1965 Ford Galaxie Street Machine

[Guest]

Thanks Roger, but I thought the entire underpinnings of the Revell 55 Ford Jukebox was the same as Revell's pro sportsman '57 Chevy. I have the 57 Chevy, but not 55 Ford. I would be grateful if you could check for me and if the engine is different It will certainly make a lot of sense.

The chassis' are the same. The engines are different. The engine in the Jukebox is a 698 c.i. Boss. It doesn't have the heads like the Sonny's engine in the photo above. This kit came out in '92. So, the engine is a little dated compared to today's engines.

[Ron Hamilton]

Can I incorporate some of your modifications on my next convertible?

[Bill Edman]

nice build

[beeRS]

Any progress on this?!

Yep - work is progressing, but very slowly. I will post some more pic's soon.

[beeRS]

The chassis' are the same. The engines are different. The engine in the Jukebox is a 698 c.i. Boss. It doesn't have the heads like the Sonny's engine in the photo above. This kit came out in '92. So, the engine is a little dated compared to today's engines.

Thanks for that info Roger. I'll have to get my hands on this kit.

[beeRS]

Can I incorporate some of your modifications on my next convertible?

Ronald; I would be honoured if you, or anyone else used any of the mod's that I've carried out. Good luck with your convertible project.

[beeRS]

A coat of grey primer reveals that the floor is going to take a lot more work to look right.

Finally, I have sourced an engine! I'll be using a 429 Boss motor from Monogram's '70 Boss Mustang kit. It's actually a 1/24 scale kit. At first I was not too keen on this idea, but after checking a few measurement I felt that it would be OK. I wanted the 'big' V8 look for the Galaxie and this is certainly achieves that.

It's a 429, but I'm happy to call it a 520 Cu In. I believe that the outer dimension of both engines would be identical ??

The kit engine is 'OK', but it lacks the super-detail I would have had from a Ross Gibson engine. Never mind - I will just have to get busy scratch building details myself.

First job was to cut away the moulded-in sump. The engine is to be set further back in the engine bay than the original, and so the front drop on the sump was no good. Anyway, I want to build a race style fabricated sump for this engine.

Above you can see the engine offered up in place with the beginnings of my scratch build engine mounts. The plates that bolt to the block were created first, then 'tack glued' to the block.

So that I can adjust the lengths of the mounts I have drilled right through the X-member and used extra long styrene rods to meet up with the mounting plates on the block. In the pic above you can see the engine temporarily held in place with a blob of Blu-Tac whilst the glue sets.

You can also see that the hollow internals of the engine have been filled with a lump of putty. This adds a little extra weight (I like a weighty feel to my models - in moderation).

[beeRS]

Now it's time to get the firewall sorted. For a while I was considering keeping it smooth with no details except for the brake servo, but after finding some good reference pics I have decided to scratch build a stock firewall. The one supplied with the kit is not accurate and had big holes for the bonnet (sorry 'hood') hinges - which I won't be using. It also has gaps where it meets the kits inner fenders (which I won't be using either!).

To achieve the oddly shaped panel I have had to cut my smooth firewall down. I've added the spot-weld flange using the thinnest styrene sheet I have.

In the pic below you can also see the engine mounts completed. The excess rod length has been cut away.

I've added the top part of the firewall back, but this time with a curve.

From this angle (see the pic below) you can see the curve better. It now matches the curve of the back edge of the hood opening - as on the 1:1 car.

I found this pic of a Boss 520 with throttle body fuel injection and I think this is the kind of look I NEED .

To achieve this I've searched my parts box and come up with the 8 air horns (I have no idea which kit they originally came from). I've also found a twin carb high-rise manifold which can be cut down for the job.

And here's the lot just mocked up in place. At the moment I don't know whether to replicate a mechanical injection system (like a Hilborn set-up) or a more modern throttle body set up.

In this picture you can also see how the curve of the top of the fire-wall now matches the back edge of the hood opening (or at least better than before!).

