'32 Ford B400 (formerly TRICKY VICKY)

[mrm]

Not that I need yet another project, but that's how it goes......

Everyone knows the great wheel/tire combo in AMT's Phantom Vicky. And everyone wants to put it under a full fendered Deuce. And everyone who tried is well aware that the rears simply don't fit because they are too wide.

 

You have to either cut the tires to narrow them or widen the fenders, which in turn requires to narrow the frame. And they are such great modern Street Rod tires. What makes them even perfect, is that Pegasus aluminum sleeves fit perfect in the rears after you shave the ring inside. An added bonus is that so many Revell kits with modern billet wheels come with low profile tires and the wheels fit perfect in the pegasus sleeves. So you take the fronts with their low profile tires, fit the rears in the alu sleeves and mount the Phantom Vicky/Prowler rears on them and you have a set of modern big'n littles. Thats pretty much Zimmerman's wheels for you. One set of Pegasus rings would make you two sets of modern big'n littles. 

 

So, I thought that inevitably, if I wanted to use this kind of set up on a full fendered Deuce, the only proper way would be to widen the rear fenders. After all they would be widened on the inside and therefore "invisible". So I got two sets of fenders and cut out the inner rear portion of one set and mated it to the outer portion of the full set of fenders. I'll take some comparison photos with a stock set of fenders later on. 

 

But what about the necessary mods to the frame? Well, while I was working on my builder's-block buster model A, I wondered how the provided '32 frame compared to the frame in the Deuce series. And then the proverbial light bulb lit up in my head and I said to myself: I'll be darrned, it's an already narrowed '32 frame!

 

Sure enough, the the stamped side profile on the model A frame rails matches the curves of the Deuce series fenders to the T. 

 

I always wanted to build a smooth, understated and modern full fendered Vicky Street Rod. Something about it just turns me on. Part of all this coming together is that while gathering stuff to get back to building, I discovered that I had this resin body, which I have no idea who is made by. But sometimes $hit comes together just perfect almost effortlessly. 

 

I know the wheels I'm going to use.

 

I know I want it in Chezoom-ish dark shade. I know that I want a modern suspension set up.....perhapsally, as my youngest used to say. I'll most likely scratch-build the interior, as I have some ideas. But I am absolutely clueless on the engine. 

 

Stay tuned and thanks for looking. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by mrm

[Bullybeef]

To quote the immortal Kramer “giddyup”

[mustang1989]

Nice surgery and wheel swap out.

[mrm]

Just now, mustang1989 said:

Nice surgery and wheel swap out.

Thank you. Except the surgery is not done yet completely. I need to sand the rear fenders and after everything is mooth, I will cut them one more time and bob the their rears a little. The are too low in the rear for my liking. 

[mustang1989]

Just now, mrm said:

Thank you. Except the surgery is not done yet completely. I need to sand the rear fenders and after everything is mooth, I will cut them one more time and bob the their rears a little. The are too low in the rear for my liking. 

Looking forward to seeing what you do with the rest of this build. 

[chris chabre]

its like youre inside my head. Im planning a full fendered vicky with that same body. I was mocking it up on a revell chassis and I was planning on using the AMT wheels and tires haha Mine will be more tradtional though

[Dennis Lacy]

Very cool project idea. It had not yet (I say “yet” because it might have sooner or later, haha) occurred to me to take advantage of the narrowed Model A kit ‘32 frame on a full fender street rod model. Brilliant! Looks like the makings of a sweet modern street rod. 
 

For the engine how about an LT5 from a C4 Corvette ZR1? Dual Over Head Cam and 405hp would make for a trick looking and plenty powerful motor to move a Deuce Vicky. Aside from the obvious Corvette kits there is also a very nice one in  AMT’s ‘39 Chevy Wagon Rod. 

[NOBLNG]

10 hours ago, chris chabre said:

its like youre inside my head. Im planning a full fendered vicky with that same body. I was mocking it up on a revell chassis and I was planning on using the AMT wheels and tires haha Mine will be more tradtional though

Well, now he’s in mine too! I have been thinking about how to do a “sort of” pro street ‘32 deuce. I also have the Vicky kit….so…Hmmm? Excellent project Michael, I’m following!

[TransAmMike]

Thats gonna look cool Michael, looking forward to further updates. Funny how things sometimes just come together unexpectely.  

[slusher]

Real nice start and very interest project.  I hope you have things continue to come together..

