Black Widow Rebuild Project

[Paul Payne]

Having aquired some built up Black Widows over the years, I decided to restore the one in poorest shape. However, I decided to backdate it to a 1940's style roadster pickup as pictured in some of Don Montgomery's hot rod books and The Birth of Hot Rodding by Robert Genat and Don Cox. I decided to install a Deuce grille shell, flathead engine, lower windshield and top, and a full drive train, since this kit never had one. I also decided to use The Model Car Garage's Spiderweb Hot Hoodz and grille insert for the graphics, since I had no original decals. Instead of a spider, I decided to use cut outs of Lady Luck in the web center.

[Paul Payne]

Some more pix:

[Paul Payne]

A few more:

[Paul Payne]

When did you last see a Black Widow with a drive train? I used the quick change and narrowed rear axle from a junk Green Hornet.

[Paul Payne]

I shot the pix with my wife's new digital slr, so I need to play around a bit more with settings, light, and editing.

I decided to add a trailer hitch, so I made one using an old license plate, bent brass rod, and a dress maker's pearl bead. Add paint and there you are. I also couldn't resist adding a few club plaques (the owner is a Black Widows member with affiliations with other clubs......) as well as an S.C.T.A. timing tag on the dash. I included the fuel pressure pump from the Green Hornet as well, since almost every 1940's hot rod had one.

[jbwelda]

that is so nice; i love that old kit. simple but detailed enough and you really made it much better with the plug wires etc. that photoetch grille really stands out too.

[Dennis Lacy]

Nice save! I also think it's really cool that you modified it, I don't think I've seen one that wasn't restored to box-art status. It looks really sweet with the built Flatty and Quickie out back.

I can't wait for the re-issue to come out!

[Paul Payne]

Guys, thanks so much for the enthusiastic response to this project! I actually planned this one out, writing down all my ideas for it, because even built up models are few and far between and I didn't want to forget an idea or feature and then not be able to incorporate it. One idea was to use parts from my stash which would have been available when the kit was available. The grille shell was molded in black plastic with a small Ford oval molded in- I think it was from an old AMT Deuce kit. The flathead was also from an early AMT kit, I have no idea which one, its basically two halves including the block, transmission, front end details, and oil pan. It was dressed up with newer heads but the big feature of the engine is the kit three carb manifold, which is a real gem. I removed the magneto at the back and substituted an oil filler tube. The manifold only needed to be narrowed to fit between the heads. I consider this part to be the gem of the whole kit. Because the frame is split horizontally to trap the rear axle, the front rails for some reason were not brought back up to the full thickness. I added material to the top and this really stiffens the frame. The windshield is from another deuce kit, while the top is also old but I have no idea what kit it might be from. The kit was missing the bed cover, so I modified a bed cover from the 1934 Ford pick up kit. I was determined to create a complete drive train, so a lot of cutting was done to make things fit under the bed area. This is where the gear clearance areas were anyways, but mods were necessary because they were off center. I love the quick change and rear axle from the Green Hornet, so I went to my junker stash and rescued one where the axle ends had been broken off. I was surprised how much more had to be taken off to preserve the proper track. The frame was cut in two and stepped up to provide centering for the axle to maintain the same relationship with the rear fenders. The Black Widow had no tail lights, so I used a tail light from the parts box, painted the lens red, and used a trim ring to complete it. The club plaques were copied rom the Internet with the exception of the Dry Lakers. I designed this myself in SolidEdge and that's the name of my own club in honor of al the original hot rodders who raced on the dry lakes. The trailer hitch was a last minute addition, but now I have a great tow vehicle. I guess I need to finish that old style tow trailer..............