PART ONE OF A MASSIVE MULTIVEHICLE PROJECT - The Fullfendered Roadster.

[mrm]

Hello everyone.

This has been an idea I've had for a very long time, that I am finally starting to act upon.

I started building models, like many others, when I was a kid in middle school. I have vivid memories about some of my first models and some stand out more than others for one reason or another. So. I decided to take the memories of some of those models and build them all over again, based on the general idea of the originals. 

The first model I would like to start with is a '32 Roadster with full fenders. The model I remember from few decades ago, was the monogram '32 Roadster, which I attempted to build in a very dark blue or purple hue, somewhere in the early '90s. I don't remember exactly the color I used back then, but chances are it was something from the Tamiya spray can gamma of colors, as back then I was in 8th grade and I lived in Lausanne, Switzerland. I remember the hobby shop I got the model from with money saved from lunches. I also remember making a mess out of it. But for some reason it stuck in my mind as my first attempt at building a "cool" hot rod. 

The concept is simple. Build a '32 roadster in the same color combo (or pretty close) as what I tried back then, with the somewhat same general spec. Which would mean chrome wheels, SBC power and white interior. 

for the "tribute", if you could call it that, I am using the Revell kits, mixing the chassis and fenders from their 5 window kit. The paint is old Testors Boyd's Black'n Blue. The fender boards re covered in Tamiya white primer, which mimics white rubber pretty good. 

 

The body is the original roadster body from the Revell kit, which has the side hoods and grille all glued to it together with the firewall, prior to be painted. some white pinstripe decals were added from who knows what kit and then all body parts were covered in 2K clear. I have not gotten to buffing them out yet.

 

The interior is all from the kit and it is currently covered in Tamiya white primer. It will stay all white, but I have not decided yet if it will receive a slight pearl "vinyl" treatment or not. 

 

The colors work together quite well and I think are definitely in the spirit of my poorly failed attempt in 8th grade, just better executed. 

 

The rolling stock for the build was my biggest challenge. I scratched my head and thought of a million different options. Finally, I settled on the wheels and tires from the last reissue of the Ala Kart. 

 

My model from 30+ years ago definitely did not have steelies or white walls, but I thought that keeping the wheels all chrome is close enough. And here's where we at- the first mock up.

 

Other models to eventually follow, not necessarily in that order:

-A Chezoom Teal painted Highboy Roadster with the biggest treaded rear meats I can find and a SBC power, which marked my very first contest.

-A very light blue/grey '32 3 window Highboy, which would have to have the doors open and run under SBF power, which was my very first reality check (and embarrassment) in the model world.

-A ZZ Top Eliminitaor replica. I have failed at that task more than once in my early days.

-A ZZ Top Based Highboy Painted in dark metallic blue with light "neon" blue scallops. This one predates all the Deuces and was the first time I actually cut up a body (the fenders in the case). I remember putting Tamiya Ferrari F40 wheels and tires on it. 

-A '37 Ford Pick up truck with chopped cab and widened rear fenders. I remember reading a tutorial on how to do it in that other mag, which may or may not been written by Tim Boyd.I believe in the article it was using the injected SBF from the Dan Fink Speedwagon. I actually got the kit, chopped the top, did the fenders and remember painting it some sort of dark metallic grey. Really dark. But I never finished it. 

-A '31 woody with wire wheels and green metallic paint. I remember building that model when I worked in a hobby shop in Chicago, where my ratter brief employment was terminated due to my intolerance towards the owner's bratty son. My model was on display in the store and the owner refused to give it back to me.

-A lil Coffin, which I build while I worked in another hobby shop in the Chicago area (LaGrange). This one was also on display in the store and some guy walked in one day and offered me $200 for it. That was a lot of money for a 20 year old back in 1996... I have never opened a Lil Coffin kit since then.

-A Doyusha kit, which I've been trying to find for ages. The "Outhouse". I bought one as a student in high-school from a shop in Belgium on a road trip. I built most of it with barely any tools on my bunk bed during that trip. Later on I lend it to the very first hobby shop in Bulgaria, where it was displayed on their window. Just to walk by one day and find the shop closed for business and the space empty. Never saw another "outhouse" built or in kit form ever since. 

There are few more, but I will list them as (and if) I get to start working on them. 

Thanks for looking and stay tuned...

Edited May 28, 2023 by mrm

[Dennis Lacy]

Looks awesome so far. Hard to go wrong with metallic purple, white accents, whitewalls and chrome steelies!

Are going to use the SBF engine? I know it’s not the Hemi because of the hood side. Would be really cool with Flathead from the Sedan. 

[mrm]

2 hours ago, Dennis Lacy said:

Looks awesome so far. Hard to go wrong with metallic purple, white accents, whitewalls and chrome steelies!

Are going to use the SBF engine? I know it’s not the Hemi because of the hood side. Would be really cool with Flathead from the Sedan. 

Thank you Dennis.

As I said in my very first post, this is somewhat of a challenge I posed to myself and I would like to adhere to the original concept, which had a small block Chevy in it, as that's what originally came in the Monogram '32 Roadster kit. So this model will most likely get the SBC from the current issue of Revell's '29 Roadster. I may even keep the three Rochesters intake. 

[Dennis Lacy]

2 hours ago, mrm said:

Thank you Dennis.

As I said in my very first post, this is somewhat of a challenge I posed to myself and I would like to adhere to the original concept, which had a small block Chevy in it, as that's what originally came in the Monogram '32 Roadster kit. So this model will most likely get the SBC from the current issue of Revell's '29 Roadster. I may even keep the three Rochesters intake. 

It seems as though I completely missed the SBC mention in your opening post. Even better! ?

[espo]

Like the color and the white running boards and interior speaks of a much earlier time. 

[mrm]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Like the color and the white running boards and interior speaks of a much earlier time. 

Ditto.

These Ala Kart wheels and tires are much skinnier than anything that comes in any of the Revell ‘32 kits. So O may actually use the buick drum brakes from the ‘29/‘31 kits, which will totally backdate this rod.