40 Ford Street Rod Coupe WIP -Finished! Outdoor Pics!

Glad I could help. I was so used to doing open wheeled cars when I tried this it seemed like sacrilege. But it's such a simple solution to avoid stealing parts from another kit. How much drop do you figure you've got there? Can't wait to see you apply your skills to this classic which you've now placed firmly in hot rod territory.

Thanks again, Bernard! I figure I have about a 3" drop as I used a 1/4" piece of plastic sheet but because part of it has to glue to the axle I figure I only moved the location about 1/8". In 1/24th scale, that would be about 3 inches (4/8"=1ft, then 1/8"= .25 ft or 3"). In 1/25th it might be a little more. But I am hoping to use the bumpers so I didn't want to make it too drastic so the bumper doesn't rub the ground. I'm in process of getting some painting done today. More later! Thanks for looking! 

Wow, what a great idea! I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got going here.

I painted the body with a can of Testors lacquer Sunrise Red Pearl. I hadn't seen this color before and I got it at a vendor show at a contest where the vendor was giving a box full of Testors colors away because they were very old and not selling. The paint came out fine though after much shaking and sitting in hot water in the sink for a little while. You probably can't see it in the picture but the pearlescent effect is pretty strong even though I painted it over gray primer. I usually use white. Its like a red wine color with a purple aura caused by the light. I hope it remains after rubbing it out. Looks like a nice hot rod color!

I messed up the hood by trying to rub down some bubbles on the edge and I somehow stuck my finger in it. But I have since samded out both sides of the hood with some seasoned 400 grit sandpaper (I let it dry during lunch and my nap) and then resprayed with color and clear. Looks good now.  Thanks for looking! 

Looks good Jr!  I have used this color on a '90 Mustang LX 5.0 Coupe and it came out pretty good.  Looking forward to more!

Thanks, Maniacal and MrMike! I appreciate your comments! 

Moving slowly on this one. I had looked for a dropped axle in the Revell 48 Ford Custom Coupe kit previously but I saw the stock axle so i stopped looking. While I was gathering all the parts for the flathead engine from this kit I found the dropped axle and it is almost identical to the one I built. So I'll have a spare if anything goes wrong! 

I also painted the chrome heads with some Tamiya Smoke and those look pretty good. I am going to use the block, front cover, and distributor from the Revell Standard Coupe kit as I can mount the flexible tubing I have on the Standard distributor on each side and then bende the tubing along side the intake manifold. Once I have the tubing bent I'll then drill four holes in each side to exit the spark plug wires to the plugs. I know there should be a coil somewhere but I think I'll just ignore it for this build. I'll probably also add the fuel lines to the carbs and make a fuel block to mount on the firewall. Thanks for looking! 

I've rubbed out the body but not the hood yet and you certainly can tell the difference. I rubbed out some paint on the right rain rail so I touched it up and then added two more coats of Clear. Paint looks good and maybe I can get a coat of Wet Look Clear on it if the humidity comes down. I'll rub out the hood for now and then get busy working on the engine. Thanks for looking! 

Computer issues - I'll explain engine later.

OK, computer problem solved! 

On the engine above, I used the bottom portion from the Revell Standard Coupe kit and the top from the Revell 48 Ford Custom Coupe kit. I panted the block Testors Flame Red to go with the body color a bit without being the pearl color. The distributor from the Standard Coupe was easier it attach the bendable plastic tube as routers for the spark plug wire and then drilled four holes in each router to glue in the spark plug wire running to the boot. I suppose the router should be slotted and open on the bottom to act as a cover and a router for the plug wires but this works for me. I also installed pins on the carburetors to run the gas lines once I've crafted a fuel block and have mounted to body. 

Yesterday and today, I attached the from and rear suspensions from the Standard Coupe kit. Once that was completed I built the dual exhaust systems using the mufflers from the 48 Custom Coupe kit and some bendable tubing. I also used the ends of the tailpipes with the L brackets that attach to the frame. I fashioned hangers from some wire for the bend over the rear axle along the frame. Now I have a nice looking dual exhaust system, flathead V-8 with dual carbs and a dropped front axle for this hot rod! Thanks for looking! 

Nice hot rod.   Coming along well.   Nicely done on the dropped axle too.

Looking (as usual) very good. Before you button up the chassis etc. are you going to mount the master cylinder for the brakes? Although the pic below shows a dual master cylinder, the location is correct.

Thanks, Peter and OTD! I appreciate your comments! OTD, glad to have you back! Yes, I will install the master brake cylinder once the floor is in. This kit has a mounting hole in the floor as well as a mounting surface to the frame. 

