'36 FORD HIGHBOY - WIP - REMEMBERING A FRIEND

[Ramfins59]

Back in 2004 I lost a very close, dear friend to cancer. Dave Dickash was only 52 when he left this world, succumbing to prostate cancer which had metastasized throughout his body. Dave was a great modeler who liked to build cars with shock value, putting in engines you wouldn't normally put in certain cars. For instance he built cars like a Bullet-Nosed Studebaker wagon with a Jet engine.... a T-Bucket Roadster with a Turbine engine...

One of the cars he said that he always wanted to try to build was a '36 Ford Highboy, but he said that first of all couldn't figure out how to fill in the rear fender openings, and, he only wanted to use a photo-etched grille. Well, I think of Dave often and this '36 Ford Highboy thing has been going through my mind a lot. I finally googled it and came up with the following example...

Using these reference pictures as a guide, I dug out the AMT '36 Ford Coupe kit from my stash... I have an MCG '36 Ford PE grille which is in 1/25 scale, so I couldn't use the Revell '36 Ford Roadster kit which is 1/24 scale... I cut the fenders and running boards from the fender unit and am adding some sheet styrene to the front edges to make the apron piece as pictured on the 1:1 car. I filled in the front & rear notches for the bumper brackets, added a license housing to the rear, glued in the rumble seat lid, and cut off most of the coupe top, gluing on the cowl and windshield part to the body. This is how it looks so far...

Dave never mentioned anything about a color for the car, or what kind of engine to put in it, or what wheels to run on... I've gotta come up with something for all that as time goes on here. I'm thinking of cutting out the molded in exhaust from the chassis so I can do dual exhausts... but that will come after I get the body done. Updates will follow as I come up with decisions on all of this...

Thanks for looking everyone... wish me luck on this build.

[fredo84]

Man !

That's a great Idea !

I'm pretty sure you will Honor your Friend

[crazyjim]

Pretty good idea, Rich. I like what you have so far.

[Ramfins59]

Thanks Fred & Jim. I'm hoping to get this "right" even though I'm not totally sure of what my buddy's vision was for this build... I'll use the things that I know he liked (like traditional Hot Rod styles).

[Jantrix]

I think it's gonna be awesome. I have always enjoyed fenderless late 30's rods.

[Duntov]

Don't think I have ever seen one of these.... interesting concept...

[cobraman]

Thats going to be very cool.

[Guest]

Haven't seen a fenderless '36. I've built a fenderless '40 and currently building a fenderless '37. You may want to think about getting rid of the splash aprons up front. Maybe also cut the rear inner fenderwells loose or narrow them so that they will tuck up into the body.

[Jantrix]

and currently building a fenderless '37.

Me too.

[crazyrichard]

awsome reason (pay tribute) to start this build .... def. going to follow this ..

[Ramfins59]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys. Roger, I added the front splash aprons as pictured on the 1:1 example. I may narrow the rear inner fenderwells as you suggest, or I may just thin down the edges so they are not as noticeable, but I'm also thinking that it all may blend together once it is all painted the same color as the body.

[johnbuzzed]

Very cool, Rich. How about a flathead from one of the current Revell kits, or maybe the Rocket Olds 88? Or, the twin-blown Hemi from the '53 Stude? Tires and wheels... steelies with whitewall slicks. Of course, that's just my opinion. I think Dave would be happy with whatever you choose and honored by your thought

[Ramfins59]

You know John... I was actually entertaining thoughts of a flattie from one of the Revell kits.....(the '48 Ford Chopped Coupe or the "32...???). along with steelies, baby moons & trim rings on big & little whitewalls. Plus, Dave used to really like flat paints on Rods (he called it "suede") so I was trying to decide on a color... I have some Black Gold paints which need a clearcoat to make them shiny... Both Dave and I always thought that '36 Fords looked good in either Lavender or Purple so maybe that will be the way I'll go on this...

[jeffs396]

What a great way to honor your friend and reconnect with the memories you two had!

How's about a BOSS 429 or Chevy 409 for different powerplant options?

[Dr. Cranky]

Wonderful tribute, Rich. This is going to be a very special model.

[H.A.K]

Neat.

[James2]

Great tribute, Rich. The Hamb has a few 1:1 refrence pix if your interested in other styles.

[PistonDog]

Great way to honor your friend. I really enjoy your builds. I get great inspiration from the models you create. My friend passed away last year and I finished his last build to give to his widow. She treasures that model and the sentiment behind it. You're a good man Rich

[nate47]

should be a cool build!

[slusher]

Really great build subject and to honor a friend, thats awsume...

[tooltas]

how about a blown flat head or a nutty motor more like are late freind

[Mr Dedo]

Terrific subject matter!

[Ramfins59]

Thanks again everyone for all the encouraging words and all the great suggestions. I'll be getting back to this build now that the Turkey Day travelling and festivities are over. I'm pretty much set with the body except for taillights. I started cutting out the molded in exhaust & battery box panels on the AMT chassis (slow work to scribe them out with the back of an XActo knife) and then I have filing and sanding cleanup to do and then gluing on sheet plastic. Lots of decisions still to make on the engine, wheels, color, interior, etc... But Dave is "speaking" to me through my memories of his likes,building styles and methods and I think I'll manage to get his "seal of approval" on the eventual finished product. I just wish I could sit with him again and have some of our infamous "imagineering" sessions.

[Ramfins59]

Made some progress today... I finished hogging out the molded in exhaust panels from the chassis and put sheet styrene in place. I drilled recesses into where the horn screens would go next to the grille and I will put amber MV lenses in the recesses for turn signals and will then put small round PE screens over them. I found teardrop taillights in my parts stash. For wheels I'm using the '36 Ford kit steel wheels with '40 Ford trim rings set into ReplMinCOMD resin big n' little whitewalls. I think I'll go with the flathead engine from the Revell chopped '48 Ford kit. I'm leaning towards a flat black paint job with the steel wheels painted red, and, black and red for the interior with a banjo steering wheel. I'll post some pictures when I get more things assembled.

[johnbuzzed]

The colors sound good, Rich. Are you gonna flame it or use some pinstripes?