The (at least) 3 lives over just about 50 years of an AMT 1932 Ford Channeled Hot Rod Roadster

[tim boyd]

I know I've posted images of this one before, but possibly not on this website (and a google search didn't suggest it appeared here), so here goes....

This was a model I first built back around 1974-5, making it just about 50 years old.  It was updated twice in the ensuing decades, most recently probably about thirteen years ago.  Read on for the story...

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The basic model was inspired by a 1/1 scale channeled 1932 Ford Roadster in one of the early-mid 1970s Hot Rod or Rod Action Street Rod yearbooks.  My model was kitbashed with these basic components: Body/windshield/interior from the 1973 reissue of the AMT 1932 Ford Roadster kit, the better detailed frame from the AMT 1932 Ford Vicky kit, the entire front suspension and rear radius rods  from the the MPC nee AMT Wild Dream show car, wheels and tires from (I think) the then-new MPC Switchers Series kits, a Halibrand Quick Change, a 406 FE from the Revell Roth Mysterion kit with the AMT Vicky headers/sewing thread spark plug leads/fuel lines/carb linkage with return springs, front and rear brake lines, a custom rolled rear pan with molded license plate recess, rear fenders from (IIRC) the original 1963 issue of the Vicky kit, a hand-painted wood firewall (yes, some actually did use wood firewalls on their 1/1s back then), a mix of Testors Candy Red and Candy Blue paints yielding a dark maroon/black cherry result, and Pactra Pearlustre Pink on the interior.  Also note the sunken radio antennas from the AMT 1936 Ford kit.  I don't recall how I did the front cycle fenders, but I do remember them being a lot of work. 

Below is the '32 lowboy in its original build version, circa 1975. In this poorly lit and barely focused picture, also circa 1975, note the horizontal bar grille, the totally out-of-place wiremag wheels and skinny/superwide tires, and those skinny front cycle fenders. In this form the model would have been about 90% correct as an early 1960's custom hot rod, but the wheel tire combo and possibly the grille were jarring inaccuracies.

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Two years later, around 1977, I redid the model, dropping the horizontal grille bar, the front cycle fenders, and the funky wheel and tire combo (discarded parts shown in front of the model in this picture, taken in the first week of June, 2010 just before the third version updates ). Unfortunately, the replacement wheel and tire treatment, shown here, was just as odd for the build style of the car - mid 1970's skinny and deep Centerline wheels from a mid-1970s AMT Funny Car kit. Also, though front cycle fenders were very out of style for street rods back then, the model was very visually unbalanced with the fenders remaining in the rear. I can't recall for sure, but this may have been entered and been a regional trophy winner sometime during the 1977-79 MPC Customizing Contest series.  

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Finally. some 35 years after the completion of the original model, on June 5, 2010, I once again updated the vehicle to represent what it should have been since the very start - a mid 1960's hot rod that could have come straight from the pages of Car Craft magazine.  Here you can see the parts discarded during both rebuilds.  I kept the regular (sectioned) Deuce grill shell from the first rebuild, added back the front cycle fenders from the first build, and equipped the model with a set of shallow and deep original mid 1960's Rader five spoke ribbed mags, probably from the AMT Munsters Coach kit if I am recalling correctly.  Some cleaning of the paint and chrome, and a host of repairs from damage when I removed the second-generation parts, and here is the model, FINALLY, the way it should have been built originally back in 1975.....  

Though I did not know it at the time, the car in that aforementioned mid-1970s Street Rod yearbook was already ten years out of date....no one was building new channeled '32 Fords back in the day of 1970s era Resto Rods!  Finally, with the third version of the model it found its real roots as a replica of an early-mid 1960s hot rod project.  Here are some other pictures of the most recent update...

 

 

 

 

Thanks for checking this out, and my apologies in advance if you've seen it posted previously before here or elsewhere....Best   TB 

Edited October 10, 2023 by tim boyd

[modelcarcrazy]

I really like all three versions, but I’ll vote for the third and most recent version as my favorite. It’s a stellar example of what can be achieved using the ancient 32 Ford kit. It still looks great after all these years. 

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[Jim B]

Beautiful build.  Almost a shame to put a hood over that engine.  Great details.

[David G.]

Such a wonderful history of an excellent model.

David G.

 

[oldnslow]

The story makes this one , just like a 1-1 , constant change to suit the new trends . 👍

[Dan Hay]

Love the story behind it. I don’t have any of my early builds. The oldest build I have is only about 30 years old. Really cool to see the different versions, and I appreciate a good build up of an AMT 32 which is a kit I tend to avoid, as the Revell 32 came out just after high school. Keep posting the stories!

[thatz4u]

nice rebuilds, I liked all of them....

[Zippi]

Nice looking Hot Rod.  Interesting looking firewall.  I've always like the look of the mototcycle fenders on the front. 

[Mr. Metallic]

Sometimes it take a couple tries to get a project to match our inner vision. Thanks for taking us along for the journey. I love the paint color.

[Dave Darby]

Stella finally found her groove! Looks great! That reminds me that I have a stripped down AMT 32 roadster I built in 73-74 (at 12-13 years old) that went through a couple of iterations. I should decide which one, and restore it one day. 

[gman]

I find something to appreciate about each of your model's evolutionary stages.

Long before Revell brought out their modern versions of the '32, I appreciated the AMT with all of its quirks. While it certainly pigeon holes the type of build you can make "out of the box" with their choices of sectioned bodies on their '32 variants (something that became apparent after Revell nailed the body dimensions), if that is the style of vehicle you are planning on building it does it well. I have a few AMT '29 and '32 builds I did in my youth that I look back on building fondly, and seeing as mine did not survive I wouldn't mind taking another crack at them one day with the same kits. It is nice to live vicariously through your (re)build.

[spencer1984]

Some great history here, and while the latest build is the best looking overall I kind of like the funky era-specific touches of the earlier builds. Thanks for sharing this in all its incarnations!

[slusher]

Great history  And rebuild!

[ewetwo]

That is awesome looking.

[carrucha]

Cool hotrod.  Still looks good after all these years especially with the new wheels.