tim boyd Posted July 4, 2022 Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) Rockin' Rodney recently completed a killer '29A Highboy Roadster build....complete with a small block Ford (yeah!!!). If you haven't checked it out yet, you need to do so NOW! Here's a link.... There have been quite a number of Model A highboy builds posted here lately, and to a tee all have been done really well. But Rodney's version just sings to my taste for this build genre. In more than just a couple of ways his Highboy reminded me of two from my model collection - one built in 1975, the other built in the very late 1990's. Not sure, but I not recall posting detailed images of either of them here on this board, so here goes. The first one was inspired by an article on Bill Burnham's first '29A Highboy in a Hot Rod magazine all-color Street Rod pictorial from 1974 or so. This highboy (which preceded his better known FE powered baby blue roadster) was painted an orangish yellow and powered by a 326 Pontiac V8. My version was somewhat different, using 1972 GM Bright Menthol Green Tempo brand touchup paint and an SBC "(Ughh) from the MPC Switchers kits. The trunk was opened and included period display tools. It also included a working air cleaner bolt and oil pan bolt (for the MPC Contest Series, where it was ignored in the 1975 Detroit contest but won a couple of awards in subsequent years of the MPC series). Of course, the main kit source was the AMT 1929 Model A Street Rod series double kit (body and interior) complimented with the AMT 1932 Ford Phaeton frame. I followed a Pat Ganahl article showing how he built his highboy model that appeared in Street Rodder magazine in 1975 or so. The second one was built in the late 1990's. It used a current (at the time) Ford Taurus metallic blue color, airbrushed from Ford dealer touchup (brush) paint. It used the chassis from the then-recent Revell '32 Ford street rod kit series, along with a 428 CobraJet engine, and then-current wheel and tire componentry. The front tires were posable and the rear end was a Quick Change. It was intended to be a modern reinterpretation of the earlier model shown above. Unfortunately, I can't find an interior photo, but it was painted dark navy blue (a Pactra mliltary flats paint) using the same Ala-Kart based parts as the earlier model. Hope you enjoy looking at both of them.... but let's be clear here, I would be overjoyed if we could at some point in the future have Rodney's version displayed next to my two, and some of the other recent Model A highboy builds you guys have done, all together at an NNL or model event! Thanks for looking! TB Edited July 4, 2022 by tim boyd 3
Can-Con Posted July 4, 2022 Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) I love them both, Tim. ? Is the front axle on the blue one from the Revell '29 Pickup? Yes, wild to see how popular "A" hotrods are here lately, I even have a couple in the works myself, full fendered though. Edited July 4, 2022 by Can-Con
espo Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 Both are outstanding looking builds. I like the louvers on the side panels. A must have on a real car if driven in warm weather.
happy grumpy Posted July 5, 2022 Posted July 5, 2022 Both of them are awesome, The engine on the blue one is finely put together. Nice job.
tim boyd Posted July 6, 2022 Author Posted July 6, 2022 On 7/4/2022 at 7:43 PM, Can-Con said: I love them both, Tim. ? Is the front axle on the blue one from the Revell '29 Pickup? Yes, wild to see how popular "A" hotrods are here lately, I even have a couple in the works myself, full fendered though. Thanks Claude. Yess, the blue one had the axle, backing plates, and tie rod elements from the Revell 1929 Model A Pickup and 1931 Model A Tudor/faux Sedan Delivery kits. The shocks and shock towers, along with the four-bar radius rods were from the Revell '32 Ford street rod kits. Needless to say, hoping that you will share your full fendered A's here when you deem appropriate! Cheers....TIM
tim boyd Posted July 6, 2022 Author Posted July 6, 2022 Thanks all for your comments and feedback. Much appreciated! TB
Can-Con Posted July 6, 2022 Posted July 6, 2022 1 hour ago, tim boyd said: Thanks Claude. Um, "Steve" , actually. ?
tim boyd Posted July 6, 2022 Author Posted July 6, 2022 11 hours ago, Can-Con said: Um, "Steve" , actually. ? Steve....I caught that immediately after my original post and changed it. But apparently the edit did not take for some reason. My mistake. Sorry 'bout that...TB
Can-Con Posted July 6, 2022 Posted July 6, 2022 7 hours ago, tim boyd said: Steve....I caught that immediately after my original post and changed it. But apparently the edit did not take for some reason. My mistake. Sorry 'bout that...TB No problem, I've been called a lot worse. ?
TransAmMike Posted July 6, 2022 Posted July 6, 2022 Beautiful Mr.Tim. I too prefer the blue one and its great looking engine?
slusher Posted July 7, 2022 Posted July 7, 2022 Beautiful Pair of models Tim, I never get tiered of seeing your work! Keep them coming..
Koellefornia Kid Posted July 8, 2022 Posted July 8, 2022 Both look nice and clean, Tim! I have a little favour for the blue one, it has nice tires...
Kit Karson Posted July 14, 2022 Posted July 14, 2022 @Rocking Rodney Rathas held your contribution to our hobby in very high esteem! I too have referred to you as one of my modeling heroes and this forum has brought so many modelers together from around the world! -KK
Rocking Rodney Rat Posted July 14, 2022 Posted July 14, 2022 WOW!! Thanks, Tim! I hadn't seen this post until Kit Karson tagged me today on this thread. I love your builds and thanks for your kudos. I think we should all meet at the final GSL in SLC coming up on May. KK and I are planning to go. I hope many of us here can meet up. -RRR
ea0863 Posted November 13, 2022 Posted November 13, 2022 Tim, you can now get all issues of Hot Rod Magazine from 1948 - 2021 online for free! https://www.motortrend.com/hotrod-archive/
bill-e-boy Posted November 14, 2022 Posted November 14, 2022 Great builds Tim The blue one is very nice with the poseable steering I note that you have used the A La Kart interior in both builds. An excellent interior but not sure how comfortable it would be in real life though. I too have used this interior in a couple of my A roadster build ups I also see that you have added the chassis reveals to the green car - the AMT frame does not have these. This would have been cutting edge back in the 70's. And a hi-boy to boot as just about all the current builds at that time were resto-rods Cool
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