Revell '40 Ford Coupe Hot Rodded 60's style - Completed

[Bernard Kron]

I’ve always felt that AMT and Revell models were philosophically different, each with it’s advantages and disadvantages depending on what you wanted to do with them. Personally, I’m a kit basher and customizer by nature and have almost never built a kit out-of-the-box. I find AMT kits generally are simpler and less detailed than Revell kits. They often lack the kind of fine detail at the subassembly level (engines, suspension chassis, interior) that characterize their Revell counterparts, There are plenty of exceptions but generally speaking I think this is true. On the other hand, AMT kits often have more “soul” than Revell kits. By this I mean that they do a better job of capturing the essence of their subject. Revell kits sometimes seem more fiddly and busy than AMT kits. To my eye they often lack something in their proportions and approach to the subject when compared to an AMT kit. And quite often all that fine detail has a profound effect on the sequence of assembly and can be quite limiting with respect to body and chassis modifications.

A perfect example is my current project, a Revell ’40 Ford Standard Coupe. It’s been in my stash for a while and I had already used the flathead from it in another project. The other day I was looking at it and comparing it to the classic AMT ’40 Ford Coupe 3-in-1 kit that’s been around since the dawn of styrene auto modeling. First off the Revell version is a replica kit, meant to be built as a showroom stock ’40 Ford Standard Coupe with a stock engine, interior, wheels and tires. Oddly, it comes with a Columbia 2 speed rear axle which was rare and expensive and not a factory item, but we'll let that pass. The point is that it can only be built one way. It comes with absolutely no parts to hot rod or customize it

Having already stolen the motor out of the kit, I began to think about building a hot rod. So the first thing I did was drop the front axle 3 ¾ inches by cutting it behind the kingpins and adding vertical extensions. By shaping the extensions I was able to make it look like a regular dropped axle. With the stock height rear end this gave the car a radical early sixties rake. That made me decide to reserve the very nice period correct steelies and whitewalls from the kit for a 40‘s or 50’s era build. Instead I grabbed the mags out of an AMT ’40 Ford Tudor kit along with the pinner style fronts and slicks from the recent Round 2 re-issue of the Double Dragster kit. This made me think about running the car without the hood and I decided it would need a motor with lots of bling. The blown Oldsmobile from the Revell Roth Beatnik Bandit kit seemed perfect.

So here are pictures of the initial mockup after I had dropped the axle and partially assembled the chassis and motor. I’ve selected the color, Duplicolor Bahama Blue Metallic over red oxide primer and Duplicolor Silver base coat for a Kandy Kolor effect. The fender liners, firewall and engine compartment sides will be white. Still to be determined is the style and color of the interior and whether I’ll be running black or white running boards. Also, it’s still up in the air if the car will really be hoodless. If I run a hood then it will most likely need a small scoop to clear the carbs.

Since these pictures were taken I cut the firewall and floorboards to gain engine clearance, and radiused the rear wheel openings to clear the slicks. I also have applied and polished out the primer and silver base coat and applied the color coat to one of the rear fenders as a test to make sure I have the color I want (I do). In the next few days I’m hoping to get color and clear down and move on to the interior.

Thanx for lookin’,

B.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Alyn]

Looking forward to seeing your's turn into a more traditional period rod than mine did. You certainly have a knack for that.

Looks like you're off to a nice start. I like that you're keeping the fenders.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx Alyn. This is a very low-key, close-to-out-of-the box build (as close as I'm ever likely to get). It still has required a fair amount of cutting and fitting, more than I counted on. But certainly not of the epic proportions of your '40 build! Sometimes I'll do a project just to get some experience with a kit or to learn or perfect a technique. In this case it was to familiarize myself with the Revell '40 Ford Standard kit and to try to get beyond its limitations without making too much work for myself. The axle drop will be a handy trick from here on out, too. I stole it from Bryce Michelmore over on the TRaK board and it will keep me from raiding other kits for their front axles as often as I have in the past. I'm limiting myself to suspension mods, paint and maybe some interior work on this one. I hope it doesn't turn out too bland...

[randx0]

I believe you are right about the soul vs. not nearly as much soul.I can't quite put my finger on it but I would rather build an amt kit even with the virtually missing hood trim. Good luck !

[Dr. Cranky]

Interesting! Looking forward to more!

[Bernard Kron]

...you can build an AMT '40 coupe or sedan OOB as a hot rod and it just feels and looks "right". to do that with the Revell kit is not going to happen and to build it as a hot rod takes some work with kitbashing and scratchbuilding and even then it's much harder to get the same look and feel as the AMT kits

You're right, sometimes it takes a great deal of "adjustment" to back date some of these Revell kits to a more genuine representation of an earlier period, something AMT did automatically because they are contemporary with the period they're documenting. Despite thick front axles, molded in details all over the place, and the occasional odd body proportions, it's always in the context of the hot rod and custom "vibe". At the time many of these kits were introduced AMT's customers (generally adolescent boys) were totally expert on that vibe and nailing it meant big sales. After all AMT made the 3 in 1 kit a mainstay of the model kit business. (I also think many of the more ambitious Monogram kits from the period - now in the Revellogram catalog - share this characteristic). The '40 Ford kits from Revell (and the Deuce kits, too) are clearly from the modern era, not just technically, but in what they seek to achieve. They document the hot rod revival, not the Golden Age.

