1931 Ford Model A Sedan Street Rod

[Phildaupho]

I have a friend who has owned a 1931 Model A Sedan for over thirty years. Up until about three years ago it could best be described as a traditional resto-rod meaning it had a restored body with a more modern powertrain. It was a good looker in black with a great stance and ran on chrome wirewheels. A model of this car could have been built pretty much box stock from the Revell kit with the addition of a small block Chevy and a set of wirewheels.

It is a longer story but my friend was gifted with a new frame which led to an almost complete overhaul of the Model A with new running gear and some body modifications. The transformation to a street-rod is almost completed and should be on the road by next summer. I decided to build a model of this refreshed Model A. The result is not an exact replica but represents similar changes my friend has incorporated during the overhaul.

BODY

Revell 1931 Ford Sedan Street Rod – the kit comes with opening doors but I glued them shut for strength

Stock firewall replaced with recessed unit from a Revell ’32 Ford

Rear fenders replaced with fenders from a Revell ’32 Ford to provide room for wide tires

Revell ’32 Ford grill shell, hood and grill

Revell ’32 Ford gas tank, rear frame horns & covers, with aluminium tube spreader bar

Revell ’32 Ford small headlights mounted on dropped bar with centre removed

Revell ’32 Ford taillights mounted on shortened ’32 Ford stocks

PAINT

Mainly Tamiya spray with some Testors brush paint

Extra chrome brushed with Molotow

INTERIOR

Floor hump from AMT Phantom Vickie

Six gauge panel from AMT Phantom Vickie

Steering wheel and column from Revell 32 Ford

Rear seat cushion narrowed

CHASSIS

Shortened and modified chassis from AMT Phantom Vickie

FRONT SUSPENSION

AMT Phantom Vickie with lowered spindles

A-arms shortened 3mm to get correct track 

Steering rack narrowed 6mm

REAR SUSPENSION

Differential, axle and coil overs from a Revell ’32 Ford

Four bars trailing links from Revell Willys Street Rod shortened by 3mm

Panhard bar from AMT Wagonrod

FRONT BRAKES

AMT Phantom Vickie

REAR BRAKES

Revell ’32 Ford

FRONT WHEELS AND TIRES

Revell ’32 Ford Torque-Thrusts with knocks off from Roadster kit

REAR WHEELS AND TIRES

Revell ’32 Ford Torque-Thrusts with knocks off from Roadster kit

DRIVETRAIN

Revell ’57 Chevrolet 2-Door Post 283 [real car has a crate 350]

Headers, intake manifold and exhaust adapted from Revell 37 Ford

Drive belt assembly and ancillaries from AMT Wagonrod

Fabricated electronic distributor

Other parts from spares box

TRANSMISSION

Revell ’57 Chevrolet 2-Door Post – Powerglide automatic came with engine [real car has more gears]

INCIDENTIALS

Revell ’32 Ford radiator and electric fan

Radiator support rods are sewing needles

 

[Misha]

That is a great tribute build Phil! Back in the summer of 2017 our club, Scale Plastic Auto Modellers SPAM, helped with the actual 1:1 build of this car during a meeting by mounting the body onto the chassis, pretty exciting. The other photo is from this past June almost three years later to the day.

[espo]

Beautiful looking build. Very cleanly detailed. I'm sure your friend will love it. 

[ChrisR]

Awesome!

[Phildaupho]

4 hours ago, Misha said:

That is a great tribute build Phil! Back in the summer of 2017 our club, Scale Plastic Auto Modellers SPAM, helped with the actual 1:1 build of this car during a meeting by mounting the body onto the chassis, pretty exciting. The other photo is from this past June almost three years later to the day.

Thanks Misha - Cool that you posted the work in progress photos. 

[Phildaupho]

26 minutes ago, espo said:

Beautiful looking build. Very cleanly detailed. I'm sure your friend will love it. 

Thanks David and yes my friend loved it

10 minutes ago, ChrisR said:

Awesome!

Thanks Chris

[NitroMarty]

WOW... Beautiful job on a finicky kit... and black is so difficult to get a good finish in scale.... I'm lovin' it!!!!

[PappyD340]

Very nice hot rod!

[Phildaupho]

8 hours ago, NitroMarty said:

WOW... Beautiful job on a finicky kit... and black is so difficult to get a good finish in scale.... I'm lovin' it!!!!

Thanks Marty

3 hours ago, PappyD340 said:

Very nice hot rod!

Thanks Larry

[Phildaupho]

Here are some chassis photos

[doorsovdoon]

That's a classy looking rod, almost gentleman like until you see what's under it!

[randyc]

Super Nice!

[Phildaupho]

9 hours ago, doorsovdoon said:

That's a classy looking rod, almost gentleman like until you see what's under it!

Thanks Gareth - great description. I would say the owner/builder of the full scale car is a gentleman so very appropriate

1 hour ago, randyc said:

Super Nice!

Thanks Randy

[Dennis Lacy]

Excellent Model A, Phil! The full scale car is the quintessential street rod. Good looks and a well upgraded chassis that will make driving enjoyable. Your model is a terrific replica of it. There’s some really clever kit-bashing going on here which I greatly appreciate. ?

[Phildaupho]

53 minutes ago, Dennis Lacy said:

Excellent Model A, Phil! The full scale car is the quintessential street rod. Good looks and a well upgraded chassis that will make driving enjoyable. Your model is a terrific replica of it. There’s some really clever kit-bashing going on here which I greatly appreciate. ?

Thanks Dennis - I always appreciate your comments. I am really looking forward to going for ride in this Model A next summer.

[falcon wagon]

Very well donee

[Classicgas]

Cool! 

[Bernard Kron]

A handsome car, indeed and some very fine modeling, too. What did it take to adapt the hood and grill to the earlier nody?

[Can-Con]

Beautiful rod.

 

[Plowboy]

Such a cool looking little street rod! Being a replica makes it that much cooler! Like Dennis, I really like all of the different parts used. But, they're put together so well, you wouldn't know it didn’t come that way. Nice work!

[Phildaupho]

5 hours ago, falcon wagon said:

Very well donee

Thanks Carl

5 hours ago, Classicgas said:

Cool! 

Thanks Lee

2 hours ago, Bernard Kron said:

A handsome car, indeed and some very fine modeling, too. What did it take to adapt the hood and grill to the earlier nody?

Thanks Bernard. I thinned the underneath of the back edge of the hood, the grill shell required some trimming at the bottom and I reduced the heigth of the hood sides about below the louvers

2 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Beautiful rod.

 

Thanks Steve

28 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Such a cool looking little street rod! Being a replica makes it that much cooler! Like Dennis, I really like all of the different parts used. But, they're put together so well, you wouldn't know it didn’t come that way. Nice work!

Thanks Roger - I was really pleased to find the needed parts in other kits. Very glad I had them in my stash.

[slusher]

Gorgeous and clean rod!

[TooOld]

Great looking '31 Sedan and great job sourcing all of the parts needed to build a really sharp model !

[Phildaupho]

8 hours ago, slusher said:

Gorgeous and clean rod!

Thanks Carl

2 hours ago, TooOld said:

Great looking '31 Sedan and great job sourcing all of the parts needed to build a really sharp model !

Thanks Bob

[Steve H]

Hi Phil, another beautiful build. So many subtle changes that are incredibly well executed, and seamless looking. As many have said on this, and other threads, the builds with a personal connection and story are the best.

Hope to you soon, Steve