Completed the foil and window installation. Not a lot of foil but the long run istedious to get straight. I've also used a sharpie and black paint to outline the windows in addition to foil on the center windshield divider and the wing window frames. Everything is looking pretty good. 

I had a minor setback installing the radiator and hoses. The generator from the 48 Ford Custom Coupe kit did not sit over far enough to the right to fit the right radiator hose in. I looked at the instructions from the kit and in one picture it had the generator sitting to the right just like it is on my build. In a further part of the instructions dealing with the radiator and rediator hoses it shows the generator in the center of the block with hoses being attached on either side. But if that were the case the generator would hit the front carburetor. So not having the hod rod kit I had to imrprovise and break the fan belt on the right side, push the generator down and then fit the hose inside of the generator and into a new hole drilled in the radiator top. Its not quite symetrical but will have to do.  Thanks for looking! 

Well, yesterday was one of those days when nothing goes right! The dropped axle that I modified was too long and in trying to fix it I destroyed it. Then I tried to shorten the other one that I had in the 48 Ford Custom but that didn't work because it wouldn't fit the width of the frame. So after lenthening the axle again, I sanded off the keepers on the axle for the front wheels and pushed the wheels on as tightly as I could to get the wheel and tire under the front fender. The hot rod kit must have a shorter axle between the wheel and the frame.

The wheels are now inside the fenders, barely. I used the back wheels and tires from the Standard Ford kit and the front wheels and tires are from an extra Ala Kart re-pop kit. The baby moons are Parts by Parks that I had and never used for at least the last 10 years. Time to use them! Not much of a drop in front but I am hoping that once I glue the body on it will drop a little more. Thanks for looking! 

Interior is done and is pretty basic.  Krylon Ivory, black and body color on top of the dash. Added foil and Houndstooth pattern seat inserts to dress it up a bit. The first picture taken while the steering column glue was drying. Thanks for looking! 

JR....excellent progress and a really inspired color choice for you paint.....looking forward to further updates and final completion!   TIM 

The finish line is in sight! Enjoying watching your progress and your usual handling of the gremlins as they arise. The '40 Ford coupe kit was my favorite kit back in the sixties and I still love those cars today. 

Thanks Tim and Chucky! I appreciate your encouraging comments! And thanks Tim for your article in SA which inspired me to start this project. I am using it throughout the build! 

Here are a couple pics with the body glued down. It doesn't look like much of a drop in front until you look at the bumper brackets or look at the third photo of the same kit built stock. Its stance has the nose in the air. Now I'm close to the finish line! Thanks for looking! 

Beautiful finish and the color worked out just great. I think if you photograph it (and look at it...) from a lower angle rather than looking down on your workbench the way you have up to now you'll find the stance much more pleasing,. I really like what you did with the interior. Just enough to add to the custom look. Nice job.

The moment i saw that flathead i read this whole thread and that drop axle trick is what i will try as well. 

Never ever enough hopped up flatheads even in 1/25 world 

Thanks, Bernard and Gluecipher! I appreciate your comments! Gluecipher, if you try this. first sand off the keepers on each end of the axle before you cut it. I thought I had shortened each end of the axle enough to make up for the thickness of the plastic strip used to accomplish the drop, but apparently not. If the axle is cut in the middle then the spring/radius rod part would have to be shortened too or the axle will not fit widthwise.  Sanding off the keepers is the easiest solution to push the wheel on tighter, which I learned late. 

Here are a few pics outside. The paint really pops with the pearlescent effect in the sun, which you probably can't see. Probably because it is an old can of paint which wasn't affected by all the new safety formulations, in my opinion! 

You can see the drop in this pic:

 few more:

Last ones:

Really cool hot rod.  The paint, dropped front, and subtle changes really set it off.  IMHO those fat-fendered '40's were some of Henry's best designs.

Really looks great in the sunlight! Definitely a sharp buld of one of my all-time favorites. 

Thanks, Rick and Chucky! I appreciate your comments! It was a fun build so I'm off to my next magazine article build - an Indy car from the Bench Racer section of the latest SA! Thanks for lookng! 

Awesome, as usual.

I'm still waiting (chuckle) for you to open the vent in front of the windshield...it's easy, and really adds to the presentation.

Thanks, OTD! I appreciate your comments! I will open up the vent on my next hot rod, I promise! 

That really turned out well! The paint looks amazing!

Thanks, Maniacal! I appreciate your comment!