Altered States Louvered 29 Ford Model A Finished!

[jbwelda]

>I would ditch the transverse spring setup on the rear and replace it with a set of coil overs.

Right. Ain't gonna happen. Maybe two months ago that might have been an option.

Thanks for the suggestion (basically telling me I need to trash this whole thing and start over) but if I wanted that (modern coil spring setup) I would have saved myself a whole buncha work and just built the kit out of the box. I already went through all the process you speak of. The spring is actually behind the axle, it was more so but that wasn't working so I moved the axle slightly rearward to place it more where I wanted in relation to the body wheel wells. A more arched spring would have been problematic as well, I tried fitting two others.

I actually should not have even bothered with Zing the frame, because to get the ride height I wanted I had to add that block which pretty much negated the Z, but the lower profile spring still let the axle sit higher in the frame than it did to begin with, but only slightly. I am actually pretty happy with how it came out, completely realistic or not. If I wanted realistic I wouldn't have the engine sitting about one scale inch from the ground. And I wouldn't have lowered the front end by raising the spring inside the holder...that ain't too accurate either.

But thanks for the comment anyway, I appreciate the interest. I actually have another body, a chopped top 30 coupe, that I was planning on using for a similar build, I will pay more attention to this rear axle on that one from the start.

jb

[jbwelda]

And a little more progress...am having a problem with the different tone I have between the visible frame rails and the body. Its better on the right, other side, but I think I hit it way to hard on the left side. Not sure I want to strip and try again, but maybe...meanwhile I am trying to visualize the exhaust system, might even want something gnarly like some big corvette lake pipes. But, nah. Best to keep it mostly hidden underneath, especially after tucking the headers inside the frame rails.

Few photos, first, modified Revell Parts Pack hairpin radius rods for the front end, showing the unmodified (but stripped of chrome) item on the top, with the shortened and modified example on the bottom. These things required a lot of cleanup and still do not look great. Acceptable, but not great. You will see them after Molotow treatment but before final touchup in a couple photos further down.




I appreciate the input on the wheels and tires, and have pretty much decided to use the rodent rod set, though I totally agree with Bernard about the vintage look and detail the other set contribute, I like the stance better with the slightly lower profile one in the photos here. Also the white sidewalls are a lot closer looking to the ones I have up front, wide but still narrower than the more vintage ones. Although, I am still prepping the 40 Ford pair to be able to swap in or out, so maybe it will be the best of both worlds. I am glad Bernard pointed out the sidewall/whitewall detail on the 40 Ford tires, because it is spectacular by todays standards, really nicely done, it is a shame to not use them. So at least they can be swapped on and off.

Anyway, here are a couple of the chassis sitting like it is going to at this point:








And so here is the body sitting on the frame rails. Its not as bad in some light as in others and in fact the right side matches a lot better. I might well forge on ahead...its really tough to match metallic paint like this unless you start from scratch and either have talent (that leaves me out) or can control your color match by painting everything all together (which I never managed the discipline to actually do, though I certainly recognize the merit in the concept). I suspect the actual hot rod builder faces the same challenges, hence pinstriping or flames or something! 










So, as so many times happens, I am in a quandary over what was to be a fairly quick build, which now looms likely to leave its linear track.

jb

[jbwelda]

Quick update, work has been continuing on the front end, currently fitting the steering linkage, box and column. Finished up and installed the dashboard and interior side panels. Going to try a special effect on the firewall, will see how that turns out. Will be finishing up the interior and attaching the floorboard to the chassis as soon as the suspension is sorted, then fitting the body over the floorboard. All that should fit fine if my testing is any indication.


Wish I had taken care of those nicks on the top surface of the door.





here the radiator shell is temporarily in place more or less so I could take a look at how a Moon tank looks out there. If I proceed with that I think I will strip off the chrome (and Molotow, now that ought to be an experiment) and down-tone it to bare magnesium. But not sure I like the looks of the tank out there, a lot cleaner without it. But I have been hankering to stick a Moon tank on something one of these days.





I am trying to keep to metallic tones on this one.


thanks again for looking!


jb

[jbwelda]

Well I think an update in honor of Keith Richards birthday is in order.


Interior is about finished, and it and the floor pan are now mounted into the body:





Finished up the firewall with the machine turned surface (kind of looks like that color tape that makes gringo eyes go all crazy), coil and voltage regulator from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland:








And had to make some compromises when fitting the body to the chassis, I want the body to sit flat on the top of the frame, and that's gonna require some adjustments:


Before:





And, after:





none of that amputation will show when its glued together. I also had to further notch the vertical beam a bit to get it to snug down against the bottom of the floor pan. 

