1/25 Revell '29 Model A Roadster 2'n'1

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think you will find out that this kit - and the follow-ups I hope materialize sooner than later - will be batting at a very high average - at least as high as Revell's '32 Street Rod series when it first appeared in 1996, and perhaps even a little higher.

TIM

After considering all the additional information you've provided us, I'm sure that will be the case.

I guess I'm just being greedy. After seeing how good the details look on Revell's recent offerings, and having a lot of their old vintage stuff that I think STILL rates as excellent in quality and scale fidelity, I just badly want a new-tool quick-change or 2 (and if we're lucky even more traditional hot-rod bits) that are up to the standards Revell has set with their best work in recent years.

I rarely get excited about much any more, but I AM happily anticipating this new kit and getting several somethings built from it.

[southpier]

start @ 3:00 minutes:

[Ace-Garageguy]

"They know when they open a Revell box, they're going to get an accurate, authentic reproduction of the real thing. Most modelers, that's what they want"

So spake Ed Sexton.

Should put an end to the often-voiced opinion that most modelers don't know or care what's accurate.

[carnut]

I'm new here but I have been following this for a bit. Personally I can't wait until this comes out. My only wish is that eventually can we get an accurate stock Model A 5 window coupe body and please at stock roof height, I prefer to chop the roof on my own (no offense to anyone). When this does come out I'm planning on getting several.

Edited February 16, 2015 by carnut

[peter31a]

I'm very excited about this kit and I know for sure I will purchase a number of these kits regardless. And a quickchange would be a bonus but what I'm really disappointed about is the missing leaf spring suspension. Really interested in traditional rods and these did not have coil overs. I'm not building a hot rod to drive on the street as has been mentioned a number of times in this discussion. I think for most interested in this kit it is primarily for traditional hot rods and as such I do think Revell missed the mark with not including this. In other words I guess I am basically agreeing with what Bernard and Ace have been saying (I think...). I hope that Tim is correct and perhaps Revell will include leaf spring suspension in future releases. In the mean time will have to look to aftermarket for corrections as I really don't want to have to destroy a bunch of other kits to get desired results.

As always,Tim, thanks for giving us such excellent background into the gestation of this kit.

[horsepower]

I know I'm sorta old school, but doesn't a five speed transmission for "highway driving" sort of defeat the reason a lot of the real builders used the quick change?

And just so people who don't know, the small V-8 style quick change is no where near as strong as the later model passenger car rear axle, you have to keep in mind that style quickie is designed around the old Ford rear gears, just turned over with the original pinion gear now being the upper shaft on the quickchange, and unless you want to spend a lot of extra money on the rare hypoid (angle) cut change gears the thing is going to be so noisy from the straight cut rear gears that you won't be able to hear yourself think.

The stronger Champ style quickchange is based on the model AA one ton rear gears, and is a lot stronger, but also a lot bigger, this is the one you see in later cars using the large bell type axle housings, and they are just as noisy as the other style, but the quieter gear sets are easier to find, but still expensive and are sold as superspeedway gears, and are also stronger than the straight cut gears, but not quite as quick and easy to change either.

[jbwelda]

>when they open a Revell box, they're going to get an accurate, authentic reproduction of the real thing

yep that sure was the consensus on at least one other thread around here lately.

jb

[Guest]

>when they open a Revell box, they're going to get an accurate, authentic reproduction of the real thing

yep that sure was the consensus on at least one other thread around here lately.

jb

Right on jb. I know of a couple of Revell releases that have been bashed to pieces over what I see as minor stuff. Edited February 16, 2015 by midnightprowler

[Ace-Garageguy]

>when they open a Revell box, they're going to get an accurate, authentic reproduction of the real thing

yep that sure was the consensus on at least one other thread around here lately.

jb

Yes, and I used the quote from Mr. Sexton to illustrate that it's apparently HIS perception that most modelers WANT accurate kits.

Whether accuracy always makes it all the way into the box every time is another thing entirely.

