Monograms 29 Ford P/U Rat Rod Done

[Richard Bartrop]

I have my own opinions on rat rods, but it doesn't matter what I think about them, because it's not my project.   It's John's baby, and he's the one who has to be happy with it, so his opinion is the only one that counts here.

[Johnt671]

I don't see any problem with anything posted in this thread, and I've enjoyed the chance to see other posters opinions, and the chance to share some of my experience with others.

[Jonathan]

Nice work and I'm enjoying seeing what you do with this old gem.

[Johnt671]

Thanks Jonathan. To unwarp the doors I put the the cab in hot water over a few days. This had the unexpected effect of making the the dull coat I put over the primer peel in spots making the primer look aged and faded. I may leave it like this and try to do this on the hood and bed, and leave the fenders in the newer primer because the owner has been getting a couple of cans of primer every pay day. Also a couple of shots of the roadster body, which I don;t like as much as the hard top. The door did work out well so I can stay with that version. Feedback please.

[1930fordpickup]

I like it John. Keep Gluing along. 

[DustyMojave]

For this build I like the hard top cab.

And the paint effect is interesting. Too bad it didn't happen to some black paint. But still it looks like thick layers of paint laid on over the years and peeling off.

[iBorg]

I like both bodies but I think I'd go with the pickup instead of the roadster. As for the paint, I like the effect but think you should tone it down. I seems like too much decay, Maybe leave on the lower third of the body or only in one or two certain areas.

[DustyMojave]

Ummm He was referring to the roadster pickup cab or the hard top pickup cab.

[Johnt671]

I'm not sure what way I may go with this. I'm leaning stripping the cab and redoing the primer for the semi restored future classic look. I'm going to be forced to wait because the weather is so cold I don't want to spray outside. It would be easy to make the top patchy like the cab by putting it hot hot water, and maybe lessen the blotched effect by using a little cooler water and less soaks. I think I see using this on another car, building it as a farmer field find that sat in the weather for years.

[Johnt671]

I'm back on this build. I repainted the body and got some more of the trim work done. I plan on playing around on the weathering I found by accident working on this one. I didn't like the way the bed floor decal looks so I made one out of a thin piece of wood and used black wash on it.

[Johnt671]

Progress.

[Mercuryman54]

Lookin' good!! I like the look of the closed cab better{my opinion}. Keep up the good work!!

Dennis

[Johnt671]

Getting close to done.

[misterNNL]

On 12/15/2017 at 8:33 AM, El Caballo said:

That is a good kit, I like the banger you are using.

Doesn't that kit have a dropped front axle? I have to admit I'm surprised it doesn't sit lower considering it is a "rat-rod".

I hate the term "rat rod" when applied to a vehicle like that. A rat rod would have a Z'd frame fore and aft making speed bumps impassable, bubble gum stick welded of course, a mail box air cleaner atop a single 2 bbl carb and a PBR beer can puke tube catcher on the radiator, a 135 h.p. V8 of some orphan make - just like the 50's bro - with an automatic, zoomies welded by Ray Charles. The cab would have to have a fake speed shop name with said name special (Fake Name Spl.) on the door, 16" chop, bullet holes, spikes festooned everywhere, and my personal favorite - spider webs made from wire on every open 90* angle, at least one skull somewhere. The bed would have a Mexican blanket for the owner's orca-betty girlfriend cuz' she can't fit in the cab, a six pack of PBR pounders, and a case of Aqua Net for her hair. Inside would have a pomade inspired wet dream bomber-style seat made of stolen road signs riveted together, something on the steering wheel hub that would impale upon the slightest accident, at least one Betty Page sticker and a Coop devil girl, beer tap shifter, no transmission tunnel with a whirling open driveshaft that would (hopefully) catch on the driver's perfectly cuffed Dickies jeans, suck him in, and turn him into strawberry jam.

It may be an understatement that I don't like rat rods.

I just wish you would man up and tell us how you really feel about this whole rat rod thing Ed:)

[Johnt671]

This one is now done. I'll get some finished pictures and post them tomorrow.

[Johnt671]

A day late and a dollar short but I have the done pictures. I'll post a teaser pic here, and the rest under glass.

Thanks to all who commented on this build and for the many lookers. It always makes things go when people are interested in a build.

[mod3l Lover]

I like it, the motor is really cool!!

[Modelbuilder Mark]

I like it!

[Johnt671]

Thanks.

[Mr Dedo]

Clean!

[drsnapper55]

Cool build!  I know what you mean about that suspension.  I put one of these together too, and the whole thing is a little tricky to get lined up and set right.  I struggled with the opening hood, so great to see that you have that working and lined up very nicely.  If those doors sag on you or if you can't get them tight, you can put a little tab in bottom corner to keep it evenly closed.  Some other folks here might have some better advice than that, but it worked for me.

I bet some of the best weathering techniques were discovered by accident, so you will definitely have to revisit that technique you painted over.

Thanks for sharing your progress.

