Inspired by the new issue (#63) of Modern Rodding magazine...a 15-step tutorial on adding fadeaway fenders is posted here....

[tim boyd]

When the Revell 1948 Ford Chopped Custom debuted about 15 years ago, I did an on-line feature on the kit and included photos showing how to add the optional "fadeaway" fender extensions in the kit.  Soon thereafter, Gregg contacted me about adapting the feature for the mag, but for whatever reason, it never came to be. 

Fast forward to 22 November 2025, as the new issue of Modern Rodding magazine (which I view as the spiritual successor to the old Street Rodder mag) arrived in the mailbox today.  Included is an article on adding fadeaways to a 1/1 scale '48 Ford Coupe, and lo and behold, on page 79 is a photo of what sure looks like the Revell kit with the fadeaways added, which apparently was a key reference in conducting the 1/1 transformation featured in the mag.

So....I am going to excerpt here some of the steps from the online article (you can read the whole feature here, including interior/engine/chassis/front and rear changes) with the step-by-step instructions on adding the scale fadeaways.   And be sure to check out that new issue of Modern Rodding mag if you want to see how they did it in 1/1.  Thanks for looking... TIM

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1.  In this On-Line How-To, I'll assemble Revell's new 1948 Ford Chopped Custom Coupe in 100% box stock format. The actual model shown here was the first one made available to a "civilian" model builder outside Revell's own staff, and it was completed for a kit review in the other model car mag (the February 2012 issue, if you have it in your stash).  

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2.  I built my car using the optional fadeaway fender extensions found in the kit. If you want to keep the characteristic fender crease in the front fenders, you'll need to file a similar crease in the front edge of each of the fender extensions as shown here. Hold the fender extension in place and mark the crease with a pencil. Note that I aligned the fender extensions slightly upward (maybe 3/64") from their intended position, to lessen a "hump" from the front fender to the extension, which can be plainly seen on the box art model.

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3.  Here the fender driver's side fender extension has been glued in place. You can see how much filler will be required here to deliver a smooth transition from the front fender to the fadeaway extension.

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4.  At this point I began successive operations of filling the gap with CA++ glue, damping the glue joint with a Kleenix, filing the gap and letting the styrene 'bits' collect in the crevice where the glue is still wet, and then sanding the joint some more, repeating the above, again and again. After a while, most of the joint will be filled and will then be ready for some surfacing putty to finish the operation. 

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5.  Here is the same joint on the passenger side, after the successive rounds of applying CA++ glue, sanding, and repeating multiple times.

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6.  Unlike the front fender joints, the rear fender joints required just the slightest of filing and filling. The horizontal joint of the fender extensions fit so precisely that no filler or CA++ glue was required at all.

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7.  Back to the driver's side front fender joint, I again marked the line of the fender character line and then ran a file along this line multiple times, to carry the character line back into the fadeaway fender.

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8. At this point, it was time for some body putty. I used automotive grade PPG DFL17 Red Cap Spot Putty. This putty comes in a large tube that can last for a decade's worth of modeling projects (my last tube actually lasted for two decades!).

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9. As soon as the putty dries (about 1/2 hour or so), sand the joint with sandpaper wrapped around a ruler or some other stiff backing. After sanding, the results should look like these joints on the driver's side of the body.

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10. Here are the same surfaces on the passenger side of the body. Do your best to preserve the front fender character line when you sand the joint as shown here.

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11. After a second round of bodywork and primer, the joint is again sanded, revealing some sunken areas (in gray) that still need further work. But we're getting close. 

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12.  The joint between the fadeaway extension and the rear fender is just about finished.  (You can also see here where I used the kit-supplied taillamp opening fillers and smoothed the joints there as well.)

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13. Here's the result of the third round of filing and filling on the driver's side. We are just about there - meaning the joints are almost finished for smooth transition when the body color is applied. 

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14. After several coats of Testors Lacquer 1996 GM Code 43G Emerald Green Metallic (sadly, no longer available) and Testors One Step Wet Look Clear, you can see the fine paint finish, and also the entirely smooth joints where the fadeaway fender extensions meet the front and rear fenders.

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15. A look at the Driver's side reveals a similar result. 

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A few images of the completed project, fadeaways and all.  All of the steps of the tutorial/kit build, including interior/engine/chassis/exterior build options are shown at the link posted in the intro paragraph at the beginning of this post.  Enjoy....TB 

 

 

 

Edited 12 hours ago by tim boyd

[FoMoCo66]

Looks pretty good there Tim! I use that CA filler method for big gaps as well. One thing that I think that could make it a little better if you didnt build it OOB is there's a little bit of a dip in the fadeaway by the cowl (circled in red), you could build that up and I think it would make the body lines flow much better. 

I went over it with a little AI to show you what I mean.

Before:

After:

Edited 12 hours ago by FoMoCo66

[tim boyd]

Ace....thanks for taking the time to post your comments and show the difference via the AI/photoshop work. 

My build was intended to show the kit-based parts and how easy it is to use them in a model build.  The additional changes you show are possible but would probably add considerably to the workload.  There aren't many 1/1s running around with added fadeaways, but the ones I am familiar with do generally show a bit of dip in the body to fadeaway join around the cowl area, rather than a straight line through that area.  I suppose that was/is a design choice to be made by the various builders involved.  I just checked the Modern Rodding car and it appears sort of in the middle between my original and your redo. 

Anyway, thx again for the comments, and if any of you are considering finding this old kit and doing the conversion, please keep Ace's suggestions in mind....TIM  

[OldNYJim]

I love these online ‘articles’ - they’re such a nice treat to read when they’re posted here.  

Thanks Tim, I learned a coupla three things - appreciate you posting this!