Monogram '32 Ford Street Rod Classic Cruiser

[Ace-Garageguy]

Has anyone had any luck cutting the fenders off the frame? I bought this kit thinking it'd be a two piece.

As someone accustomed to doing a lot of heavy mods and fabrication, I can say this COULD be more trouble than it would be worth, depending on how nice a model you want to build. The frame-rails on this model inexplicably disappear behind the center crossmember and become very thin valences, which is not correct for a '32 Ford at all. The '32 had NO frame-covering side valences and the rails were exposed as part of the styling. This accounts for the signature reveal stamped into the rails ONLY on the 1932 Ford.

What this means on the model is that, if you cut the fenders away, you're left with extremely thin side members that will need extensive re-working to look at all close to correct from underneath. They need to have material added to the INSIDE, which makes some very careful fitting necessary. If you want to do an accurate highboy, you'll have to carve the reveals in to the outer face of the rails.

Some other interesting points about this kit:

1) Though it's labeled as 1/24, it inexplicably shares a lot of dimensions with Revell's 1/25 '32 roadster body shells, like the length of the doors and the cowl height and width, and overall width. The length of the body shell from the cowl face to the rear axle centerline is slightly longer, so it's possible to use this shell to build a good 1/25 representation of a highboy based on the slightly 'stretched' '32 bodies produced by several fiberglass manufacturers in 1:1 to accommodate more 'ample' drivers.

2) Because the cowl width and height are the same as Revell's '32s in 1/25, the very nicely made louvered hood (top and sides) from this kit can be easily adapted to work on any of Revell's other '32 builds, needing only a slight removal of material from the front edges of the hood panels to achieve the correct length for 1/25.

3) The up-top from this kit will adapt easily to Revell's 1/25 roadster because the interior openings are almost exactly the same size, even though this kit is 1/24 and the Revell '32 highboy is 1/25. You can make it work on the Rat Roaster too.

4) The UNDERSIDE of the floor in this kit is probably the best representation of a STOCK '32 roadster floor, so if you want to build a very accurate traditional car, it's something to remember.

5) Revell's 1/25 '32 bodies fit pretty well on the fender / frame unit from this kit, but because of the scale difference, you end up with an engine compartment that's long enough to accommodate an inline 6 cylinder engine, but still give the look of a full-fendered traditional car. This is something that COULD have actually been built in 1:1, so that's a point to remember too. The hood top and sides will have to be lengthened, if you elect to use a hood.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Steven Zimmerman]

Thanks, Bill ! I have figured out most of these things myself, but you delved into it a little more deeply than I did. Obviously, there are a lot more things we can do with this kit, even it it's a 'dinosaur" (grin) You can pick these up at swap meets for a song, and they are a treasure trove ! Also, the Beach Boys / Rockin Rods version has a 'Vette IRS, while out dated now, this rear axle found it way under HUNDREDS of street rods in it's time....This is what this hobby is all about !..'Z'

[Greg Myers]

Yea, some good stuff here, thanks Bill.By the way, going the other way, the louvered trunk lid from the Revell 1/25th Five Window will fit the Monogram 1/24th 1930 Model A coupe.

[Mr mopar]

These are the two i like the most!

[Pete L.]

Fellas,

Being an old timer, I kind of hope they reissue this version. While we're at it, lets hope they reissue for the same price they sold it for "back in the day" !!!

Edited January 19, 2015 by Pete L.

[FordRodnKustom]

Has anyone had any luck cutting the fenders off the frame? I bought this kit thinking it'd be a two piece.

I did. I built this back in the 90's long before any of the Revell Deuces hit the shelves. I wanted a high boy and the AMT kit just didn't look right. I was satisfied with the results at the time.

[CabDriver]

I just got a bunch of these bodies in a job lot of parts - not enough parts to complete the kit...but it sure does fit nice with the new Deuce frame that comes in the 29 Roadster kit:

I know, I know, it SHOULD fit perfect - they’re both 32s...I was just surprised that it did!  

Is there any benefit to building a 32 roadster this way?  Probably not - unless you have a few sets of 29 kit parts and a bunch of these bodies like I do right now ?

[Ace-Garageguy]

44 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

I know, I know, it SHOULD fit perfect - they’re both 32s...I was just surprised that it did!  

Is there any benefit to building a 32 roadster this way?  Probably not - unless you have a few sets of 29 kit parts and a bunch of these bodies like I do right now ?

Actually, it really shouldn't fit the 1/25 Revell frame all that well because it's nominally 1/24.

But numbers are apparently very hard for professionals who get paid to work with them.

The body really is quite nice, and is just a little larger in some dimensions than a correct 1/25 body would be.

The good news is that there actually are some aftermarket full-scale bodies out there that have been supersized to better deal with the expanding dimensions of the typical American, but still fit on a correct frame.