[Johnt671]

14 hours ago, drsnapper55 said:

Cool build!  I know what you mean about that suspension.  I put one of these together too, and the whole thing is a little tricky to get lined up and set right.  I struggled with the opening hood, so great to see that you have that working and lined up very nicely.  If those doors sag on you or if you can't get them tight, you can put a little tab in bottom corner to keep it evenly closed.  Some other folks here might have some better advice than that, but it worked for me.

I bet some of the best weathering techniques were discovered by accident, so you will definitely have to revisit that technique you painted over.

Thanks for sharing your progress.

Thanks. I used a little tacky glue to hold the doors fully shut A small tab along with tacky glue may have worked better as I at first used too much and the first time I went to open a door I had to pull hard. This pulled one of the door hinges off, but with some good luck nothing broke so I was able to reattach the hinge and clean up some of the glue. It turned out so nice that I wish I'd raided my spare parts to spice I the interior more. Maybe an upgrade in the future.

[spike morelli]

Johnt671, enjoying your build here. I thought I'd just comment on various terminologies used about car styles. Someone posted that there were "rat rods" back in the fifties. No. Emphatically, No. I've been into cars and hot rodding, and racing since I was a wee kid. There are always "unfinished" or, "works in progress" cars from any era, but even the Rattiest build from the good old days was only because of lack of enough money to finish the job. Bad welds come from bad welders, and aren't done intentionally. Nobody who had a primered car really considered it finished. The owner dreamed of the day he could get that bitchin' paint job done. Odd wheels or blankets over shot upholstery, or lack of paint, were only interim until resources allowed stepping up to get it finished. Hot rodders from the past never intended to leave things in hack shape. Today, cars of the "rat rod" movement are purpose built, and owners who were never there will tell you that they are emulating what was, when it wasn't. Rat rod builders consider their cars a finished statement, but it is, in fact, a semi-current trend, not a historically accurate re-creation, rather one's prerogative.

If you follow the history of any old rod lucky enough to get some ink from magazines back when, you'll find most all started out from humble beginnings, and constantly evolved until FINISHED. Maybe the owner was not flush with cash, but so many went to TJ for inexpensive tuck n roll, or to places like Earl Scheib for a low buck paint job, but got completed. Many owners were going to school or work and used their "shorts" for daily transportation, so they weren't full race, or show cars per se, and certainly weren't the abstract, pan-dragging , interior-less, open headered, cut up cars so lauded by today's "rat" culture. Obviously, by my description of "ratters" you can tell it's not my style. I see a car's finished potential.  But, what a person does with his own time and money remains his own business, and if it makes them happy....OK.

Edited March 25, 2018 by spike morelli

[oldcarfan]

This is one of my favorite kits, especially this reissue with all the cool parts. I built it at around 10 y.o. when it was molded in orange. I think it was the Orange Crate or something like that. I got it by begging my grandma for money. I built it that summer with probably two tubes of Testor's tube glue. I'm at the age where I get nostalgic, so a couple years ago, I bought two of the Rat Rod reissue and built one as a stock 29 truck and the other as a hot rod.

[Johnt671]

On 3/25/2018 at 4:34 PM, spike morelli said:

Johnt671, enjoying your build here. I thought I'd just comment on various terminologies used about car styles. Someone posted that there were "rat rods" back in the fifties. No. Emphatically, No. I've been into cars and hot rodding, and racing since I was a wee kid. There are always "unfinished" or, "works in progress" cars from any era, but even the Rattiest build from the good old days was only because of lack of enough money to finish the job. Bad welds come from bad welders, and aren't done intentionally. Nobody who had a primered car really considered it finished. The owner dreamed of the day he could get that bitchin' paint job done. Odd wheels or blankets over shot upholstery, or lack of paint, were only interim until resources allowed stepping up to get it finished. Hot rodders from the past never intended to leave things in hack shape. Today, cars of the "rat rod" movement are purpose built, and owners who were never there will tell you that they are emulating what was, when it wasn't. Rat rod builders consider their cars a finished statement, but it is, in fact, a semi-current trend, not a historically accurate re-creation, rather one's prerogative.

If you follow the history of any old rod lucky enough to get some ink from magazines back when, you'll find most all started out from humble beginnings, and constantly evolved until FINISHED. Maybe the owner was not flush with cash, but so many went to TJ for inexpensive tuck n roll, or to places like Earl Scheib for a low buck paint job, but got completed. Many owners were going to school or work and used their "shorts" for daily transportation, so they weren't full race, or show cars per se, and certainly weren't the abstract, pan-dragging , interior-less, open headered, cut up cars so lauded by today's "rat" culture. Obviously, by my description of "ratters" you can tell it's not my style. I see a car's finished potential.  But, what a person does with his own time and money remains his own business, and if it makes them happy....OK.

What you are saying here is exactly what I going for on this one. I shouldn't have called it a rat rod but a ratty looking car slowly being fixed up. Thanks for your post. Wow, I forgot about Earl Scheib who would paint any car for $29.99. But that was a lot back in those days, and the last thing done to a rod. Motor first, at least two nice wheels for the front then improve the interior.