The manifold is a perfect fit in the Boss engine. Again, I have no idea where this part originally came from (after 30+ years of building model cars and never throwing anything away I've accumulated a mountain of spares and extras).

Of course, now I will need to cut the hood. This was never part of the original plan but Its something that can't be avoided now .

[66belair]

Your detail work is amazing,I've never seen this much detail correction made to this kit. I can't wait to see more, the 65 Ford is my favorite.

[Dr. Cranky]

Excellent mods and work. We'll keep following this one closely.

[Guest]

The engine is looking good in there Sonny! Great idea on the fuel injection. I'm pretty sure the intake was an optional intake that came with that kit engine or it could be from the '69 Shelby GT 500. I would go with a modern throttle body/fuel rail system for the injection. Maybe modify the valve covers a little? If you do go the modern route, you might consider adding coil packs for the ignition also. I gave an old Hemi the modern treatment on my last build with a Viper styled intake and coil packs. Looked pretty decent when I got it done. If you would like to see a photo of the engine, let me know and I'll post it up.

[o-man]

Nice work so far! What about getting a resin t-bolt teardrop hood? Although looking ant what you've done so far, I imagine making something will be a breeze for you.

[David G.]

Wow! ...just... Wow!

David G.

[HondaSan72]

Fantastic work so far!! KUTGW!!

[geordie]

Very nice workmanship, an inspiration to all us folks who live vicariously off these builds.

[1930fordpickup]

Awesome.

[knarf]

The engine is looking good in there Sonny! Great idea on the fuel injection. I'm pretty sure the intake was an optional intake that came with that kit engine or it could be from the '69 Shelby GT 500. I would go with a modern throttle body/fuel rail system for the injection. Maybe modify the valve covers a little? If you do go the modern route, you might consider adding coil packs for the ignition also. I gave an old Hemi the modern treatment on my last build with a Viper styled intake and coil packs. Looked pretty decent when I got it done. If you would like to see a photo of the engine, let me know and I'll post it up.

i would like to see that photo

[beeRS]

The engine is looking good in there Sonny! Great idea on the fuel injection. I'm pretty sure the intake was an optional intake that came with that kit engine or it could be from the '69 Shelby GT 500. I would go with a modern throttle body/fuel rail system for the injection. Maybe modify the valve covers a little? If you do go the modern route, you might consider adding coil packs for the ignition also. I gave an old Hemi the modern treatment on my last build with a Viper styled intake and coil packs. Looked pretty decent when I got it done. If you would like to see a photo of the engine, let me know and I'll post it up.

Thanks for the ideas Roger. I would love to see that treatment on the Hemi - please post a pic .

[james460]

use the cammer out of the 66 or one of the AMT reissue Funny Cars

[Guest]

Here you go Sonny. It still needs a few more details. But, those will have to come later.

The intake and coil packs are from the Duster kit. I had to modify the intake a little to get it to fit the Hemi. I sanded the valve covers smooth and then cut the grooves in with a razor saw.

[Davewilly]

Looking pretty good

[geemoney]

Now it's time to get the firewall sorted. For a while I was considering keeping it smooth with no details except for the brake servo, but after finding some good reference pics I have decided to scratch build a stock firewall. The one supplied with the kit is not accurate and had big holes for the bonnet (sorry 'hood') hinges - which I won't be using. It also has gaps where it meets the kits inner fenders (which I won't be using either!).

To achieve the oddly shaped panel I have had to cut my smooth firewall down. I've added the spot-weld flange using the thinnest styrene sheet I have.

In the pic below you can also see the engine mounts completed. The excess rod length has been cut away.

I've added the top part of the firewall back, but this time with a curve.

From this angle (see the pic below) you can see the curve better. It now matches the curve of the back edge of the hood opening - as on the 1:1 car.

I found this pic of a Boss 520 with throttle body fuel injection and I think this is the kind of look I NEED .

