1937 Ford Pickup

[ModelcarJR]

I'm gonna try this Revell kit next.  My Grandsons bought this for me for Father's Day. The first thing I have to do is eliminate the mold lines on the cab. I realize that many of the old cars and trucks had separate body panels that were sealed with lead but after looking at a few photos, I didn't see anything that had lines this prominent. I also found a style that I like and hopefully the photo will copy here. So I'm going to get started! Thanks for looking! 

[slusher]

John this is a nice kit. I hope you enjoy it as I almost always do follow your build..

[Zippi]

This is a really nice kit.  The black and green look really good together.  I'll be following.

[H.A.K]

[espo]

I agree with the others on this kit. Even if you just use what's in the box you will have a great looking build, but with a little parts swapping with other kits there is no limit to what you can build out of this. 

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Carl, Bob, Samuel, and David! I appreciate your comments! The only other parts I envision using are maybe some wheels and tires, if they will fit. I'm not smart enough to substitute other parts! 

I don't often do this but I wanted to paint this about the colors in the photo above, so I used a can of Krylon Satin Italian Olive that I had on  the shelf for these body parts. The interior doors panels and seat will be Krylon Satin Avocado  that I also had on the shelf (don't ask me why). The brown wood color is Krylon Satin Brown Boots. The fenders will be Dupli-Color Gloss Black. Two coats of paint on each part and two coats of clear. It should polish up fine. Here's a partial mock-up. Thanks for looking! ?

[bluestringer]

Looking good. I'm building one now. Also went with a green, Tamiya Deep Green.

[slusher]

Nice color choices, John!

[KWT]

Nice color going on

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, James, Carl, and Jeremy. I appreciate your comments! 

Finished the engine without plug wires because I didn't want to drill out the distributor and thread the wires through the fan and onto the heads. Too fiddly. I removed the chrome plating from the heads, intake manifold, and carbs. I painted them various shades of steel, aluminum and iron. The block is painted the same color as the body, Italian Olive. Building the chassis next. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Looking good so far.

Retro street really suits this type of vehicle where the original bodywork remains intact as Ford intended, but otherwise customised underneath. The use of a plain colour rather than a metallic is a good choice here.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[rlwheels]

ModelcarJR,

The '37 sparkplug can easily be done with minimal work. Attached is a photo of a '37 Ford pickup engine. Maybe give it a try in the future.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks Noel and Richard! I appreciate your comments! 

To wire or not to wire. Richard, that is the question! Sometimes I jut go with how I am feeling at the moment. 

Finished the interior. I swapped the positions of the door handles and window cranks in order to give the window cranks enough room to rotate and to provide more leverage for door opening. I know this is not how they were manufactured but it made more sense to me.  Polished out the fender unit, detailed the wood in the bed to look more like wood and added foil. I had a time getting the interior to shoe into the cab, don't know why, but there was a lot of sanding, thinning, scraping, and knashing of teeth but I finally got it in there square. Thanks for looking! ?

[KWT]

I'm not a ford guy but dang, that's looking good..

You just can't got wrong with a classic pickup

Edited July 3, 2023 by KWT

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Jeremy! I appreciate your comment! 

This kit goes together pretty well, so I have been making good progress this afternoon.  The instructions suggest that the side of the hood should be glued on and then the top just sits on top of the sides and is removeable. But I wanted to glue the side to the top of the hood so I mocked it up and glued each side on one at a time. The hood fits better than most one-piece hoods and now the entire hood including the sides can be removed! I also put the bed sides on and now all I have to do is add the rear fenders, glue the cab in place and find some wheels and tires for it if I decide to do something other than box stock. I'll leave that to tomorrow. Thanks for looking! ?

[ModelcarJR]

I have a  complication with this build and I need some advice. The front wheels, even with the skinny wheels and tires provided in the kit rub the front fender openings (See photos below). Here are my options in my opinion. Let me know if you have other ideas. 

1. Finish as is and don't worry about the rub or turning radius.
2. Take out the dropped axle and use the stock axle which should provide more height and space between the wheel and the fender. 
3. Use some square tube to raise the fender unit off the frame and provide more space under the fender unit (front and back). Kind of a gasser look.
4. Find another fender unit, like from a 32 Ford and do some major surgery. 
5. Use some dragster front wheels and fat tires in the back and use square tube to raise the back (big rake). 

Any other ideas?

[NOBLNG]

Looking good John!? My kit only came with the stock axle so no issues. It looks like the inner rim on yours is not quite up against the “backing plate” so it may be possible to trim the mounting pin off a bit to get the wheels to sit further in? You would likely have to glue the wheels on solid, which I always do anyways. I went with green/black also:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/166562-1937-ford-pickup/

 

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by NOBLNG

[espo]

Maybe a smaller diameter tire if you have one that matches the sidewall and tread design. 

[KWT]

Greg idea sounds pretty good...

I had a truck that I had dropped a little bit and had the same issue. I took a new sharp blade and ever so slightly trimmed the inner fender til it sit straight...

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Greg, David, and Jeremy for your suggestions! I think I figured it out after some work! 

First, I installed the stock axle and that was quite a surprise!  It didn't make any sense! 

Next I re-installed the dropped axle and went looking for a small tire for the front. The smallest wide tire is probably in the Revell 1969 Camaro RS kit so I have a few of those and took the tires out of one of those for the fronts. They are about F-60 -14s or there abouts. I also used the L60-15s from the last kit I built on the back. So those worked!

Next, since these wheels are from the Revell 32 5-window Coupe I remembered that I have an extra one of those that I have already used some parts from. I took the tires from this kit and used the wheelbacks that I have already drilled out for these axles. They work great!  It took me all day but I finally have a set of tires and wheels that I am happy with. Tomorrow I clean up the wheels, paint the spokes, and get these wheels and tires put together so that I can complete this build! Thanks for looking! 

[KWT]

It's got a good look John

[slusher]

Great stance and look ?, John!

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Jeremy and Carl! I appreciate your comments! 

Its so simple but yet so difficult! I now have the wheels and tires glued on. Tires are inside the fenders and not rubbing. Front wheels would turn without rubbing, it seems to me, although it would be tight. These were the wheels I wanted to use all along, I just hadn't made the connection in my head with the extra set of tires I had in the extra kit. But now I'm there - whee! ?

Edited July 4, 2023 by ModelcarJR
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[ModelcarJR]

I'd like to thank Greg NOBLNG for this idea. I had to go to Michaels to buy a chain but it worked out. 

[NOBLNG]

8 hours ago, ModelcarJR said:

I'd like to thank Greg NOBLNG for this idea. I had to go to Michaels to buy a chain but it worked out. 

You’re welcome John! Yours is looking mighty fine. Missing or molded in tailgate chains are a pet peeve of mine. I think real chains add a lot to the realism of these vintage trucks.