The Ice Cream Model A

[mrm]

Hi all.

This is going to be the second model of the challenge I gave myself to get back into building, after taking over a year off the bench. 

I wanted to challenge myself to build two pretty much identical models, but to give them completely different attitudes just with paint and building style. Actually, this model is what started it. The short story is that I was surprised to see this model reissued and bought two of them. I was immediately captivated by the model on the box art, but had different ideas in my head. So instead of figuring out which of the two ways to build this hot rod, I decided to make them both. But first the back story about why I fell for the box art:

   Back in the summer, at the Good Guys Nationals in Nashville I met this really nice gentleman standing by his Deuce coupe, which was painted in this blue-green metallic over white interior. We struck a conversation and at some point I mentioned that for some reason his car reminds me of ice cream. He laughed and his face lit up. He then proceeded to tell me how this will be his last hot rod. He said he finds what I said funny, because he doesn't drive the car much and mainly uses it to take his grandkids for ice cream on weekends. His grandkids called it the ice cream car. 

   So when I saw the box art, the first thing that went through my mind was "The Ice Cream Car" and that I have to build one. So here we go........

 

First I would like to bring up an issue with the reissues of both the '29 roadster and the '30 Coupe. The '32 frames in the '30 coupe kits are atrocious! The sink marks all over them are something else and so far all of them (I've bought 3) are twisted. This one however goes way beyond that as it came mangled out of shape beyond any chance of repair. I believe that one rail of the frame is actually shorter due to some shrinkage. I sprayed some color on it to both test the color and to show better the damage. 

 

I opened one of my extra '29 kits to get a replacement frame. For some reason the frames in the '29 kits don't need so much filling on the rails as those in the '30 kits. This frame was also slightly twisted, but still workable. What I noticed tho, was the windshield frame, which is just mangled. And it is a chrome piece. Revell needs to step it up slightly. The original releases of both kits did not have these issues.

 

Anywhoooo.....the frame was assembled with the crossmember and the shock towers glued in place. It always bugged me when I see these left chrome. Especially on the '32 kits. 

 

Next the rear radius rods were prepped by scraping the chrome off the plates that get glued (welded in 1:1) to the rear end. Unlike on my "Attitude A", these are going to be chrome, so the chrome has to be masked off for painting. But more on that next time. for now the frame was used as a jig and rear rods/ladder bars were glued to the rear end prior to painting.  

 

Stay tuned and thanks for looking. 

[mrm]

I forgot the last picture...LOL

Primer time!

I love using Tamiya grey primer. One of my favorite things about it is, that Hobby Lobby carried it. The other was that it could hold up to some pretty hot paint, like most automotive lacquers I have shot over it. Well, apparently HL no longer carries Tamiya product. Not being able to get their masking tape there is also something I'll miss. However, they now carry Mr Surfacer 1000 primer, which if I remember correctly is Gunze Sangio product. So this is what I am using for this build and putting it to the test. It dries slightly slower than the Tamiya and it is about the same color. For this particular build I am using Testors paint, so I am not going to test how well it holds up against some aggressive stuff. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by mrm

[89AKurt]

Cool someone else building that kit.  I thought it was a new tooling, am I wrong?  Some of my chrome parts are tweaked too, and a trim ring is short-shot.  I've never been a fan of Revell to begin with.  I love Tamiya primer too, got some bottles with the coupon, but since they dropped that....  I never built a Model A, so looking forward to your build.

[mrm]

3 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Cool someone else building that kit.  I thought it was a new tooling, am I wrong?  Some of my chrome parts are tweaked too, and a trim ring is short-shot.  I've never been a fan of Revell to begin with.  I love Tamiya primer too, got some bottles with the coupon, but since they dropped that....  I never built a Model A, so looking forward to your build.

