into something worth putting on the shelf. 

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Oddly enough, the Dodge L-700 in the same kit looks pretty good. I know Lindberg models are sloppy at best, but I can usually turn them into something worth putting on the shelf. 

Their '53 Ford is quite good. 

The '40, is a very poor copy of the AMT kit. It even has some odd vertical trim on the grilles molded on the front fenders, that the real car never had. On the kit I had, the door lines were very faint, and the body had a sort of curve that wouldn't let it fit the fenders. 

Also, the heads of the engine, were part of the chrome three, and were too flat, and without detail. The air cleaner in two halves would have being a pain to make look good. 

But I can't complain, the bumpers, hubcaps, trim rings, and antenna did a nice job restoring a '40 I built more than 25 years ago. 

[Spex84]

Those Lindberg '40s are such pigs that I feel completely OK cutting them up! Hoping to have an update soon on my own '40 adventure.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes

[talon63]

So, while looking at some reference photos, I ran across the 1940 Ford Flower Car! 

So I guess I'm building a modded version of this. 

[espo]

Like the Flower Car idea.

[talon63]

Like the Flower Car idea.

Thanks, David. While I might have tried full on replica of the flower car, I had already chppoed out a section of the cab. I'm now planning on doing a version based on that design. More of shorter, street rod look and it will end up with a working, split, center-hinged hard tonneau over the bed section.  (at least that's the plan )

Body fabrication still consists of:

 1. Getting the roof line mated up and modifying the drip channel line at the transition.

2. Getting the rear quarters shaped to work with the rear fenders

3. Add some stretch in the rear fenders to accommodate the larger rear tires. May have to open them up for tire width as well.

4. Fabricate the tonneau and a tailgate

5. Fabricate a bed and transition from the bed to the "cab".

6.Still need to decide on the drive train and suspension

7. The interior is fairly well sorted. Shortened the bucket, changed out the seats. 

8. Decide on the color scheme.

[espo]

Thanks, David. While I might have tried full on replica of the flower car, I had already chppoed out a section of the cab. I'm now planning on doing a version based on that design. More of shorter, street rod look and it will end up with a working, split, center-hinged hard tonneau over the bed section.  (at least that's the plan )

Body fabrication still consists of:

 1. Getting the roof line mated up and modifying the drip channel line at the transition.

2. Getting the rear quarters shaped to work with the rear fenders

3. Add some stretch in the rear fenders to accommodate the larger rear tires. May have to open them up for tire width as well.

4. Fabricate the tonneau and a tailgate

5. Fabricate a bed and transition from the bed to the "cab".

6.Still need to decide on the drive train and suspension

7. The interior is fairly well sorted. Shortened the bucket, changed out the seats. 

8. Decide on the color scheme.

I have thought of doing something like this, but just didn't have the guts to cut one up. This reminds me of the neat looking Utes from down under. Always thought they looked great.

[talon63]

Coachwork is starting to come together. Still need to make the tailgate and a center strip for the tonneau, pillars for the cut down sidelights, and tidy up the back valance. Once the front fenders are opened up a little, and the rear fenders are finished, it will be time to start the process of filling and sanding to get that first coat of primer on. 

Back to the bench for me, and thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!

[Spex84]

Looks cool so far!

There's a 1-off (as far as I know) '52 Ford flower car not far from where I live. It's basically a 3-window coupe-ute. I think it would look awesome as a hot rod

 

[talon63]

Minor update. Tonneau fabrication under way. Rear fender spacing and rear quarter tweaking under way. Tailgate under construction. Package deck created for the interior.

Still need to do some judicious filing to bring the tonneau down about 1/32" to meet up with the body. Once that's good, will get the final placement of the rear fenders and the gaps filled in, and the wheel wells reshaped. Then any other filler work before the first primer coat.

 Back to the bench for me, and thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!

 

[espo]

A lot of major body work here. This is going to look good.

[talon63]

Thanks, Dave. Body work is progressing slowly, but it is progressing. Profile is shaping up.

The more I look at the profile, the more I feel like it wants to sit really low in the rear, and get full skirts. Tonneau still needs a slight shave to bring it down flush with the body. Don't need to to do much else to the rear wells, the slight lengthening gave it the space needed. Front wells still needs a reshaping. 

Work has also begun on the restyling of the interior. Using the tub and dash, but everything else is coming from the parts stash. 

Guess I need to start giving thought to the color going on this one as well.

Thanks for following along, and for the comments, critiques, and suggestions. Happy Building!

[Foxer]

Cool road this is going down

[talon63]

Most of the major body issue addressed now. Added louvers to the side lights. Finally got everything under a primer, some minor tweaking and sanding. Small spot on the rear fender needs a skim and sand, then hope to get a silver base coat on her as decide the final body color. Yellow? Red? Purple? 

