34 Ford Kustom

[Dan Hay]

I love the Wes Collins Roadster tribute a guy on the hamb is building. It was also featured in bare metal in the most recent Rodder’s Journal. This is a 34 cabriolet not a roadster, but it will be heavily inspired by the Collins car. I’ve already made the skirts, mildly chopped the top, installed 36 headlights, and rounded up 41 Lincoln bumpers. I also have Caddy sombreros for it. 
 

The kit is a 1962 issue of the Monogram 34 Ford 3 window/Cabriolet kit. It has killer box art. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about a power plant or color. It will be something period correct. It will have a full hood so I might just use the Pontiac mill and 6 deuces that came with the kit, but that engine is a little new I think. This car is a very early Kustom, Wes started showing it in 1950. Anyway, here’s more information on the Wes Collins car, and Mark Skipper’s recreation. https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Wes_Collins'_1934_Ford
 

I have built this kit before, I have included a pic of a 3w version I built about 20 years ago.

[Dennis Lacy]

Awesome subject. Mark Skippers Collins Roadster recreation is impeccable! Very much looking forward to watch your inspired-by Cabriolet come together. ?

[espo]

Looks great. Maybe another Flat Head engine? 

[Dan Hay]

1 hour ago, espo said:

Looks great. Maybe another Flat Head engine? 

It might end up being a flathead which is fine and period correct, but I’ve built a few lately and am bored with them so I might try for an early overhead like an Olds or Caddy. 

[Zippi]

Both look good.  Nice little project.

[Dan Hay]

Little bit of work on the rear, smoothed the gas tank cover and cut a hole for the license plate.

 

[Dan Hay]

Chopped the windshield frame, shortened the wipers. Then, finish sanded the windshield posts, fitted the top

Edited November 12, 2022 by Dan Hay

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

you had me at Cabriolet. Nice work, looking forward to more.... -RRR

[Dan Hay]

Pro tip when building a Monogram based 34 kit, which includes the ZZ Top Eliminator…

The rear fenders and gas tank cover have fitment issues to the body, so I detach the rear fenders from the running boards and front fender unit and fit them to the body prior to paint. That way you’re not trying to fit them up with fresh paint. I learned that one the hard way years ago. Even if you fix the fitment issues, gluing the rear fenders to the body after paint can get tricky. Kinda hard to explain but if you’ve built this kit you probably smell what I’m steppin’ in…

[misterNNL]

Very interesting project. I'll be watching your progress.

[Dan Hay]

Working on the stance… when I’m building real cars or models I spend a lot of time dialing in the stance. It sets the attitude of the car. 
 

The 34 is not as low as I normally go for, it felt weird not grinding the front spring or crossmember for once. I can’t go any lower in the rear without a Z or a C in the frame, and I’m not interested in doing that. I think the stance is authentic late 40’s which is what I’m going for. Mark Skipper’s car for reference.

Front axle is from the Revell 30 Ford Sedan kit, wheels/tires are Caddy sombreros from the Revell 50 Merc kit. 

 

[KWT]

Looking awesome.. I'd love to get hold of one of these. Everytime I find one, they end up going for a tad more than I'm willing to

[slusher]

Looking really nice!

[Dan Hay]

I kept staring at this thing because something was wrong but I couldn’t figure it out. It dawned on me the front tires were too small and didn’t fit the wheel opening very well. If I lowered it more in the front to help with how the tire fit the opening it would no longer have that speedboat stance but would sit level or a little nose down. Lowering it more in the rear to compensate is not an option without major surgery. So I tried a larger tire from the Revell 40 Ford coupe kit and that did the trick. It’s taller and has a wider white wall so it fills up the opening better and raised it up a little to give it more speedboat stance. Scroll up to my previous post to see a before. 

[JollySipper]

I really like what you have going on here! It's been noted that there aren't a lot of kustoms made from this year of car..... Different is good.

[Dan Hay]

Got some paint on this thing, Tamiya light red. Will clear it and polish.

[Oldcarfan27]

I love this kit. Best '34 ever, and it was tooled 60 years ago! Why do they have so much trouble making one now? I wish Revell would restore all the deleted stock and cabriolet parts. Probably will never happen, sells too well as the ZZ Top version.

Very inspiring build so far.

[Dan Hay]

Thanks! Agreed, this is the best 33-34 kit, and it’s a shame it isn’t reissued with updates like the Revell 32 kits. I think it would be a good seller, I’d buy 5 of them at least.

[NOBLNG]

I am currently rebuilding an old ZZ Top version and found out about the fender and grill fitment issues. I like the look of these old cars and yours is looking really great Dan!?

[Dan Hay]

I’ve got the paint done but have done nothing on the engine or interior. Here’s a teaser. 

[Richard Bartrop]

Looking good, though I keep seeing those ZZ Top '34s and wondering what would stop anyone from swapping out the wheels and such to make a more vintage looking chopped coupe?

[Dennis Lacy]

@Dan Hay Exterior looks sooooo good! Great color choice and love the headlights. 
 

52 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

Looking good, though I keep seeing those ZZ Top '34s and wondering what would stop anyone from swapping out the wheels and such to make a more vintage looking chopped coupe?

Absolutely nothing!

[Richard Bartrop]

6 minutes ago, Dennis Lacy said:

Absolutely nothing!

That's what I thought.  I'm looking at the tires from the '29 roadster kit, and thinking you could get very close to duplicating the California Kid.

[Joe Handley]

On 12/8/2022 at 11:35 AM, Oldcarfan27 said:

I love this kit. Best '34 ever, and it was tooled 60 years ago! Why do they have so much trouble making one now? I wish Revell would restore all the deleted stock and cabriolet parts. Probably will never happen, sells too well as the ZZ Top version.

Very inspiring build so far.

There’s no reason they couldn’t offer those parts in conjunction with the Eliminator Coupe parts, or maybe even throw in parts to make a Whiskey Runner as well as the vintage goodies.

[Joe Nunes]

7 hours ago, Joe Handley said:

There’s no reason they couldn’t offer those parts in conjunction with the Eliminator Coupe parts, or maybe even throw in parts to make a Whiskey Runner as well as the vintage goodies.

Then we can have a real neat kit to grab off the shelf...well, maybe not grab as that might be seen as childish. However, when we came home with the new kit we could rush to the work bench and RIP the plastic wrap off the kit box, breath in the smell of new plastic and start putting the '34 together!!!  With a little restraint regarding the enthusiasm...of course. ?

Joe