AMT '36 Ford Ardun Head coupe

[dino246gt]

I want to make a cool late 50s or early 60s hot rod/show car from the venerable  AMT '36 Ford kit.

1: First thing I did was to remove everything from the frame, this was easy, drag the backside of the blade until through, we all do this opening doors and trunks.

2: Then I needed to replace what I removed but add it to the fender unit. I used styrene as thick as the kit floor.

3: To make the bend in my new floor panels, I filed a groove into it where it will bend.

4: Here's how it bends, I held it at the angle I needed then ran some Tamiya thin glue into the groove and held it for a minute or two.

5: Now it's part of the fender unit.

6: Here's how the interior tub will fit over it.

[dino246gt]

1: Here's the tires I'll use, hard resin.

2: But the chrome rims I like from Revell's '49 Merc Woody kit are just too big!

3: Can't really make the rims smaller, so I'll open up the white walls to allow the wheels to fit.

4: Much better! This time it was pretty extreme and easy to see, but on almost every model I open up the tire a bit to fit the rims deeper in, like this!

5: I won't need those metal axle tabs on the backside of the wheels.

6: Gone!

[Bullybeef]

Nice craftsmanship there Dennis, the amt 36 kit is one of my personal favourites, I’ll be following. 

[dino246gt]

1: For the rear I used a parts box diff and leafs, but to lower it I filled the axle indents and added to the spring perches.

2: I drilled out the driveshaft ends a bit.

3: Not really much, but it does add a little and only took 5 minutes.

4: This is a piece of florist wire and some styrene tube that is the size of shock ends. I'll glue shocks to these and paint them to match the shock body, except the wire.

5: You can see the blue shocks with no mounting points, so I made a new crossmember and drilled for the florist wire.

6: Wire glued in, so when I tilt the diff the blue shocks will attach to the styrene tube and become part of the shock, the wire more or less represents the bolt.

Edited January 27, 2023 by dino246gt

[dino246gt]

1: I've done this several times before, parts box wheel backs cut down to represent drum brake backing plates.

2: from the other side, after mods.

3: Kit wheel backs thinned to fit narrower tires.

4: Front suspension is pretty simple, de-chromed and top of spring sanded down. Pins for locating as it's on and off so many times because of all the frame

modifications.

[dino246gt]

1: Since I'm using Ardun heads, ('50 pickup kit) I have to fill the flathead exhaust ports on the block.

2: And I want a modern type of distributor, I de-chromed the front from an AMT '41 Woody kit.

3: Short pieces of aluminum tubing for water pumps and a triple carb intake!

4: I added another pulley to run the generator.

 

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Arduns look so awesome. ?

Yours especially!

[dino246gt]

1: I wasn't satisfied with the kit gas tank.

2: So I made this piece and went to look through the parts box for a new tank.

3: Most tanks were too wide, this one isn't but it's too long!

4: Let's make that gas tank a bit shorter!

5: Now at least it fits! I'll add some straps from .010 styrene strip.

6: I' have these old railroad nuts and bolts, a couple of these should look fairly cool.

7: Some guitar string and the tank is ready to install.

[dino246gt]

I had to cut the steering gear and arm apart, drill it and reposition it because I lowered the car so much.

This is all just figuring things out as I go, if if doesn't fit, make it fit!  LOL

[Calb56]

Your craftsmanship is amazing.

[Joe Nunes]

Nice model work going on here with your '36 Ford.  I have one sitting on the bench right now in a state of being built. You have shown some nice details and I just might borrow a few for my own AMT '36 Ford. Thanks for sharing your information and photos with us.  ?

Joe

[jdcar32]

I did the same thing with my '36 to release the frame and add details. Looking good ......

[Dave72]

Great, very informative build you have going! I love builds like this. I’ll be soaking this all up as you go along! 

[Paul Payne]

Love this build! Will be following closely! Built an Ardun Amt 36 awhile back, replaced the grille with a Monogram grille because the AMT unit doesn't have the tuck under. Here's a pic.

[OldNYJim]

Like a couple of others have said already - outstanding CRAFTSMANSHIP.

Really beautiful work

[dino246gt]

Jon Davis, WOW!

Your detail on that chassis is fantastic!

Paul, I love the suicide door treatment! Can't really see much in that picture but I'm sure it's fabulous!

I love old school hot rods!

My dad used to take me to the auto shows in Detroit in the 50s and early 60s

 

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Nice work with this venerable oldie but goodie. Going with the chopped greenhouse? -RRR

[Paul Payne]

Dennis, somewhere in under glass are more pix- don't want to hijack this thread!

[dino246gt]

Yes 3 window chopped top on this one.

It doesn't fit very well, but I'm going to fix that.

Edited January 29, 2023 by dino246gt

[NOBLNG]

Beautiful work on the chassis and drivetrain Dennis. That engine really looks great!? Yeah, those roof connections need a bit of work to get them looking nice.

[Dennis Lacy]

Some great kit-bashing and fab work going on here. Your solution for the floor pan is awesome. Filing that for future use! 
 

Are the ARDUN heads going to fit without clearance work on the inner edges of the fenders?

[Bullybeef]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Snip “Yeah, those roof connections need a bit of work to get them looking nice.”

I fully agree on that sentiment, I think the only one that fits nicely is the roadster . I’ve spent a fair amount of time working those seams to look good.

[dino246gt]

1: I made a cut along the side of the firewall and spread the upper portion of the body sides out with thin styrene "shims" so that it lines up better with the separate top.

2: Before that though, I had to fit that Ardun head flattie in, so the firewall was radically modified, just a flat piece for starters.

3: I'm not using hood side, because, well, Ardun!  LOL  So I got some R/C airplane hinges and tried to make the hood open half way.

4: I puttied over them and sanded them down. Of course I KNOW that they're way too large to look in scale, but we'll see how it turns out, it's an experiment!

 

[dino246gt]

1: So I got the carbs on and made some fuel lines, and started on the linkages.

2: But I'll need to modify the oil fill and fuel feed.

3: Firewall needed to be "scooped" to fit new oil fill cap!

4: I used Molotow on the new finned oil fill cap and finished the linkages and fuel feeds. Now the rad top looks too big to me.

 

[dino246gt]

1: I cut up the rad to make a smaller top, just because.

2: New rad top is just styrene strip that looked the right size.

3: I drilled a couple of holes for hoses and an offset filler.

4: Painted and installed, I like it more than the kit rad top.