1962 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster

[PARTSMARTY]

This will be awesome-love the way it's going !!!

[mrmike]

Thanks Marty!

I did a mockup of the body, chassis, wheels and tires to check the stance and it's looking good so far. The engine is in progress of being wired and the interior pieces are in progress of being detailed.

[Modlbldr]

Looking good.

Later-

[mrmike]

Thank you Tom!

I made a set of seat belts using Tamiya Tape, a red Sharpie, and a set of set belt buckles.  I am in the process of detailing the steering wheel and the dash.  I made some spark plug boots for the plug wires.  Now I can run the plug wires to the cylinder heads and install the exhaust manifolds. 

Edited August 25, 2017 by mrmike

[mrmike]

The 390 CID engine has been assembled and wired.

[Super28]

Nice build. watching...

 

[mrmike]

Thanks Terry!

[mlomaka]

Lookin really nice so far. I have one I have been debating how to build. I have been enjoying watching you do yours & getting thoughts on how I will do mine. Thanks for all the progress pictures.

 

Mike

[Slotto]

Love it! Go go go

[Roadrunner]

I like the Thunderbird from this year, but don't really like anything that foos does, but it'll still be interesting to see your take.

[mrmike]

Thanks Mike, Steve, and Kevin!

Thank you guys!  I found the engine stand in the AMT ProShop '57 Thunderbird kit.  I've also have the engine stand from the AMT '39/'40 Ford Tudoe Sedan kit.
I finished the dash and installed it into the interior.  The interior is a very tight fit into the body and the dash is touching the cowl and there is no room for the windshield or the frame.  I'll have to do some serious grinding here.  The engine is detailed and touched up and ready for the chassis.

More to come...

Edited September 4, 2017 by mrmike

[espo]

Your engine and interior look great.

[KWT]

Looking good, Mike.

[Slotto]

Killer job Mike. Can't wait to see the wrap around glass like you promised!

[mrmike]

I pulled out the windshield and the frame just to see how much grinding with a Dremel tool is going to be needed on the dash.  As it turns out, a lot!!!  I had a brain fart last night.  I have three of the chopped windows from the '53 Studebaker and I wondered if I could make one fit the T-Bird.  Like i said, it was a brain fart! 

More to come...

[mrmike]

With the speedster style windsreen now out of the question, I went and opened a gap between the dash panel and the cowl.  The kit windshield and frame now fits in there perfectly and the body and interior now fits together tightly.  I am tempted to pry the dash out and shorten it a little on each side, but I think I'll let that slide for now as I do like the tight fit.

More to come... 

[Ron Hamilton]

I like that pearl white. To date, I have built three of those kits, One White with Turquoise Interior, One Black on Black, and a Red on Red Hardtop kitbashed with the Time Machines Resin Body.I love those kits, as well as the real Car, as I drove one my Dad had when I was in High School. It was a bomb, but I liked driving it. I am not going to do a build of it, as I have a promo of the car (Beige Hardtop with an off White interior).

[mrmike]

Thanks Ron!  The White Lighning paint is a really nice shimmery color, but I have to be careful when using it.  I need to make sure of the coverage is even on all surfaces.  It's great to have a tribute of a relative's car for the collection!  I have one of my father's '71 Merc Cougar that I made from the AMT '73 Cougar.  It's close to what he had-351 2-bbl., single exhaust, auto trans., whitewalls, and black vinyl top with a maroon body.  I should do one of his last car, a '79 Caddy Coupe deVille.  Black over black with red leather.

I wanted to insert the taillights and looked at the instructions which says to add the rear bumper first then insert the taillights, but something didn't seem right.  The taillights stood out a country mile and needed a lot of chrome trim around the lenses!  I mounted the taillights inside the bumper and they fit nice and flush.  This seems the better way to go!

More to come...

[mrmike]

I got the body polished and foiled and now to clearcoat it.  The hood and the rear seat cover are back in the stripper since my new can of paint ran like crazy with just using mist coats.  I'm going to re-prime and repaint these pieces.

[StockBoresMe]

That white lightning is tricky paint. Be very careful if you decide to clearcoat it. Mist the clear on very lightly like 3 or 4 times and wet sand whatever orange peel there is before laying on a final wet coat. If you get the clearcoat too thick on the 1st coat it seems to make the white extremely wet again and you'll get this nightmare

[mrmike]

Thanks Tony!  I'll watch for that if I do clearcoat the T-Bird.

I got the rear seat cover and the hood out of the stripper yesterday and I started sanding this morning.  This afternoon, I gave them both a good coating of primer and tonight or tomorrow morning, I'll sand any imperfections and paint them with Testors One Coat Lacquer White Lightning.

Meanwhile, I've been doing some assembly of the T-Bird.  It should be ready for the Classic Plastic Model Club Exhibition on Sunday!

More to come...

[mod3l Lover]

  I like it Mike!  At first I thought you were painting the interior orange

because of the way the photos looked, but it looked kinda cool that

way if it was.

  My '62 build is stalled. I still have half of the foiling to do, and that

is very time consuming for me!  Nice work, she looks great!!

      David S.

[mrmike]

Well David, just git-r-dun!  lol  Foiling was one of my most hated jobs until I had done it enough that I was comfortable with it.

Almost done!

More to come...

[mrmike]

I have finished my '62 T-Bird Roadster and it is posted in Under Glass.  I would like to thank all those who took the time to view and to comment on my WIP.

[randyc]

I may try to get this one next time it comes around.  Or if I run across one somewhere.  

Nice looking build.