[chris chabre]

4 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Well, now he’s in mine too! I have been thinking about how to do a “sort of” pro street ‘32 deuce. I also have the Vicky kit….so…Hmmm? Excellent project Michael, I’m following!

thats why I sent you the link haha

Edited December 8, 2021 by chris chabre

[Koellefornia Kid]

Nice start! ? I will follow that!

[espo]

Well planned frame/wheel & tire/fender mods. 

[Zippi]

That little Tricky Vicky is looking pretty sharp.

[Claude Thibodeau]

HI!

A few years ago, I mounted a set of those Vicky tires on a lilttle 29 A, with the same frame you used. However, I did not run fenders, so it was less fuss. You are right to say this rollingstock is super-nice. 

Keep going, intreresting and stylish.

CT

[Plowboy]

Cool project Michael! What about using the chassis from the Phantom Vickie? It has one of the best front suspension setups there is IMO. I built a full fendered version of the Phantom Vickie a couple of years ago. 

I stuck the Phantom Vickie chassis under this three window also. I did switch the rearend out for an '85 Corvette IRS.

 

[mrm]

18 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said:

HI!

A few years ago, I mounted a set of those Vicky tires on a lilttle 29 A, with the same frame you used. However, I did not run fenders, so it was less fuss. You are right to say this rollingstock is super-nice. 

Keep going, intreresting and stylish.

CT

Thank you Claude. 
I have used the rear tires on builds before too, but on fenderless rods. Full fenders with that wheel/tire combo is a game changer. 

[mrm]

14 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Cool project Michael! What about using the chassis from the Phantom Vickie? It has one of the best front suspension setups there is IMO. I built a full fendered version of the Phantom Vickie a couple of years ago. 

I stuck the Phantom Vickie chassis under this three window also. I did switch the rearend out for an '85 Corvette IRS.

 

I have used the phantom Vicky frame many times before, both with the IFS and with a dropped axle and both with fenders and without. The idea here is to fit the rear tires in the fenders and to keep them stock looking. The only way to do it is to widen the rear fenders inward, which requires narrowed frame, hence the frame from the model A kit. I may still use the cross members tubing from the phantom Vicky frame. I need to figure out what I want for a rear end first. 
by the way, these are some really good looking street rods. Truly fine builds. 

[mrm]

With a little sanding here and there and some minor adjustments, the 32 fenders fit the frame from the '29 kit perfect. As it is my habit when building full fendered Deuces, I glued the fenders to the frame before any further work. 

 

Next I dug up a cocktail of front hoods and grille. The side hoods are from the Tudor Sedan, the top hood is from the Phantom Vicky and grille shell is from the Rat Roaster. I like that grille shell as it is different from any of the other '32 shells from the Revell series. It has the original old school Ford emblem and trim molded in, but it comes with a very modern electric fan on its back side. I still have not decided about the side hoods yet, but that is the mock up for now. 

 

Thanks for looking and stay tuned.......

Edited December 11, 2021 by mrm

[Mr. Metallic]

Just discovered this thread because I am way behind on going through the forum.

That frame idea is awesome. As a big fan of 32 Fords this could be a solution to so many future builds. Glad the fenders fit the from from the A kit, just shows the 32 frame in that kit is true to the 32 design.

I believe that body is by Jimmy Flintstone, which i believe was mastered off an old Mike's Miniature Motors body (which yours could be the MMM body as well)

[chris chabre]

it is an awesome combination. 

[mrm]

Well.....This tricky Vicky is going to turn a corner. Technically it will no longer be a Vicky, altho in my opinion it will be just be a cabrio Vicky. AKA B400. The rain channel along one side of the Vicky body completely disappeared. I guess it was not molded properly on my copy and it just fell off. I can probably go to a hobby shop and get supper thin styrene rod and repair it, but I don't think it is worth the effort, when a new body is $11. However I found out that unknown to me, I had two B400 resin bodies. So the project will continue from here on as a B400. Not much else will change tho. It will be built in Brizio/ Johnson's style. Clean and modern, but with traditional looks. 

[chris chabre]

CANT WAIT! I have an AMT Vicky I was thinking about cutting into a B400 and doing as a 50s style custom.

[mrm]

3 minutes ago, chris chabre said:

CANT WAIT! I have an AMT Vicky I was thinking about cutting into a B400 and doing as a 50s style custom.

JF (who made your Vicky body) makes a B400

[mrm]

So, I have decided to attend the Louisville, KY show next month and my next challenge would be to complete this project, which has been dormant for the last four months. 
   I am thinking a rootbeer-ish color, drilled I-beam and a quickchange rear with mostly scratch built interior. 
stay tuned…