Well, it is not a new tooling. And it shares more than half it's parts with the 29 roadster. They were both issued about 6 years ago. The issues with the warped parts is not a tooling issue I believe. I am sure there are some people way more knowledgeable than me that could shed some light on the issue. If I had to take a wild guess, it probably has to do with the quality of the plastic used, temperature and the way they were packaged. In other words quality control. 

Still, these kits are a lot of fun to build and go together pretty well with many different options straight from the box. You should definitely build one. 

[mrm]

So, back to the rear end of the kit. This is how I build the rear ends of the model As or any of the Revell '32 series kits. I first scrape off the chrome where I am not going to need it. Then I glue the ladder bars to the rear axle, using the frame as a jig. When the glue has set, I paint all the chrome I want to keep with Liquid Mask. Then I spray primer, paint and clear. When Everything is cured, I just peel the liquid mask. 

 

After primer, everything was sprayed silver as a base coat. I normally don't do this, but this model is serving on guinea pig duty.

 

I hear a lot of people on here using silver for "sealer" and as a base coat for metallics. This never made much sense to me as if you are combining the proper paints and use a good quality product, grey primer should be sufficient. However I am going to use Testors Extreme Lacquer Turquoise, which I was told on here works really great when shot through an airbrush. So I used Tamiya TS30 Silver Leaf as a base/sealer which will be followed by the Testors Turquoise metallic. It was already late and 32 degrees in my garage (where I paint), so the Turquoise would have to wait 'till tomorrow when the temperatures can get in the 50s. 

 

Meanwile, the brakes were assembled and after a light coat of black metallic were "chromed" with Molotow pen. 

 

Well, there isn't much else I can do until the color and clear are on. So stay tuned and thanks for looking. 

[89AKurt]

17 minutes ago, mrm said:

Well, it is not a new tooling. And it shares more than half it's parts with the 29 roadster. They were both issued about 6 years ago. The issues with the warped parts is not a tooling issue I believe. I am sure there are some people way more knowledgeable than me that could shed some light on the issue. If I had to take a wild guess, it probably has to do with the quality of the plastic used, temperature and the way they were packaged. In other words quality control. 

Still, these kits are a lot of fun to build and go together pretty well with many different options straight from the box. You should definitely build one. 

Okay.  It is the packing of the parts, the box is stuffed!  All it would take is sitting in a hot cargo container on top of the stack too.

I started a week ago on GSL Common Kit: Revell '29 Model A Russell Stover truck, so I'm seeing what others are doing in the hope to learn something.

[Zippi]

Looking good so far Michael.  The ole warped windsheild frame.  Boy does that bring back memories.  I bought two of the 29 kits and both had warped windsheild frames.  I finally got replacements from Revell as a few others on the forum have.  

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

mrm-

Following your build up. I agree that the '32 frames on these kits are a bit wonky, bulky and lots of attention needed to bring them around. I haven't noticed any warpage on the several I have purchased (both first and second issues). I just picked up three of the'30 coupes of the new version. Casually looking over parts on the first kit I opened, spied this...

...a nice hole in the seat. Obviously, QC must have been asleep when this was bagged... -RRR

 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[Painted Black]

Throw some stuffing and springs in that seat and you have the makings of a ratrod

[Dennis Lacy]

4 hours ago, Painted Black said:

Throw some stuffing and springs in that seat and you have the makings of a ratrod

Ha, I told him the same thing when he showed me that picture a couple of weeks ago! ?

[mrm]

7 hours ago, Zippi said:

Looking good so far Michael.  The ole warped windsheild frame.  Boy does that bring back memories.  I bought two of the 29 kits and both had warped windsheild frames.  I finally got replacements from Revell as a few others on the forum have.  

I did not bother with Revell. This morning I threw the warped frame in the '29 roadster box from which I sourced the good frame and drove to Hobby Lobby. I showed them the frame and the twisted chrome three and they exchanged the kit for a new one. We opened it and inspected it, so no issue with the replacement. Easy-peasy, 10 minute ordeal a block from home. 