[rustybill1960]

You got my attention here Bernard! I like your subject, I have two in the stash for a Custom build and a Hot Rod.

Will be refreshing to see You interpretation!

I got my seat-belt on, Lets go!!

Thank You for sharing

Later

Russ

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx guys!!!

I’ve gotten the paint down, 2 coats each of Duplicolor Red Oxide Primer and Silver Metallic followed by three coats each of Duplicolor Bahama Blue Metallic and Krylon Crystal Clear, each “stage” wet sanded with 2000 grit and polished out. I’ll let the clear cure for a few days and then give it a final polishing. In the meantime I’ll tackle the interior.

Thanx for lookin’,

B.

[jaymcminn]

GREAT color. This is looking fantastic.

[Chuck Most]

Wow- you had me at the AMT vs. Revell debate. I feel the same way- somehow, the AMT stuff just seems to have that 'old styrene mojo' working in its favor. I think you did a better job explaining it than I ever could.

Oh, and the car is shaping up to be pretty killer!

[timc]

I have tried on three different ocasions to build the revellogram kit. All three ended up as failures and were donated to the parts bin.

I have a question though. Will the revell frame fit under the amt kit with little or no modifications. I still have two vigin revell frames and would like to lose the amt molded in details.Any help is greatly appreciated.

YOUR PAINT LOOKS AWESOME, I'll keep an eye on your build.bigtim

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx everyone! Glad you dig it.

...Will the revell frame fit under the amt kit with little or no modifications. I still have two vigin revell frames and would like to lose the amt molded in details....

I started a project a couple of years back that included fitting the Streetrod version of the Revell '40 frame under an AMT '39/'40 Ford Tudor. It was more complicated than what you're asking about since it involved channeling the body over the frame rails. It's sitting in its box waiting for me to get back to it, now that my chops are better than they were then. But to answer your question, yes the Revell frame can be adapted to the AMT kit. The issue involves the fender piece which you may recall is a single unit in the AMT kits, separate from the main body. The front half clears the Revell frame with little or no adjustment, if I recall, but the rear half will require you to remove a good deal of plastic from the AMT fender section to clear the Revell frame rails. You will need to reinforce the AMT piece when you're done. But it's not too difficult and if memory serves me the wheelbase is a proper match.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Greg Pugh]

This looks fantastic! I really dig builds like this!

[Dr. Cranky]

Oh my, love that color!

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx!

I’ve gotten the interior done. It’s the kit interior with the inner surfaces skinned with Plastruct O Scale Corrugated Roofing (#91512 – the ribs are .20” apart) to create a tuck and roll style. The seats are from a box of 60’s model car interior bits I bought a while back. The steering wheel is from the Beatnik Bandit kit. Colors are Tamaya TS-51 Telefonica Blue over white primer with whole thing sprayed with Testors Dull Cote. The floor shift is from an AMT kit.

Final assembly is coming right up. Shouldn’t be long now…

Thanx for lookin’,

B.

Edited November 10, 2011 by Bernard Kron

[Greg Pugh]

Very nice! Can't wait to see this one finished up!

[Dr. Cranky]

That interior is looking fabulous. Keep it going. Nice build in progress.

[LAone]

that blue is a beautiful color. keep it going, looks great so far.

[Raul_Perez]

Very nice paint work, Bernard!!

Color sanding between the major layers really helps achieve a GREATfinal finish!!

Later,

[Ryan S.]

Love it! That blue is gorgeous!

[Dr. Cranky]

I hope we get to see pictures of this beauty finished.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx again!

Progress really slowed on this build when I ran into problems getting the kit windows to fit with the modified interior. I landed up cutting most of my own glass from thinner acetate in order to improve clearances. But it’s finally up on its wheels and I thought I’d post a couple of shots to show the final stance and a bit of color and chrome. The motor position is mocked up and may change. The running boards will be white and I’ll be running some sort of small nerf bars front and rear.

I keep thinking I’m just about done but this kit is a lot more finicky than I expected. Lots of clamps and rubber bands to get things to line up properly…

Thanx for lookin’,

B.

[Dr. Cranky]

Beautiful color and very smooth.

[rustybill1960]

Very nice!

Thank You again for sharing

Later

Russ

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx! Things are progressing more smoothly now. I got the engine finished up last night and now I can look at getting this project wrapped up. Here's a picture of the motor.

Thanx for lookin',

B.