'32 Ford Highboy Roadster Early 50's style

[Bernard Kron]

This is sort of bass ackwards for me since I usually do the motor and chassis before I do paint and body work. This is based on the Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland (RMCM) traditional ’32 Ford chassis by Rik Hoving which uses the Revell ’29 Ford suspension bits. The car will have a full hood with the standard louvers, p/e grill and post ’49 Flatty with three carb setup. It’s the sister car to the ’29 Roadster I’m building which I place at about three years earlier. I’m trying to build both as period correct as possible.

Details so far include RMCM stock ’32 firewall, p/e Auburn dash from RMCM, and the nice tuck and rolled interior from RMCM that Lyle Willits mastered.

Thanx for lookin’

(Click on picture for larger image)

Edited December 21, 2008 by gbk1

[Raul_Perez]

Very nice mockup pics, Bernard!!

The whitewalls look right at home on this build!!

Make this another one that I can't wait to see finished!!

Later,

[Lyle Willits]

Thanks for the credit on the interior, but I believe that was also mastered by Rik Hoving.

I made a diamond-tucked interior for the Revell '32 and also a modern, high tech patterned interior.

Of course,,,,,,,,there's always the real possiblity that I did this one and I just don't remember.

[John Goschke]

Nice! Great looking color combo.

[CB]

Oh no.......Bernard the 'stance-meister' is human! I guess it was bound to happen.

This is the first build of yours, Bernard, that, in my humble opinion, doesn't have that typical awesome stance that I've come to expect from you. But I'm sure it is very period correct, and I'm diggin it coz of that. I gotta remember that not all rods look cool, from my memories of the good old days when I was pumping gas in the early '70s. Airshocks were the rage in the neighborhood, and I remember putting gas in a LeMans one nite, and the filler pipe (behind the license plate) was almost 4 feet off the ground, and the front bumper was almost scraping the road . That'd make a funny lookin build.

Lookin forward to seeing this and yer '29 together. Love the color combo on this as well.

[Bernard Kron]

Oh no.......Bernard the 'stance-meister' is human! I guess it was bound to happen.

This is the first build of yours, Bernard, that, in my humble opinion, doesn't have that typical awesome stance that I've come to expect from you. ...

Actually this has no stance as yet. There's no suspension and the center of the chassis is sitting on a faucet aerator. I agree, the tail is too low. I'm anticipating a battle getting the stance right since the RMCM chassis requires the Revell '29 Ford suspension bits and they look awfully fiddly and thin to modify ... we'll see. Thanx for the compliment, 'though. Perhaps the "Stance-mesiter" has met his match!

BTW, good to be hearing from you again. I hope you're properly recovered from your recent contretemps - with a bicycle, if I recall correctly.

Edited December 16, 2008 by gbk1

[Dennis Lacy]

Good looking roadster! The blue w/red interior is a nice touch and one that really works well. Can't wait to see it actually sitting on all 4.

Couple of questions: Do they also make the smooth dashboard to mount the Auburn panel on, or are we on our own there? Could you post a picture of just the frame taken from the underside? I'd like to see how it's been modified.

[Bernard Kron]

Couple of questions: Do they also make the smooth dashboard to mount the Auburn panel on, or are we on our own there? Could you post a picture of just the frame taken from the underside? I'd like to see how it's been modified.

Thanx Dennis.

Yes RMCM offers a smooth dashboard with an Auburn p/e set for both the Revellogram roadster (RH-508) and the 3-window (412). I used the 3-5 hole version and later changed my mind and used their Auburn p/e gauge panel set (no smoothed dash - RH-417). I landed up having to remove a small amount of material from the bottom of the panel to get it to fit, so if I had to do it over again I would use the full dash and panel set.

Below is a pic I took of the frame when I first got it. As you can see is very finely cast. The floor panel that is molded integrally with the rails in the original kit version is a separate piece from RMCM and the k-member is quite different with no holes for exhaust pipes and simplified from the Revellogram piece. I haven't tackled the suspension bits yet so I can't report on that, especially the stance that results.

