'40 Ford coupe

[Modellpularn]

Since the Range Rover is a bit special.... I decided to build something quick and easy. I had a started '40 Ford - a project someone else had painted. It looked kind of ok, but you know how it is.... mold lines were present, and the front wheel wells looked a bit iffy. So it was dunked in the brake fluid/alcohol tank. A few days later it was rid of the old paint, and this is what I had planned:

Moon discs are from AMT's Avanti, but then I tried a different tire; American Satco's beautiful wide whitewalls. See how the wheel well is uneven? Pic is a bit fuzzy, but I think you can see anyway.

To fix the wheel well, I use a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a Humbrol paint tin, it's got a perfect radius for this.

Problem fixed, but now I had to try another wheel.....

The idea was to strip and repaint the black, but maybe leave it like this. Just sand the plastic and weather it with Rustall. What do you think?

Edited November 5, 2008 by Modellpularn

[MojaveRacer208]

...this is what I had planned:

Moon discs are from AMT's Avanti, but then I tried a different tire;

but now I had to try another wheel.....

The idea was to strip and repaint the black, but maybe leave it like this. Just sand the plastic and weather it with Rustall. What do you think?

I really like it. It is just basic and nearly stock so far.

I live near El Mirage Dry Lake, the place where the Bonneville racers race most of the time. They do monthly meets May through November, except August, when they go to Bonneville.

While 'ratrods" are all the rage these days, the real Hot Rods of the 40s and 50s weren't so overly channeled and such. Most were driven daily on the street to work and the grocery store. On the weekends, they would get driven from LA or San Diego 75 to 150 miles out into the desert to places like El Mirage or Harper's Dry Lake.

Your model already looks the part. scrape off the chrome strip on the side and sand a little along there, maybe put some small spots of rustall or small primer spots to represent where trim holes were welded shut. The black wall tires are more period correct, as whitewalls are heavier and weaker than blackwalls and more likely to come apart at high speed, and cost more too! The Avanti discs or the chrome reverse rims look late 50s/early 60s. Don't do much else to the paint, but add a coat of dust, heavy at the back of the wheel openings and around the inside of the wheel rims, and light everywhere else. Then a number on the window and a class designation to look as if hand written with a white shoe polish aplicator...and she's straight off the lakebed!!

In the (IIRC) 92 SA Contest Annual, there was coverage of a show from Norway, which included a 39 Ford Tudor Sedan done similarly. It was SO GOOD I remember it still. I took the magazine to the next race at El Mirage and showed the sedan to some friends, like "Kong" Jackson, whose name was lettered on the side of the hood of the model. He thought the model was great and very accurate, but thought it strange that someone in Norway would know of him.

[noname]

I would leave it also. It looks like it is really faded and weathered.

[Modellpularn]

Richard, thanks for the heads-up info! I'll keep it in mind, and use your tip about scraping off the chrome trim. I got the hood to fit perfect, but eyeing the body from the side, the trim looks a bit off.... You'd be surprised and amazed at all the stuff we know about American cars and car culture over here. That story btw, was it something I had done, or was it done by Atle Eriksen?

I checked your profile, and amazingly discovered we're born 6 days apart! That's cool!

Edited November 5, 2008 by Modellpularn

[ajulia]

Hello there friend! I would have to agree with the rest' Its looks just right for the salts.. I plan on visiting sometime next year, couldnt hold back the curiousty of seeing these and many land speed cars screaming along... OOOPs back to matter at hand.. I think shes coming along great!! Keep on wit the keepin on!!

peace

ajulia

[Geezerman]

I never argue against rust

[Modellpularn]

As I was testfitting the hood, I noticed a slight gap, and so I had to fix it.... hardly noticeable when finished, but you never know....

[Modellpularn]

I've also been tinkering with a Hemi, out of AMT's '32 Ford roadster. I've applied some primer on the body, in spots sort of....

Edited November 10, 2008 by Modellpularn

[Dennis Lacy]

I've also been tinkering with a Hemi, out of AMT's '32 Ford roadster. I've applied some primer on the body, in spots sort of....

It's interesting to me that you'r considering that Hemi. My dad still has an AMT '40 coupe he built in the '60s and it uses the Hemi from the '32 roadster. To make it fit he removed the bottom half of the firewall and part of the inner fender walls for the headers to fit. He also removed the running boards and radiused out the rear fenders for tall slicks to fit. I've often considered doing a new version using all the same parts as a tribute (or something.)

[Modellpularn]

It's interesting to me that you'r considering that Hemi. My dad still has an AMT '40 coupe he built in the '60s and it uses the Hemi from the '32 roadster. To make it fit he removed the bottom half of the firewall and part of the inner fender walls for the headers to fit. He also removed the running boards and radiused out the rear fenders for tall slicks to fit. I've often considered doing a new version using all the same parts as a tribute (or something.)

I have a feeling it might require some surgery to get the big mill to fit... I got the idea when I remembered that the engines from those kits; '32-'40 are almost interchangeable with each other.... and I figured I had a spare Hemi from that roadster kit. It would be really cool to see the model your dad built!

Edited November 11, 2008 by Modellpularn

[Modellpularn]

Engine testfitted, looks like I have to cut the splash panels to get some more room for the headers and valve covers..... I had to file away some material on the heads, where they meet the intake manifold, otherwise they would be hanging too far off the edge of the block. Some "minor adjustments"....

Edited November 12, 2008 by Modellpularn

[Modellpularn]

Here's kind of where I'm at now with this one. I needed some headers, and found a set from AMT's '53 Stude, and they will be perfect! Some trimming here and there, and.....; Oh yes baby!! I'm going to keep the body like this, with primer spots. Maybe I've already said that....