To achieve this I've searched my parts box and come up with the 8 air horns (I have no idea which kit they originally came from). I've also found a twin carb high-rise manifold which can be cut down for the job.

And here's the lot just mocked up in place. At the moment I don't know whether to replicate a mechanical injection system (like a Hilborn set-up) or a more modern throttle body set up.

In this picture you can also see how the curve of the top of the fire-wall now matches the back edge of the hood opening (or at least better than before!).

The manifold is a perfect fit in the Boss engine. Again, I have no idea where this part originally came from (after 30+ years of building model cars and never throwing anything away I've accumulated a mountain of spares and extras).

Of course, now I will need to cut the hood. This was never part of the original plan but Its something that can't be avoided now .

that intake might be from AMT's boss 429 pinto funny car

[beeRS]

With the engine in place the bonnet will not fit - so after trialling about a 100 different bonnet scoops (sorry - I mean 'hood' scoop) and bulges from my spare parts box I found this. It's from AMT's 66 Nova. It was an optional part that I did not use when I built the Nova about 20 years ago.

From all the pencil marks on the hood you can see the fun and games I had trying to figure out which scoop was going to be best.

The only problem with the Nova scoop is that it is dead straight and the Galaxie hood has a subtle curve...

So, a quick dip in a pan of boiling water and a gentle bit of shaping got the shape just right.

It's a very slight curve, but its all it takes to make it a perfect fit.

Above; with an appropriately sized hole cut in the hood. I've stripped the silver paint off the air 'trumpets' so they look a mess right now.

And here's the hood scoop finally glued in place. There's still some work to do here as I want the scoop to look like it is moulded as part of the hood.

The underside of the hood is looking pretty bad now. The plan is to make this part look like it is a one-piece glass fibre hood so most of the under-hood structure must go.

And here it is after an hour of sanding.

[beeRS]

Now its time for me to sort the trunk lid out.

Above is a pic of the trunk lid as it comes out of the box. As with most plastic kits I think it far too thick.

I wonder if AMT could have put the ejector pins in a worse place!

Here's a pic of the 1:1 trunk, so the challenge I have is to make the kit part look more like this.

So here it is after another hours worth of sanding/cutting/grinding... It's not quite as '3D' as the 1:1 trunk, but its slightly better (I think!).

Now I have to replicate the trunk hinges. Of course the kit parts won't do so I'm starting from scratch.

The pic above is from a 1:1 car. You can see the 'U' shape channel that I need to replicate.

I will never be able to make a true scale hinge from plastic as it won't be strong enough to do the job. My effort is slightly oversized, but at least it will look a little more like the 1:1 hinge. In the pic above you can see three different profiles that I have trialled.

With this trial hinge tack glued to the trunk lid, I can test that the hinge will work properly.

This is my favourite way of cutting identical shaped pieces. You can see that I am actually cutting 5 pieces here. I will need two per hinge and I'm cutting one extra just in case I mess one up. The two holes are so that I pin the 5 pieces together and keep them perfectly aligned with one another.

Five identical pieces!

[beeRS]

The excess holes in the hinge pieces are being filled with a little stretched sprue.

I've glued them into the holes and then cut them flush once the glue is set.

Here are the two completed trunk hinges.

And here they are glued to the trunk. The long pin helps me to make sure that both hinges are perfectly aligned with each other.

These are the pieces that will anchor the hinge to the body.

This is the final hinge assembly in place. The trunk can easily be removed by sliding the pins out.

Once the glue is set I can try the hinge out and I'm glad to say it works! I've made many hinges in a similar way to this and they don't always work. The worst part is that you never know till the whole lot is assembled.

I'm switching from grey primer to white. This is just what I call a 'checking' coat. I get everything the same colour to make sure I can properly see that the shape is right and I can pick out the flaws.

There's so much work left to do on this one. It's great to see all the encouraging comments you guys make on this forum - its good for keeping up the enthusiasm and staying motivated.