Another Body Correction - FYI

[Sledsel]

Well, I am a stickler for bodies looking correct or very close to correct. Some I will correct, others I will not bother with.

Older kits, well, they were usually pretty darn close and I usually will not complain, it is what it is. My pet peeve is new molds that are not correct. This, IMO, is inexcusable with technology the way it is now. 

Well this post is an FYI of an older kit that I have built in the past and recently found it incorrect.

The AMT 70 Galaxie police car has the wrong roof. Upon inspecting it closely, it is a modified version of the 70 LTD 

 

 The hood and grill were changed and window frames added to the doors.

If you want a Galaxie 4 door hardtop you are good with removing the door frames, but if you want a correct 4 door sedan, a little work is needed.

Also to be pointed out, the vent window is incorrect, it is correct for a hardtop, but that is trivial in my eyes

Unfortunately I am not starting corrections on one at this time but my plan does not seem difficult.

Below are pics to show differences in the roof shape. 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the actual sedan has more of a slope to the roof and window frame whereas the LTD (and kit) have more of formal type roof.

I'll probably fix one just to do it and make another a hardtop, 

To most, it is not a big deal, but I just wanted to point it out.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Sledsel

[Rodent]

The Galaxie grille is a hot mess as well. It's a bit misshapen overall, and the hood trim is molded as part of the grille. If you want to count rivets, the seat pattern is wrong too. They carried over the LTD cloth interior. Galaxies used vertically pleated vinyl. My folks had a 70 Galaxie 2 door HT from 1973-79, so I have spent some time inside and around a 1:1.

 

(pics stolen from the web)

Edited February 19, 2021 by Rodent

[Sledsel]

  On 2/19/2021 at 5:31 PM, Rodent said:

The Galaxie grille is a hot mess as well. It's a bit misshapen overall, and the hood trim is molded as part of the grille. If you want to count rivets, the seat pattern is wrong too. They carried over the LTD cloth interior. Galaxies used vertically pleated vinyl. My folks had a 70 Galaxie 2 door HT from 1973-79, so I have spent some time inside and around a 1:1.

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  Yea, the hood trim should be part of the hood, fairly easy fix with some patience. Other than that, the grill is not that bad. As for interior pattern, I do not get that crazy with accuracy.

[Rodent]

  On 2/19/2021 at 5:47 PM, Sledsel said:

  Yea, the hood trim should be part of the hood, fairly easy fix with some patience. Other than that, the grill is not that bad. As for interior pattern, I do not get that crazy with accuracy.

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To my eye, the part of the grille that should be attached to the hood is way too vertical, even if it was cut free and attached to the hood. But again, I looked at the 1:1 every day for 6 years and drove it after I got my license.

I would like to get one of the LTDs, but every time I look for one, they are more money than I am willing to spend on the subject.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Rodent

[Sledsel]

  On 2/19/2021 at 6:37 PM, Rodent said:

To my eye, the part of the grille that should be attached to the hood is way too vertical, even if it was cut free and attached to the hood. But again, I looked at the 1:1 every day for 6 years and drove it after I got my license.

I would like to get one of the LTDs, but every time I look for one, they are more money than I am willing to spend on the subject.

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 Watch Ebay for the 70 LTD grille and use the 69 Galaxie hood. Conversion done...

 

[Rodent]

  On 2/19/2021 at 7:08 PM, Sledsel said:

Watch Ebay for the 70 LTD grille and use the 69 Galaxie hood. Conversion done...

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Yeah, and Modelhaus had the LTD conversion available as well. Those pop up from time to time.

[MrObsessive]

Thanks for the heads up Rich! I had never thought about that until you mentioned it. Now I can't UNsee it. I have one of my police car kits to do just that........turn it into an LTD four door hardtop as I have the conversion pieces. Now that you've pointed out the differences, it would make my job that MUCH easier!

  On 2/19/2021 at 7:39 PM, Rodent said:

Yeah, and Modelhaus had the LTD conversion available as well. Those pop up from time to time.

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This thread reminds me of a project I've had in mind for YEARS. I have one of Don and Carol's resin '70 Ford wagon transkits for one of my police car kits. Right before they shut things down, I got their LTD conversion to turn the wagon into a Town and Country.

One thing though............I CANNOT stand the fake wood trim on those wagons! I love the look of the hidden headlights and such, but I was wondering could one order a LTD wagon back in those days WITHOUT that fake wood trim?