If you recall, recently there have been a lot of apologists for error-laden kits here, saying that MOST modelers don't care particularly about accuracy (and calling those of us who care "rivet counters").

The words actually coming out of Ed Sexton's mouth say "most modelers DO care about accuracy".

Again quoting Mr. Sexton: "Most modelers, that's what they want".

Edited February 16, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

I know I'm sorta old school, but doesn't a five speed transmission for "highway driving" sort of defeat the reason a lot of the real builders used the quick change?

Again it's yes and no. The purpose of a QC on lakes and racing cars was to be able to rapidly change final-drive ratios without a lot of mechanical grief, like having to precisely set up differential ring-and-pinion lash on a dusty dry lake, or a muddy-pit circle track.

The "change gears" have straight shafts they slide on to in matched pairs. You drive your car to the lakes (or trailer it to the roundy-round track, for which the QC rear ends were really developed). You remove a few easily accessed nuts, slip the rear cover off, slip out one gearset and slip in another one, replace the cover and you're done.

Street gears on old hot rods would be short, for acceleration. Lakes work requires long gears for top-end speed. With only a 3-speed gearbox behind the engine, you can't have both.

Put a 5-speed box behind the engine and you can have tall rear-end gears in your QC for top end speed, and short ratios in the 5-speed on 1-2-3 for blazing acceleration, 1:1 on 4th and an OD fifth for long-legged highway running.

So yes, part of the need for the QC is eliminated with a properly geared 5-speed trans. But you're still stuck with the gear ratios in the trans. A QC makes the car just that much more "tunable" (granted, most owners won't ever take the "change-gear" cover off of the diff and swap gearsets, but it just makes you feel good knowing you could if you wanted to).

EDIT: We're also now looking at costs for high-end 9" Ford rear ends being pretty much in the same ballpark as quick-change units. Yes, if you have a torquey engine and/or dump your clutch a lot, you'll shred the QC.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Craig Irwin]

I don't build models of cars that are built today, I build models of the cars of my youth. It's a nostalgia thing, a collection of cars I could never own in 1:1. I don't have to build something that wouldn't beat me to death on the highway because I'm never going to drive it so I can build whats "cool" in my mind. I see this kit as only a starting point for a kitbash and I can no longer afford to buy 3 or 4 kits to build 1 model. Same with resin parts and PE sets, I can no longer afford them. I honestly only buy about 3 or 4 kits a year anymore and a few years back I could buy that many in one trip to the hobby store. I know my preferences aren't the same as others, it would be a shame if we all liked the same stuff.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The more I think about it, the more enthusiastic I'm getting about this upcoming new release. I just happened to remember how very very good the parts were in the Rat Roaster too (even though the car itself isn't exactly to my particular taste, and it could have used an I-beam axle, what was there was excellent kitbashing fodder).

And Revell has given us cool stuff like the louvered rear deck in the '32 5-window, which actually FITS a '32 roadster just as it should in 1:1 (if you open the deck on the roadster).

With that fairly recent level of hot-rod-parts quality as a marker, we should have every reason to believe that this '29 kit is going to knock it out of the park, as far as how good and correct the parts look.

I want one. I want one. I want one.

[mrknowetall]

The more I think about it, the more enthusiastic I'm getting about this upcoming new release. I just happened to remember how very very good the parts were in the Rat Roaster too (even though the car itself isn't exactly to my particular taste, and it could have used an I-beam axle, what was there was excellent kitbashing fodder).

And Revell has given us cool stuff like the louvered rear deck in the '32 5-window, which actually FITS a '32 roadster just as it should in 1:1 (if you open the deck on the roadster).

With that fairly recent level of hot-rod-parts quality as a marker, we should have every reason to believe that this '29 kit is going to knock it out of the park, as far as how good and correct the parts look.

I want one. I want one. I want one.

Me too! Me too! Revell has given me so many reasons to plan upcoming builds ('57 Del Rio wagon and '29 roadster), that I'm gonna have to get organized. I build at a snails pace (due to life getting in the way).