As with everything hot-rod or design related, proportion is important, so just be critical of how everything looks as you mock it up.

 

[alan barton]

I know this is a really old topic but as the Monogram Deuce is my all time favourite kit - (I've built six and have another three on the bench) I thought I would chime in.  

I honestly believe that the Monogram 1/24th scale version has the nicest proportions of all the Deuce roadsters in kit form. There is just something about the way the curves are formed, the accuracy of the swage lines, the correct windshield, it just FEELS good.  Yes, the Revell is lovely and I have built one already and thoroughly enjoyed it but there is just something about the Monogram.

Over the years I have built three hiboys from them and they work out real nice.  The points that Bill made above are quite correct but it is not all that difficult to work around them and well worth the effort.  

The easiest fix is the character line stamped into the Deuce rail.  No need to carve it into the rail at all - simply start cutting the fenders off the frame about 2-3mm out from the frame surface.  Once they are removed, use a flat file to dress the area true and then sand the gentle curve on the reveal.  I would estimate it takes less than an hour and is quite good fun to do.

To make the rear wheel arch surround look a little less blocky after the rear fenders are cut off, take an Xacto and carve a bevel along the edge  towards the outside.  HArd to describe but you are trying to taper the remaining edge of the fender down to a knife edge where it meets the body.

The toughest bit, as Bill mentioned, is to cut strips of styrene to widen both the front and rear inside edges of the frame . This is simply boring old glue, file, putty sand repeat type work.  the front frame horns need a massage or two as well.

I still find the most recent issue with the blue strret rod on the box from time to time and it is definitely more readily available than the Revell version so if you neeed a hiboy, go for it. 

Cheers

Alan

[Dave Van]

I like this kit.....built a number of them.  Yes....simple but goes together well and looks good overall.

Here are some...

 

[CabDriver]

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The good news is that there actually are some aftermarket full-scale bodies out there that have been supersized to better deal with the expanding dimensions of the typical American, but still fit on a correct frame.

An VERY helpful get out clause in case anyone every questioned my use of a (maybe) 1/24 body on an (allegedly) 1/25 frame!  Thanks Bill!

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

As with everything hot-rod or design related, proportion is important, so just be critical of how everything looks as you mock it up.

 

Absolutely!! 

[Richard Bartrop]

5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The good news is that there actually are some aftermarket full-scale bodies out there that have been supersized to better deal with the expanding dimensions of the typical American, but still fit on a correct frame.

As with everything hot-rod or design related, proportion is important, so just be critical of how everything looks as you mock it up.

 

If your only exposure is photos and models, you don't always appreciate just how tiny those early Fords really are.  I had been taking with someone a few years back on why you don't see more people doing track roadsters, and in retrospect, if something like a stock Deuce roadster isn't up to accommodating a pair of 21st Century posteriors, then something like a T-bucket certainly isn't going to do it.

 

[Mr. Metallic]

On 1/19/2015 at 10:24 AM, Pete L. said:

Fellas,

 

Being an old timer, I kind of hope they reissue this version. While we're at it, lets hope they reissue for the same price they sold it for "back in the day" !!!

Many of us would love to have it back in this form (and the Little T too), but sadly it would probably take a bunch of new tooling. There is hope, since they did it to the Blue Beetle (Bandito), but this would require quite a bit more tooling. Sadly, if they were going to do the Little T you think they would have done it by now, but that one just came back recently.

However, if you're not adverse to resin you can build a Little Deuce. Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland offered the grille and taillights. Drag City Castings does the full Pontiac engine (you can even get the Son of Ford FI intake if you want), grille and wheels. You can modify the kit firewall with Evergreen halfround to get you the rest of the way. The 2000's releases (except the teal car on the boxart) even have decals that are close to the Little Deuce

[Mr. Metallic]

This is a screen shot of the above quote. Since khart is apparently no longer a member here his original post is scrubbed, but Larry's response still contains it.

Anyway, I want to say, upon further research, R/M didn't simply "graft a three window greenhouse onto the roadster body" The 3 window body they attempted to create to fit the existing roadster kit appears to be all new tooling. Obviously, the roof is different, but all the body lines on the sides of the body are different, the door lines are different, molded in door handles and the opening of the passenger compartment is longer (as it should be). And there are lots of telltale indicators on the underside of the body as well. So, simply hacking the roof off wouldn't give you the same old roadster body as is implied. 

For anyone just joining this thread, remember this kit was done BEFORE the release of the all new tooling 32 Ford series Revell started in the late 90's. Brand nomenclature was confusing back around that time, with the parent company mixing and matching brand names. 

[stavanzer]

I have that 3 Window kit, only to donate the Jag Independent Rear end to a Future planned Roadster build.