Now its on to fabbing some sort of exhaust system, gluing the body onto the frame, finishing up the headlamps and installing them and the grille, some taillights, installing the steering column and wheel (haven't shown a pic of that yet, the Cadillac wheel from the AMT AlaKart), and of course installing the wheels and tires. Oh and the windshield. And the radiator hoses. Be lucky to get this done for NNL West in January at my pace.


thanks again for looking and comments of course welcome.


jb

[jbwelda]

Made do with box parts and fabbed up an exhaust system. Still working on getting the body down on the frame and glued solid, and some cleanup work there.







lowered the heck out of the rear axle.




After I get the exhaust system buttoned up and tightened down, its all done under there and time to proceed to the radiator, shell and headlamps. Probably at least one pose up on wheels before then.

jb

[fordrodnkustom]

Looking exceptional JB. Crisp and authentic detail throughout. I like your color choice for it too.

[dogfish7]

Awesome!

[jbwelda]

meanwhile, I was still thinkin...


















jb

[jbwelda]

I'll tell you, if that last clip didn't get you going for a new years eve, then you better get yourself to the doctor to check your pulse!

November 1969 Oakland California two shows turned into one after equipment failures with their brand new Ampeg amplifiers, and the Grateful Dead rescued the mission by importing their equipment over from Marin county at the last moment. Members of the Dead had been sitting in the front row and being as it was a Bill Graham show, they talked to him and offered to have their sound man Owsley set up their PA and amplifiers to replace the untested Stones equipment. Show finally got underway around midnight (for an early show that was supposed to start at 6pm if I remember right), and got out at about 4am. Me and my friends had to hitchhike back to stinson beach with the rising sun because our other friend with the car gave up and went home around midnight.

That film clip was probably about 3:30am, after show was opened by Terry Reid, Ike and Tina Turner, and BB King. This was the second show of the tour (possibly third, could have been a warm up gig in Colorado or somewhere) after San Diego and they were still a bit rusty with a new guitarist and all, but they blew the doors down once they got the equipment sorted and got their ya ya's out. Best show I had seen since I caught James Brown and the Fabulous Flames a couple years earlier at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, site of a couple spectacular earlier version Stones shows.

And by the way, that Oakland show was the partial source for one of the first major bootleg records, Live'r Than You'll Ever Be, recorded on Uher reel to reel tape machine from the first row. I believe the audio for the video was lifted from the record. Read Sam Cutler's book for more info, he was the tour manager for one of the most disorganized rock and roll tours ever, and then he went on to become the Grateful Dead's tour manager after the Stones stranded him in California to deal with the Angels in the aftermath of Altamont. And that one was a whole other story.

Sorry for the distraction, now back to model cars. Charlie's good tonite, innit he?


jb

[fordrodnkustom]

Not bad JB!. Thanks for the interesting historical rock diversion. I never was much of a 'Stones guy but I can understand the value of that rare clip in the big picture of the period and location.

[jbwelda]

OK no music this time but its about time to wrap up this model. Made up some taillights with blue dots, turned out ok and they were pretty simple. Louvered headlamps from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland, never used the small ones before, had to this time simply due to fit with the shock hanger serving as a mount point for the lamps.

Using a license plate from Illinois, 1962, just about the time I lived there for a year or so. Cruisin through the cornfields, it could be called. Not that I was doing it, I was only 12 years old, but in my model dreams I was. All that really needs to be done is finalize the front wheels, glue on the windscreen, and add the door handles. And a quick polish to get rid of my ham fisted fingerprints.

Sits pretty nice if I do say so myself. Really wish I had a hood to use, might try to modify one from somewhere but the resin one that came with the body isn't going to fit here.














Thanks for looking!


jb

[jbwelda]

Now I see louvered motorcycle fenders all around.


jb

[fordrodnkustom]

WOW that is sharp! I like the cycle fender idea but not entirely sure about the louvers on them though....

[jbwelda]

I was thinking like four louvers on each fender, down at the bottom, to let all the built up air out. Or something. Probably not though.

And tonite I actually glued the windscreen down to the body cowl. I always hate that part and put it off until I feel I am ready, because its so easy to mess stuff up doing something delicate but obvious like the windscreen. But the point is, I got it to sit back at a bit more of an angle, so the bottom of the frame is more parallel with the body detent that it sits in. Its a small difference, but I think it makes it look more sporty. Its the kind of stuff I obsess on, honestly.

Tomorrow night (told you about procrastinating) I will attach the door handles and be done with it for now. Take some nice photos and post a completed section post, plus add them to my gallery.

If you haven't checked out my gallery, please do: drasticplastics.proboards.com/thread/6047/jb-weldas-gallery

There is a wide variety of stuff in there, and for many the good stuff might not start for a page or two, but stick with it and you might see something you like!

jb

[harron68]

WOW! Very impressive job. It takes creativity, skill and time to do such fine work. Thanx for sharing, and explaining!!!!