 

[mrm]

Temperatures here just got to almost 50 degrees and I ceased the opportunity to spray the Turquoise on. It is not terrible but I still don't like working with it. It still sprays heavy even through the airbrush and it does have that bass boat effect, because the metallic flakes are definitely not to scale. Pigmentation is very weak. It may be just this color, I don't know. What I noticed is that on my hand holding the parts I was painting, the overspray was almost entirely silver with barely any color to it. 

 Anyway, all the parts I needed are painted now and curing. This is the other thing; with Tamiya color, automotive paint or nailpolish, heck- even the old Boyd colors, dry time is almost instantaneous and they could be clear coated (2k clear) within the hour. This thing dries like an enamel almost and I will have to wait 'till tomorrow at least, which slows me down tremendously. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by mrm

[89AKurt]

I looked at the windshield frame in my kit, slight twist to it, but might be salvageable.  I would be willing to send to anyone who needs it, trade for wheel trim rings.  I also noticed my frame has a slight twist, will try the warm water trick.

I like using fingernail 'polish' for metallic paint, for that reason.  Some do have huge lowrider flakes, but the pearls are great.  I know too late now, just sayin'.

[Dennis Lacy]

In all my experience those Extreme Lacquers cover fully on the first coat but I’ve never used the turquoise. In fact, I didn’t realize they had this color in the line up. Must be a newer addition? Anyways, it’s gonna be perfect for a 50’s style A Coupe. 
 

Also, very cool of Hobby Lobby to replace the kit for you. 

[chris chabre]

Im not a turquoise fan, (in fact, Im not a big fan of the whole 50s Doowop type "scene" haha) but that color is awesome, I also like what youre doing with the whole build one coupe in different styles!!!

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

I've been using the Testors Extreme paints quite a bit lately. Dries fast here, but usually it's in the low 80s, so temp might be a factor. Yes, it goes on heavy (hides blemishes nicely) and the flakes are huge. Make sure you mix the paint almost constantly, as the big flakes will sink in the mix. If you're spraying mostly silver, that's the flakes that have settled to the bottom and you're picking them up and spitting them out. I've done this before. This paint is almost the exact opposite of Tamiya (not that one is better than the other, just works differently)....I like this color, I may have to look for some, I know where there is some of these paints (now discontinued) under lock and key and it's always seems to be there when I go, I just have to find a clerk with a key! -RRR

[mrm]

I wish I could say I laid down some clear coat and show you pictures, but I just did not manage to do that, because my son had a hockey game that I had forgotten about. What I did manage to do on this model tho, was to add the chrome trim around the fire wall with some BMF and to add some subtle pinstriping. When possible, I like to put decals and BMF under my clear. 

I also barely attached the beauty rings on the wheels, which I will clear coat over and that is pretty much it. 

Stay tuned and thanks for looking. 

[bill-e-boy]

Looking good - love the colour

Rodney - looks lie some has been smoking in your coupe and dropped it.

I think a lot of the distorted parts - especially the roadster windscreen frame - are a manufacturing issue. When plastic is moulded the dies close first then the plastic is injected, next is a cooling phase then the mould is opened and the parts ejected. If the cool down time is too short the plastic is still a bit soft and can distort out of the mould. Another issue is if the die is not being cooled correctly - a number of issues can cause this - can also cause distortion.

In the case of the seat the shot time is too short and not enough plastic is injected into the mould.

I too have a roadster with a bad screen - I have emailed Revell but have not heard back yet. Must be time to rattle their cage.

I checked a first release and all of the parts are good so it would seem that the contract moulder that Revell are using has a poor QC regime in place

Sorry to steal the tread but the more we raise the issue the more likely there will be changes

Cheers

Bill-e-boy

 

[Mr. Metallic]

On 1/9/2022 at 10:24 AM, Dennis Lacy said:

In fact, I didn’t realize they had this color in the line up. Must be a newer addition? 

