1959 Ford Galaxie Hardtop

[Ron Hamilton]

Very pretty!!!!

[slusher]

Gorgeous model Steve..

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks Guys!! Steve

[wku88]

Wow. Brings back a flood of memories. We had this exact model and color combo when I was a kid. First car I remember in the family. Memories of going squirrel hunting with dad, and remembering the T-bird fender ornaments frosted over and looking like silver dollars. When dad traded it to my uncle for a '60 Chevy pick up, I cried. Didn't talk to him for a week. It had a 292 and the 3 speed auto, and the factory stainless skirts too.

Excellent job man. What kit did you use?

[Bob Ellis]

Nice work on that '59. Don't let it get too close to the snow. '57-59 Fords disolve in the winter.

[davyou5]

Just Beautiful! If didn't know any better I would almost mistake the car for a diecast it's that flawless. Awesome job!

[John Goschke]

Glad you were able to get the paint issue under control without a strip-and-respray, Steve! Looks beautiful!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks guys! Makes me feel a little better about the trials she put me through! Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

Wow. Brings back a flood of memories. We had this exact model and color combo when I was a kid. First car I remember in the family. Memories of going squirrel hunting with dad, and remembering the T-bird fender ornaments frosted over and looking like silver dollars. When dad traded it to my uncle for a '60 Chevy pick up, I cried. Didn't talk to him for a week. It had a 292 and the 3 speed auto, and the factory stainless skirts too.

Excellent job man. What kit did you use?

Thanks Todd! This is an old AMT "Junior Craftsman" kit I bought off of ebay a year or so ago. Pretty much the same as a "Customizing Kit", only less detail! These old '59 Ford annuals & junior craftsmans are still pretty easy to find on ebay, & not too un-Godly expensive. I believe I paid around $40.00 for this one in assembled but like new condition. Nice thing about the junior craftsman kits is they were a snap kit. NO GLUE!!! Steve

[peekay]

Wow, another absolute beauty, Steve. Love the colour scheme and the interior is spectacular. Fantastic!

[ChrisBcritter]

Really love the color! I mostly remember seeing those with several years' worth of fading and chalking so it's kind of a revelation. Did you do a wash on the lower quarter trim?

[ChrisBcritter]

How about a little input on your part? I didn't send the stock wheels in for chroming Because I really didn't like the look of them, So what should I use? I was thinking either a set of Mopar rally wheels, or maybe a nice set of Cragars? That would probably be about as "custom" as I would get! Steve

I'm going with Rallys on mine; my kit was missing wheels/tires and engine so I parted out an AMT Challenger for them.

That said, the Radir mags from the AMT Wheel and Trailer Donor kit (aka Fireball 500 ) would look good too...

[bondo bill]

super build

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks Guys! I really appreciate all of the positive comments! Makes me feel like it was all worth it! Steve

[bogger44]

Beautiful build Steve, probably the best one of this kit I've seen. Congrats and keep warm!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Really love the color! I mostly remember seeing those with several years' worth of fading and chalking so it's kind of a revelation. Did you do a wash on the lower quarter trim?

No Chris, no wash on the rear quarters. I decided to do Alclad aluminum on those & the aluminum panels between the side spears to give some contrast between aluminum & chrome. I think I may have sprayed them a little too light. I think a little of the black base coat may be showing through. Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

I'm going with Rallys on mine; my kit was missing wheels/tires and engine so I parted out an AMT Challenger for them.

That said, the Radir mags from the AMT Wheel and Trailer Donor kit (aka Fireball 500 ) would look good too...

I was considering rally wheels also, but my plan is to use them on my '64 300 & I thought about using them on my '65 300 as well. Thinking now I may use some steelies & dog dishes on the '65 300. I think it would add a little interest. I might go with Cragars on the Dodge. Steve

[impcon]

Steve, I'd stay with the stock Monaco wheel covers if I was building that kit. I've been wanting a '65 and a '66 Monaco hardtop kit for some time now but they are always out of what I am comfortable paying for a model. Yeah - I know - I'm cheap. .

I know from personal experience that the Monaco wheel covers in 65 really do look good on the real car and I've seen after market or other wheels that I think improve on those nice caps with the large spinners. If I was to deviate at all from the stock wheel covers which are unique because they were, to the best of my knowledge, only available for the one year on the Monaco model only, I'd go with a set of Magnum 500's as in the photo below. The picture from the sales brochure really doesn't do these cars justice nor do the caps look as good ( IMHO again ) as they do on a 1:1 car in real life.If you need any specific photos for detailing, My wife and I have owned a 1:1 white with a saddle interior '65 Monaco hardtop since the early 80's that is U.S. built, and a burgundy ( originally red ) with a black interior Canadian built Monaco convertible that I bought in 1976. I have had that car longer than I have had my wife and she and I go back a few years.. On the exterior, the Canadian and U.S. cars are identical, but our Dodges up here in Canada had Plymouth interiors and dash boards. I have long wanted to find a damaged '65 Monaco hardtop model that I could combine with a Polara 500 convertible and a '65 Fury to make a duplicate of my real convertible. That's an expensive proposition though given what those three kits sell for although I'd not use virgin kits or really nice built ups.

