Johnny Beauchamp 59 bird

[retroguy]

I'm collecting stuff for JBs 59 bird,I have a 58 bird but there's not enough diff. to worry about and the decals are on the way but I need a 430 eng or how to change the 58s 390 into a 430...any ideas...thanks

[bbowser]

The Blue Oval experts can weigh in on this but I believe the 430 was visually identical to a 390, only the internals were different?

[62rebel]

if you're working in 1/25 the engine block you need is in the AMT '25 T kits. they look similar to FE's but there are enough differences in the MEL engine to keep nit pickers busy if they start looking. the engine in those kits isn't very well detailed, either.

[retroguy]

thanks for the info guys,the chassis on the 59 has leaf springs so I'm working on a plan to switch the rear from coils and then on to the interior but having problems finding pics...

[John Goschke]

Might be worth the effort to see if you can find a restorable AMT '59 or '60 T-bird kit. They're both 1/25th, so the Lincoln motor from the '25 T kit would work, and the body in those 'bird kits looks WAY more like a proper "Squarebird" than Monogram's (now Revell's) humpbacked wonder!

Here's one I sold a while back. This one's a '59. The '60 kits had an engine, but it was a 352 with a stick shift...

Edited June 2, 2014 by John Goschke

[Funkster]

From WINNER to 2nd place in the first Daytonia 500, how disappointing! Johnny Beauchamp the first loser(2nd place) in the Daytonia 500 in 1959 and the first running of the Daytonia 500.

[mr moto]

I believe the Lindberg '34 Ford pickup (born as an AMT kit) has the T-Bird version of the 430 engine. Once again, not very detailed but I think it could be improved pretty easily.

[retroguy]

thanks for the added info...

[John Goschke]

I believe the Lindberg '34 Ford pickup (born as an AMT kit) has the T-Bird version of the 430 engine. Once again, not very detailed but I think it could be improved pretty easily.

Actually the engine in the '34 p'up kit is a 401 hp 390 cid FE, not the 430 cid MEL.