It would be kinda neat to build one and have folks scratching their heads. ☺️

[Plowboy]

  On 2/19/2021 at 6:37 PM, Rodent said:

To my eye, the part of the grille that should be attached to the hood is way too vertical, even if it was cut free and attached to the hood. 

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Exactly. If one attached the trim and laid it back like it should be, then the trim on the fenders would need to also be laid back to match. Then, there would be a huge gap between the grille and trim. I think it's why the grille itself has a short look to it.

[Motor City]

There was another thread on this topic somewhat recently.  It originated as the '70 LTD 4-door hardtop and was available as a dark blue promo and Motor City Stocker Series promo-style kit.  As indicated above, the conversion to a sedan police car wasn't a good one.  Since Round2 did wonders with the Nova wagon and '64 Cutlass, it's time to do a '70 XL or XL GT.

[Sledsel]

  On 2/20/2021 at 2:15 AM, MrObsessive said:

Thanks for the heads up Rich! I had never thought about that until you mentioned it. Now I can't UNsee it. I have one of my police car kits to do just that........turn it into an LTD four door hardtop as I have the conversion pieces. Now that you've pointed out the differences, it would make my job that MUCH easier!

This thread reminds me of a project I've had in mind for YEARS. I have one of Don and Carol's resin '70 Ford wagon transkits for one of my police car kits. Right before they shut things down, I got their LTD conversion to turn the wagon into a Town and Country.

One thing though............I CANNOT stand the fake wood trim on those wagons! I love the look of the hidden headlights and such, but I was wondering could one order a LTD wagon back in those days WITHOUT that fake wood trim?

It would be kinda neat to build one and have folks scratching their heads. ☺️

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Who's Rich? LOL

Yea, I am pretty sure the only way the wagon got the hideaway headlights was with the Country Squire option. I bet somewhere someone special ordered A Country Sedan with hideaways.

Could not stand looking at my Galaxie an not trying something, I started trimming and cutting to make it "more correct" I do not expect 100% tho

  

[Sledsel]

few cuts, getting better. I wiil track this with a build thread later

[BlackSheep214]

Rivet counters....... Just kidding. ?

To the ordinary modeler, I think it's a moot point to worry about accuracies. These kits are old and technology was different back then. But... if it can be corrected to make it accurate,  I'll leave it to the experts to achieve it. 

[Oldcarfan27]

  On 2/19/2021 at 4:18 PM, Sledsel said:

 

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I also found that the rear door glass is too short lengthwise. On the sedan, the frame should almost go to the edge of the door. 

[Rodent]

  On 2/20/2021 at 2:15 AM, MrObsessive said:

but I was wondering could one order a LTD wagon back in those days WITHOUT that fake wood trim?

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No, I don't think so. Ford started building a "wood-free" LTD wagon sometime in the mid-1970s, maybe 1975. I have never heard of one earlier than that.

[Sledsel]

  On 2/20/2021 at 9:10 PM, Rodent said:

No, I don't think so. Ford started building a "wood-free" LTD wagon sometime in the mid-1970s, maybe 1975. I have never heard of one earlier than that.

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   but you could get the country sedan wagon and possibly order it with the ltd/xl grill

[sfhess]

  On 2/20/2021 at 9:10 PM, Rodent said:

No, I don't think so. Ford started building a "wood-free" LTD wagon sometime in the mid-1970s, maybe 1975. I have never heard of one earlier than that.

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By then Ford created the LTD Brougham as the top of the line and the "vanilla" LTD was downgraded.

 

[sfhess]

  On 2/21/2021 at 6:16 AM, Sledsel said:

   but you could get the country sedan wagon and possibly order it with the ltd/xl grill

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Pretty sure that was not the case.

 

[Motor City]

I just looked at my '70 Ford Wagon brochure:

LTD Country Squire (wood graining, hidden headlights)

Galaxie 500 Country Sedan 

Custom 500 Ranch Wagon

Custom Ranch Wagon

[Rob Hall]

  On 2/21/2021 at 6:48 AM, sfhess said:

By then Ford created the LTD Brougham as the top of the line and the "vanilla" LTD was downgraded.

 

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I think the Brougham came out for '68....I think the plain sided LTD wagon came out for 1975 after the Galaxie 500 line was dropped...

[sfhess]

That sounds about right.  

Edited February 21, 2021 by sfhess

[keyser]

I think changing the DLO on the rear door and fixing frame would do a ton more easier to fix it than roof. Window fix and frame plus sand down the boxy edge and you’re 90++% there. They made LTD sedans too, with Galaxie sedan roof and framed doors. Not common.