Also, white, black or the beige as in the photograph below with a black vinyl top and saddle interior is very elegant looking and pleasing to the eye without being loud and in your face like some colours that I have seen these cars painted in. I have seen a triple black car and - wow! That car was in a league all of it's own!!! It was, simply put, breathtaking! The Monaco was marketed as a limited edition gentleman's luxury Dodge and I believe around 13,000 were built in the U.S. .. In Canada, Monaco production based on what I have read, numbered around 1,000 units. Given that convertible production was likely not much more than 20%, it seems that my convertible is a fairly uncommon car. I've read production figures for convertibles as anywhere between 100 and 300, so it is any one's guess. Incidentally, Chrysler never offered a Monaco convertible in the U.S.in any year. They were Polara models with bench seats and the Polara 500 with the bucket seat/console package. Just thought someone may find that mildly interesting..

[wku88]

Thanks Todd! This is an old AMT "Junior Craftsman" kit I bought off of ebay a year or so ago. Pretty much the same as a "Customizing Kit", only less detail! These old '59 Ford annuals & junior craftsmans are still pretty easy to find on ebay, & not too un-Godly expensive. I believe I paid around $40.00 for this one in assembled but like new condition. Nice thing about the junior craftsman kits is they were a snap kit. NO GLUE!!! Steve

I'll have to look for those then. I know there are several bodystyles available in Resin, but man are they expensive. I had a '59 Fairlane 500 2dr post for a while, but had to sell it when I lost the storage space. Dad bought a Sunliner new in '59. One day I might get around to building all three.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Steve, I'd stay with the stock Monaco wheel covers if I was building that kit. I've been wanting a '65 and a '66 Monaco hardtop kit for some time now but they are always out of what I am comfortable paying for a model. Yeah - I know - I'm cheap. .

I know from personal experience that the Monaco wheel covers in 65 really do look good on the real car and I've seen after market or other wheels that I think improve on those nice caps with the large spinners. If I was to deviate at all from the stock wheel covers which are unique because they were, to the best of my knowledge, only available for the one year on the Monaco model only, I'd go with a set of Magnum 500's as in the photo below. The picture from the sales brochure really doesn't do these cars justice nor do the caps look as good ( IMHO again ) as they do on a 1:1 car in real life.If you need any specific photos for detailing, My wife and I have owned a 1:1 white with a saddle interior '65 Monaco hardtop since the early 80's that is U.S. built, and a burgundy ( originally red ) with a black interior Canadian built Monaco convertible that I bought in 1976. I have had that car longer than I have had my wife and she and I go back a few years.. On the exterior, the Canadian and U.S. cars are identical, but our Dodges up here in Canada had Plymouth interiors and dash boards. I have long wanted to find a damaged '65 Monaco hardtop model that I could combine with a Polara 500 convertible and a '65 Fury to make a duplicate of my real convertible. That's an expensive proposition though given what those three kits sell for although I'd not use virgin kits or really nice built ups.

Also, white, black or the beige as in the photograph below with a black vinyl top and saddle interior is very elegant looking and pleasing to the eye without being loud and in your face like some colours that I have seen these cars painted in. I have seen a triple black car and - wow! That car was in a league all of it's own!!! It was, simply put, breathtaking! The Monaco was marketed as a limited edition gentleman's luxury Dodge and I believe around 13,000 were built in the U.S. .. In Canada, Monaco production based on what I have read, numbered around 1,000 units. Given that convertible production was likely not much more than 20%, it seems that my convertible is a fairly uncommon car. I've read production figures for convertibles as anywhere between 100 and 300, so it is any one's guess. Incidentally, Chrysler never offered a Monaco convertible in the U.S.in any year. They were Polara models with bench seats and the Polara 500 with the bucket seat/console package. Just thought someone may find that mildly interesting..

I don't know Gary, but that photo with the rally wheels might just clinch it for me. That looks pretty sharp! The stock wheel covers that I have are in useable shape without re-chroming, so I do still have that option. I'm just not that crazy about the looks of them. A lot of the old built ups & such that I do get are often missing the stock wheels, so a lot of times I'm looking at other options or ordering them from Modelhaus. I guess I should use them when I have them. Steve

[impcon]

Steve, Just want to say sorry if I kinda hijacked your thread. This is supposed to be about the Ford - not the Monaco. I'll just message you next time I get into another subject as I did last evening besides what is actually being discussed. My most humble apologies to you and anyone else who was/is offended. *head bowed, hands behind my back, shuffling off to stand in the corner now*

Edited November 18, 2014 by impcon

[Danno]

Beautiful - the Ford, not the Monaco brochure pix.

[yura1961]

Very well done Steve!

[Tom99]

Very nice!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Steve, Just want to say sorry if I kinda hijacked your thread. This is supposed to be about the Ford - not the Monaco. I'll just message you next time I get into another subject as I did last evening besides what is actually being discussed. My most humble apologies to you and anyone else who was/is offended. *head bowed, hands behind my back, shuffling off to stand in the corner now*

No problem Gary!! To me, any discussion about models is a good discussion! Steve