[Shelby 427 1965]

I've never ever built a hotrod but I may buy this and try and stick a 440 Magnum in it somehow...

[Greg Myers]

I think Rodders Journal just had an issue with a 413 in a coupe.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've never ever built a hotrod but I may buy this and try and stick a 440 Magnum in it somehow...

Here's two real cars with the old, rear-distributor Hemi. Both cars are '28-'29 bodies on '32 rails, which this new kit gives you. If the old Hemi will fit, the later-model 440 and even the 426 Hemi should shoehorn in there.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[my80malibu]

It's your model to build however you like. For me 440 engines don't have as much Wow factor,as a 392 or a multi carbed Buick,olds,or Pontiac.

[keyser]

Track nose. Just sayin'

[DaveM]

I'm sure it would take a lot of massaging, but a piece of evergreen could be used to make a hood that would work with the track nose from the Revell '29 Pickup... Not the most graceful track nose in history, but a starting point. It could be reshaped and sanded down quite a bit. I have built a couple of the pickup kits with stock grilles, so I have at least one of the track noses in the parts box. I will get it out when get one of these kits and see if can be done. If not, somebody with better freehand skills than I have will probably carve out one and cast it pretty soon.

Those sure look nice. I might want to do a really narrow nose and stick a hopped up four banger under the hood,

[Ace-Garageguy]

I will get it out when get one of these kits and see if can be done.

It can be done. Just takes a little doing.

You're very correct about the Revell tracknose being less-than-ideally proportioned, but with a little slice-n-dice, it should look really good.

I've done or am in progress with several nose-jobs for old Fords, the tracknose versions being based on the vintage Monogram Midget part.

I've already done molds for the '34 Ford...

One in the works for the '32...

An entire front end for the '28-'29 with a Kurtis nose (wide enough to run an Ardun or Mopar hemi with full hood sides)...

A Miller nose...

And shortly, a tracknose as in Keyser's pix for the '28-'29 bodies.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[mike 51]

Now what we need is a nice set of skinny Kelsey wire wheels....I know there's a nice aftermarket set but they're too pricey for me.. monogram makes some excellent wires for the Miami-Vice "Ferrari" so I think they can do it...Tamiya makes some great ones too for the Jag and the Morgan. maybe with a nice little V8 engraved 'hubcap?

Edited February 23, 2015 by mike 51

[Bernard Kron]

Model Car Garage makes a nice resin track nose with a p/e grille that is a very close copy of the Eddie Dye roadster nose:

[mike 51]

I'm looking foward to the products from Norm at RMof M(?) he has already got a great selection of hot rod parts with excellent quality and fair prices...I just wish he was a larger producer,I'd love to just pickup his stuff at the local hobby shop.

Edited February 24, 2015 by mike 51

[keyser]

Norm does Awesome K-H wires/rims. He also does the Tamiya Jag Mk2 wires, I have them on my XK120.

I'm thinking Offy 4 for mine, quickie in back, and a Duvall. Rear belly pan may make quickie invisible.

Bill, those noses look great. I forget who does a nice p/e grille, but I have 2, one narrow, one wider.

A's look better with track noses than even T's, as cowl wider, hood not as extreme, more room.

Gonna be a fun kit.

[Art Anderson]

Norm does Awesome K-H wires/rims. He also does the Tamiya Jag Mk2 wires, I have them on my XK120.

I'm thinking Offy 4 for mine, quickie in back, and a Duvall. Rear belly pan may make quickie invisible.

Bill, those noses look great. I forget who does a nice p/e grille, but I have 2, one narrow, one wider.

A's look better with track noses than even T's, as cowl wider, hood not as extreme, more room.

Gonna be a fun kit.

For a number of years, back in the late 60's/early 70's, there was a '29 Model A street rod running around the Speedway area at Indy, powered by an older, obsolete by displacement, Offenhauser 4cyl, that had run several races at Indianapolis in the 50's. So, an Offy is not out of the question!

Art