Revell 1948 ford custom coupe

[Bullybeef]

Well it’s time I got back to the bench. Figured I’d pull one from the crypt and give it some attention. 

[BERT100]

Just waitin' for the fun to commence, great model choice. 

[Mattblack]

Nice choice. I did this one a while ago, don't remember any major issues, just a bit 'fiddly' with lots of separate parts for the front suspension IIRC.

 

[Bullybeef]

A quick mockup of the supplied kit pieces, I think the front will have to come a little to get the stance that i’d like, it has a tail dragger vibe atm. Since the flathead was yoinked for another project at some point( most likely a 32) I’ll have to address that soon. I have a very limited stock of “custom” pieces for this body style so I’ll see what leftovers from the 49 merc can work. The cad engine is a consideration at this point but it has the extremely Large ‘glide trans and I’m not looking to redesign the frame.

Thats all for now I’m back to some head scratching.

Thanks for looking 

[Bullybeef]

Well first modification was to the frame to make the ginormous tranny on the cad fit! Removed the stock flathead cross member and spread the x brace rails apart to fit the new rear cross member for the “glide. Seems to be a good fit so far, it’s a tinch high bit that can be rectified easily. On trial fitment the trans interferes with floor pan slightly but a small trim will help that. 
A thinning of the front puck mounts will lower the engine and keep it level to the frame once I remodel the rear trans cross. 
It feels good to be back hacking at plastic 

[Kanada Kustoms]

Nice start!

[FoMoCo66]

Cool kit, wasn't aware of this one. I actually saw one of these at a show.

[bill-e-boy]

Lookin good. This kit does build up nice - I have done one - box stock

I see you are using a "modern" motor and slush-o-matic - are you going to change the prop shaft to open - and that leads to split wish bones and .....

 

[Bullybeef]

8 hours ago, bill-e-boy said:

Lookin good. This kit does build up nice - I have done one - box stock

I see you are using a "modern" motor and slush-o-matic - are you going to change the prop shaft to open - and that leads to split wish bones and .....

 

Easy now Bill, I’m trying not to let this cascade into the depths of a full on redesign of the kit. But that being said who knows where this will go 🤔

[NOBLNG]

Nice work getting the new engine and trans in there. I sympathize with you about the cascading effect that doing simple modifications can have.😬

[bobss396]

I have one in started in 2016 after my heart surgery. I should dig it out.

I went with the flattie with a bunch of Norm Veber pieces. I'm keeping the body stock. They are nice kits.

[Bullybeef]

24 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Nice work getting the new engine and trans in there. I sympathize with you about the cascading effect that doing simple modifications can have.😬

Still a little fiddling to do there in that area, floor pans are fouling still. 

[Bullybeef]

Well after a little sanding and filing of the floor pan we now have no more fouling issues, time to get after the suspension and get it sitting a little more level and quite possibly lower! Have to look at the engine clearances with the rad and fan setup as well before we get to far along and find more clearance issues, I have parts left over from a previous scrapped build of the 49 Merc so I can mock the engine in. 

[Badge73]

Looking good bud, can't wait to see the progress.

[Bullybeef]

After a couple of dry fits the front and rear suspension are just about where I’d like to have them. The body does till sit a bit high in the front but that will settle a mm or 2 once I mate the floor pan to the chassis after the engine gets installed. And the cad lump sits very nicely in the engine bay like it was meant to be there. I started to address the body and clean up the moulding seams along the tips of the front fenders and the rear deck lid. I think this is furthest i w got in a build without moving ahead and starting to paint something ☹️

I have to start looking at wheel options now, as it will affect any further right height decisions I make.

[Badge73]

Engine is massive! It really fills up that bay, can't wait to see the top of this beast.

[Bullybeef]

The kit comes with a selection of either flipper caps or I think Cadillac caps (correct me if I’m wrong) as well as a nice set of whitewalls. I’m thinking if I’m correct then the cad caps with whitewalls would be a neat setup. But I haven’t dug in the crypt much yet. 

 

Edited yesterday at 04:14 PM by Bullybeef

[espo]

I see what you mean about the tail dragging a little. In the photos the rear wheels look as if they are a little forward of center in the fender opening. Like the wide whites, but it depends on the style you're going after. 

[Bullybeef]

2 hours ago, espo said:

I see what you mean about the tail dragging a little. In the photos the rear wheels look as if they are a little forward of center in the fender opening. Like the wide whites, but it depends on the style you're going after. 

You are correct David It was a little touch off center for the pics as I had only dropped the body down for a quick pic.

corrected it does look better. The more I look at the mockup the more I dislike the front and rear “bumper” mounts, I found a pic online that looks smoother in the rear. I may mimic that look. 

[espo]

Are you thinking of pulling the bumpers closer to the body or changing the splash pans between the body and the bumpers? 

[Bullybeef]

22 minutes ago, espo said:

Are you thinking of pulling the bumpers closer to the body or changing the splash pans between the body and the bumpers? 

Deleting the splash pans is my thought and smooth the beauty of a rump.

[Pat Minarick]

The front axle from the Beer Wagon kit or Garbage truck kit fits very nice and slams the front end . You can shave some off the leaf spring and mount to get it even lower.

Edited 23 hours ago by Pat Minarick

[Bullybeef]

13 hours ago, Pat Minarick said:

The front axle from the Beer Wagon kit or Garbage truck kit fits very nice and slams the front end . You can shave some off the leaf spring and mount to get it even lower.

I have neither of those kits, I’m pretty well versed in getting a front low though, I’ll get the ride height I want with the stock kit pieces, the dropped axle is pretty nice as is. 
thanks for the thoughtful tips though.

[Bullybeef]

a little filing a little measuring, a little more filing some light sanding and  another bit of measuring and voila(pronounced with a v sound not a w) we have a nice notched spring perch.

Brings the front down enough to be pleasing to my eye! 

[Bullybeef]

Now let’s look at the bum, tail light blanks installed and rear bumper mount trim gone. Lots of sanding to do here before we can add a skim of filler to hide those blanks.