See, I thought I was crazy. I swore I had never seen that color in that line before. Really hoping we get more new colors if that's the case.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Extreme Lacquer line survived the culling of Testors paint lines. it seems to be pretty readily available at Hobby Lobby again, along with their standard line of paints

Michael, love the color, and the mods you're making are spot on. it's nice to see someone treat the front shock mounts and other suspension points as metal and not chrome like they should be

[mrm]

On 1/26/2022 at 2:14 PM, Mr. Metallic said:

Michael, love the color, and the mods you're making are spot on. it's nice to see someone treat the front shock mounts and other suspension points as metal and not chrome like they should be

 

Thank you.

The parts of the frame and suspension being color detailed is one of my biggest pep peeves. I lost count how many absolutely stunning models I have seen, where this little detail was omitted. Never understood it either, as they are super easy spots to touch up with a brush even if you don't go the way I do. I have never seen someone chrome plate the shock towers on their frame in real life. But let's not get me going or I will go on a rant that would never end. LOL

[mrm]

OK, so somehow I still have not finished this model, due to nothing else but laziness. 

I still have a little bit of progress to show tho. 

First, the engine was blinked out with all the chrome parts from the kit, plus the help of some Molotow markers. The exhaust ends and the intake stacks were all drilled. Funny how on the picture you can see the white plastic on the trumpets, where they were drilled, but in person you can't tell the difference with the chrome. This is one of the reasons why I love taking pictures of my WIP. it the best and most detailed critic you will ever get. 

 

The wheels and tires were assembled, with the tires receiving white walls, while the wheels got hub caps in which I picked the "Ford" letters with blue, while the lines around them were detailed with black. In person the difference between the two colors is way more subtle and you almost can't tell the difference. 

 

Words can not begin to describe my frustration with the tire decals..... I am still fuming.

 

After some mock ups and stupid amount of time online browsing model A hot rods, I decided that the firewall should be white. I'm actually pissed I didn't go this way from the get go. It still needs to be touched up here and there, but it definitely looks better than before. 

 

Last, but not least, I painted the interior. Lower half of the door panels and the seat inserts received the body color and the rest was sprayed with Tamiya white primer. Straight from the can on the my porch on my kitchen's step at 1 am while it was 23 degrees outside. Turned out just fine IMHO. 

Thanks for looking and stay tuned. 

[Dennis Lacy]

Nice to see some more progress. Engine looks really good!

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Indeed, looking good. I wonder if the Extreme Testors paints are going to stick around? I do know where there is a pretty good supply locally, KK and I had briefly considered buying a bunch, but it does seem the cans tend to weep at the seams. I've never seen Tamiya cans do that. -RRR

[Plowboy]

I've often read that the shock mounts on a full scale can't be chrome. I've always thought that was BS as the shocks don't hold the car up. The springs do. Someone posted this photo in one of my build threads on another forum and the first thing I noticed were the chrome shock mounts.

I'm sure this isn't the only full scale hot rod chassis with chrome shock mounts. 

[gman]

51 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

I've often read that the shock mounts on a full scale can't be chrome. I've always thought that was BS as the shocks don't hold the car up. The springs do. Someone posted this photo in one of my build threads on another forum and the first thing I noticed were the chrome shock mounts.

I'm sure this isn't the only full scale hot rod chassis with chrome shock mounts. 

Improperly chroming suspension parts on 1:1 vehicles can cause something called "hydrogen embrittlement," where hydrogen gets trapped under the chrome and causes the underlying metal to fatigue and crack/break/fail without warning. There is a technique used by proper manufacturers and platers to eliminate or reduce this phenomenon, which involves heating and baking the parts after chroming to reduce stresses and restore the elasticity of the metal components to avoid failure.

A "chrome job on the cheap" for suspension components carries some risk, but parts manufacturers who take this into consideration can supply reliable chrome parts that hold up for a hot rod that gets driven. That would be true for shock mounts, hair pin radius rods, axles, springs- pretty much any suspension component that needs to be strong, elastic and hold up to torsional stresses to properly do its job.