Also, a word of warning: the frame is specifically engineered for a Flathead. It comes with a nicely done proprietary radiator that is made for the frame's front cross member which is different from the Revellogram one (I think it is meant to imitate a Model-A cross member often used back in the day). The point is that the radiator is for Flatheads only with the required dual water feeds. If you want to use some other engine you will have to change the header tank on the radiator. In my case I first thought of installing a Nailhead but decided to simplify matters and go the Flathead route. Also note that their are flathead engine mounts as well. The Revellogram flathead from the Tudor Sedan has a more modern transmission that has a long tail piece. This would require removing material from the k-member to accommodate it. In my case I have removed the transmission and substituted a more period correct La Salle tranny and the engine drops in without frame modifications.

BTW, if you're interested in RMCM stuff I highly recommend getting their parts list. They have hundreds of very cool items.

Edited December 15, 2008 by gbk1

[Dennis Lacy]

Thanks answering my questions and for posting the frame pictures! It's an interesting piece. The k-member is a pretty simplified version of a stock '32 k-member, but definately passable for a propper Flathead-era hotrod. It seems to me they would have been better off installing a new rear crossmember to accomodate the stock rear axle from Revell's '40 Fords since the '37-'40 rear axle was the most commonly swapped into a '32 chassis.

Where did you source a La Salle trans?

[Bernard Kron]

Where did you source a La Salle trans?

RMCM sells a set of two, one with a Flathead bell housing, one without. Nicely detailed, too.

[Bernard Kron]

I’m usually a one model at a time kinda guy but right now I’m building two traditional highboys at the same time, the ‘32 you see here and a '29 Ford A-V8 I’ve got going on another thread. They’re both being built very traditional; with the ’29 set at about 1949 and this ’32 placed in the early 50’s as hot rods started to get fancier and more elaborate. Thus the bright Aquamarine Blue metallic paint and the wide whites. It’s been interesting comparing and contrasting these two cars which are historically only about 3 years apart but couldn’t be more different.

I’ve now got the suspension setup completed. The RMCM frame uses the suspension from the Revell Model A Ford Pickup and Sedan kits. I changed out the banjo rear end for a quick change and will use split wishbones front and rear. The Revell dropped front axle is a very pretty I-beam piece with posable wheels, which I will endeavor to keep. The only downside is that the stance that results, while historically spot on, has less rake that I would normally use. But because this build is supposed to be period correct for an early 50’s highboy I’ve decided to leave it as it is. The front brakes are finned Buick drums with the Revell kit backs to allow for the posable wheels. The rear brakes are stock ’40 Ford backing plates slotted at the 9 o’clock position to accept the rear spring.

In addition to the suspension I built motors for both cars. The ’32 gets a ’49 and later flathead from the Revell ’32 Tudor Sedan kit. It’s basically built OTB with the exception of the carbs which are the gorgeous Model Car Garage pieces and a pretty set of custom headers from RMCM. They will be installed as you see them with a set of exhausts tapping into the side leading to the mufflers, leaving the custom headers as race headers which can be capped for street use. I will install an after market front mounted distributor leading off of the front cover plate. The red engine paint was chosen to go with the “showboat†look of the car. On the ’29 which has a pre-’49 Flatty with twin carbs the block is Ford Engine Green. I will detail the motor this week. I removed the modern transmission that comes with the kit engine and installed a La Salle transmission in its place.

Thanx for lookin’.

(click on picture for larger image)

Edited December 21, 2008 by gbk1

[Raul_Perez]

That's coming along nicely, Bernard!!

Those carbs look GREAT!!

Later,

[CB]

This is looking purty period cool Bernard. I'm even liking this 'stance'........just as is, with no windyshield, it's looking mean-ish .