Frank Baron's Chopped '36 Ford Shop Car
Oct 17, 2011 20:13:49 GMT -4
Post by BERNARD "HOT ROD" KRON on Oct 17, 2011 20:13:49 GMT -4
Frank Baron's Chopped '36 Ford 3-Window Coupe Shop Car - A flight of fancy
First off, this car never existed; it’s a pure flight of fancy. But Frank Baron and Bob Tattersfield did exist, and they were the first to successfully market a 4 carburetor manifold for the Ford Flathead, along with an innovative set of cylinder heads which utilized unique pop up pistons for increased efficiency and compression. All this was in 1948 while they ran their immaculately turned out and beautiful belly tank at the dry lakes. Bob Tattersfield came from a well to do family which manufactured auto parts (that’s how he got involved with Frank in their speed equipment enterprise). Bob was, to use an expression of the period, “Hollywood”, a flashy guy who liked fast, flashy cars and the lifestyle to go with it. Frank Baron came from a more modest background. He was all business and liked to keep a low profile, although he liked to go very fast just as much as Bob did.
Nobody makes a scale 4 carb setup for the flathead, either in kit form or in the aftermarket. I’ve always wanted one and last year a modeling friend was kind enough to cast up a few and give me some (he will remain anonymous because he doesn’t want to go into the resin business). So, with the manifold in hand, I wondered what if a little of Bob Tattersfield had rubbed off on Frank Baron and he had built a shop car that was as slick as the lakester he shared with Bob. This model is the result. The historical Frank Baron wouldn’t be caught dead in a car like this, but it sure would have been an eye-catcher running around L.A. in 1948. The address for Baron Automobile Service is real, BTW. It’s where you went to have your Tattersfield-Baron hop up equipment installed after you bought it from the factory that Bob’s dad owned.
The car is based on an AMT ’36 Ford 5-window kit with a Jimmy Flintstone chopped 3-window body. Here are the details along with more pictures.
Basic kit: All parts from an AMT ’36 Ford 5 window coupe except as noted below.
Jimmy Flintstone chopped ’36 Ford 3-window coupe body.
’40 Ford bumpers from AMT kit.
Stock hubcaps with AMT ’49 Ford trim rings.
Whitewall tires by Modelhaus
Resin 4 carburetor manifold
Model Car Garage resin Offenhauser cylinder heads.
Stromberg 97 carburetors by Replicas & Miniatures Co. of Maryland.
Air cleaners are taillights from 2 AMT ’34 Ford 5-window coupe kits.
Tail pipes and water pipes were scratch built from polished aluminum tubing.
Exterior paint is Duplicolor Oxford White with home made decals, sealed with Krylon Crystal Clear acrylic.
Interior colors are Testors Acryl Leather and British Crimson.
Thanx for lookin,
B.
