De-Billet-ated 37 Ford Sedan - Updated 08-01
Jul 19, 2020 20:30:33 GMT -4
Post by BERNARD "HOT ROD" KRON on Jul 19, 2020 20:30:33 GMT -4
Builder’s block. I’m sure it happens to all of us; some, of course, more severe than others. In my case I like to be working on a model car project pretty much throughout the year with little interruption. Some projects take longer than others but I generally have something going. But since May 21st I’ve been pretty much dead in the water. This is not unknown to me, but it’s quite rare. I started a couple of things which turned out to be more like paint experiments than actual modeling projects. Then about five days ago I finally got past it. I decided I would do a simple build to get things moving and then tackle something more adventurous next.
This is the simple one, a Monogram ’37 Ford Sedan street rod. First released in 1987 it’s a real period piece – a classic billet rod with independent suspension front and rear and Boyd-style billet wheels and billet details under the hood and all over the interior. With the Traditional Rod revival of the past several years building this slantback out-of-the-box would be a real throwback – and frankly not to my taste. For this reason this kit sat in my stash for many years. A strange choice to cure a case of builder’s block…
Regardless, I started in on it less than a week ago. One thing about this early release version is that it’s molded in genuine Monogram Bleed-Through Orange Plastic. So the first order of business was to get that stuff sealed off. I thought some Duplicolor Primer Sealer would do the trick (it usually does) but this plastic dye is so strong it went right through it. After a session in the Purple Pond I used my old reliable combo: generic Duplicolor Metallic Silver Acrylic Lacquer over the aforementioned primer sealer (the cheap stuff in the tall can – but it sets up and lays down beautifully). Mission accomplished.
I’m going for a real late 50’s street machine kind of look. So the color I’ve chosen is actually Tamiya AS-5 Light Blue Luftwaffe, a military color of all things. But it gives the car a tough, utilitarian performance look, particularly with the Modelhaus T-120 wide whites I’m using. The sub-text of this project is to use as many surplus bits from my stash as are appropriate to the final result. The kit itself fits that description, as it’s unlikely I’ll build another one. The red-painted steelie wheels and T-120 tires are .from a still-born Revell/AMT ’40 Ford Sedan hybrid I started at least 10 years ago. The rolling stock was glued to Revell ’40 Ford Street Rod front and rear axles and it’s doubtful I could ever remove them without destroying the axles. So the whole wheel/axle set was adapted to the Monogram chassis. This has gotten rid of the billet-era independent suspension, as well as lowering the stance a bit.
The interior is kit stock except for deleting the headrests and the stereo speakers on the package shelf. I’ll replace the billet era steering wheel with something 50’s-appropriate. In keeping with the WWII German paint theme (unconscious, I assure you) the main interior color is Testors Acryl Panzer Interior Beige with Folk Art craft paint Teddy Bear Tan accents, The trim details will get picked out in Molotow Chrome,
Other than the suspension and wheels and tires, most of the build will come from the Monogram kit, modified as needed to de-billet-ate it. Below are some pictures of the work so far, showing the original Bleed-Through Orange styrene, the suspension work, the interior bits, wheels and tires (the wheels will get Moon caps) and chassis and the overall look in the light blue. The dull semi-gloss patina of the military paint makes it look like it’s in tinted primer, a popular look in the 50’s. It’s likely I’ll keep it but I might go with a clear gloss. I might even give it a pearlescent finish. I’m doing some paint trials to determine what I choose. But other than the lowered stance, the rolled pans and deleted bumpers, and the Moon caps, it will be pretty stock.
As I said – a simple project. It shouldn’t take long to do, and hopefully get the juices flowing again.
Thanx for lookin’,
B.
This is the simple one, a Monogram ’37 Ford Sedan street rod. First released in 1987 it’s a real period piece – a classic billet rod with independent suspension front and rear and Boyd-style billet wheels and billet details under the hood and all over the interior. With the Traditional Rod revival of the past several years building this slantback out-of-the-box would be a real throwback – and frankly not to my taste. For this reason this kit sat in my stash for many years. A strange choice to cure a case of builder’s block…
Regardless, I started in on it less than a week ago. One thing about this early release version is that it’s molded in genuine Monogram Bleed-Through Orange Plastic. So the first order of business was to get that stuff sealed off. I thought some Duplicolor Primer Sealer would do the trick (it usually does) but this plastic dye is so strong it went right through it. After a session in the Purple Pond I used my old reliable combo: generic Duplicolor Metallic Silver Acrylic Lacquer over the aforementioned primer sealer (the cheap stuff in the tall can – but it sets up and lays down beautifully). Mission accomplished.
I’m going for a real late 50’s street machine kind of look. So the color I’ve chosen is actually Tamiya AS-5 Light Blue Luftwaffe, a military color of all things. But it gives the car a tough, utilitarian performance look, particularly with the Modelhaus T-120 wide whites I’m using. The sub-text of this project is to use as many surplus bits from my stash as are appropriate to the final result. The kit itself fits that description, as it’s unlikely I’ll build another one. The red-painted steelie wheels and T-120 tires are .from a still-born Revell/AMT ’40 Ford Sedan hybrid I started at least 10 years ago. The rolling stock was glued to Revell ’40 Ford Street Rod front and rear axles and it’s doubtful I could ever remove them without destroying the axles. So the whole wheel/axle set was adapted to the Monogram chassis. This has gotten rid of the billet-era independent suspension, as well as lowering the stance a bit.
The interior is kit stock except for deleting the headrests and the stereo speakers on the package shelf. I’ll replace the billet era steering wheel with something 50’s-appropriate. In keeping with the WWII German paint theme (unconscious, I assure you) the main interior color is Testors Acryl Panzer Interior Beige with Folk Art craft paint Teddy Bear Tan accents, The trim details will get picked out in Molotow Chrome,
Other than the suspension and wheels and tires, most of the build will come from the Monogram kit, modified as needed to de-billet-ate it. Below are some pictures of the work so far, showing the original Bleed-Through Orange styrene, the suspension work, the interior bits, wheels and tires (the wheels will get Moon caps) and chassis and the overall look in the light blue. The dull semi-gloss patina of the military paint makes it look like it’s in tinted primer, a popular look in the 50’s. It’s likely I’ll keep it but I might go with a clear gloss. I might even give it a pearlescent finish. I’m doing some paint trials to determine what I choose. But other than the lowered stance, the rolled pans and deleted bumpers, and the Moon caps, it will be pretty stock.
As I said – a simple project. It shouldn’t take long to do, and hopefully get the juices flowing again.
Thanx for lookin’,
B.