 

Started the mock-up of the tub.removed a wedge from the bucket, 1" at the floor pan, .75" at the top, and reattached the back panel. Then created a package deck from a piece of sheet styrene. Seats are from the Dan Fink Speedwagon. The bits on the package deck are the pieces left over from trimming down the window louvers for the sidelights. Interior will likely be white, with some details picked out in the body color to tie it together. Not going crazy on the interior detailing since it will be mostly hidden by the coachwork.

Got the panels re-scribed on the body, and still need to replace some side trim and minor tweaks to the drip rail. Pretty happy that the seam in the roof cut is approaching invisible now.  Tailgate fabrication is under way, and have started bringing together the parts for suspension and drive train. Totally building this one backwards from my normal process, since I usually start with the engine and motor on through through the build like I'm following kit instructions.   This time, started with the body and working my way in.

 Thanks for following along, and for the comments, critiques, and suggestions. Happy Building!

 

[misterNNL]

I was just starting to like the direction this was headed when you filled in the side windows.IMHO that destroys the flow of the profile.The '40 Ford was always an akward design anyway but the changes you were making by converting it into a flower car was a unique styling move.All flower cars are one off builds.The Superior coach Corp of Lima,Ohio was one of the premier funeral coach and professional car builders at one time.I had a reason to stop in their factory back in the 1960's and always took the time to walk over to where the flower transport vehicles were being hand built.Facinating vehicles built by real American craftsman.

All I am saying is that I would have taken a different design direction that you have but those are the things that make us all unique isn't it.We alll build what WE like and hope others appreciate what we create.If not that's OK as long as we are  happy with the finished product.Good luck with your project.

[talon63]

I was just starting to like the direction this was headed when you filled in the side windows.IMHO that destroys the flow of the profile.

Thanks, Tom. No worries. I do appreciate the feedback.

As a matter of fact, the louvers are already gone. As I was sorting out other bits of body work, my eye kept getting to drawn to how heavy they looked and how little they did for the look of the vehicle. So, off they came. Cleaned up the area and got the side trim back on it. Goal for the weekend is to have color on it. Settled on a Bahama Blue Metallic over a silver base coat. 

Despite the challenges involved in this build, I'm thinking about doing an unchopped flower car as well. I figure it will take two coupes and a delivery to form the coachworks, based on the reference pics., and a healthy frame extension. Maybe just one coupe and a delivery, depends on the delivery's door panels.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to look, and for the critique. 

 

[talon63]

Finally, some color!  Duplicolor automotive Bahama Blue Metallic over a base of Testors Silver spray. Hopefully the next set of shots will look better than these.

 

Got those side windows opened back up. new styrene was added on the rear quarters for the chrome trim.

 

Those rear fenders came out better than the photo shows. Actually, they came out better then I expected, considering this may be first time I've ever attempted a fender stretch.

Tonneau, dash and bonnet. I ended up adding styrene for the hood chrome down the sides, the casting on the kit was so light it only really provided nice guidelines for placement.

Not married to the wheels. May end up with stock dog diishes instead of what is pictured. May just lose the chrome ring.  May end up with 5 spokes. As I get the chassis in order I'll see what works better. 

So, while the color is curing so I can get to the clear coat, off to finish up the interior, and get the mechanicals going.

thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!

 

[misterNNL]

Glad to see those stock quarter Windows back.A classic flower car in a trio of professional cars is a unique concept.I believe that Jimmy Flintstone offers a stretched '40 Ford funeral coach body as one his unique resin pieces if that would intrest you as a companion piece to your flower car.Thanks for sharing.

[talon63]

Interior shot with white, accented with body color and Blue Sharpie over Silver Sharpie.

Seat belts are 1/8" white ribbon, colored with the Blue Sharpie, and bits of sheet styrene for the buckles. Off to work on the inside of the cab, give it a shot of white and get the acetate windows cut and installed so the interior bucket can be installed.

thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!

[talon63]

small update. Engine is coming together, donor from the speedwagon that gave up the seats. Ready for wiring and plumbing and fixing the floating components. Radiator and electric fan are also the speedwagon kit.  Will need to work out the exhaust system under the car as I setup the suspension.

First cuts for the wood bed are going in. Will create the individual boards from the three pieces pictured, stained with furniture markers and clear-coated, then lay down some chrome strips made from styrene. Going to try and hide the tailgate hinge under the rear of the bed deck. then I can get the suspension under it and tie in a driveshaft.

Still need to get the acetate cut for the glass, finalize the suspension. Hope to have it up on its feet within the next few days.

thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!

[espo]

Looks even better with the body painted.

[talon63]

Engine nearly ready for mounting. Last shot is a dry fit, making sure the bonnet clearance is good, and it fits!

Bed construction also continues...First shot is the stained and cleared wood, with the trim pieces unfinished, followed by the finished pieces being attached to the deck.

And a couple of shots of it dry fit into the body. Need to create a small bit of framework forward of the wheel wells so the deck sits level.

 

thanks for having a look, leaving comments, critiques, or suggestions. Happy Building!