The Gray Baskerville Roadster -an inspiration ***updated 1/28/23***

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

With release of the latest iteration of the Revell '32 roadster, new parts inspire new variations of this venerable series of 1932 Ford kits. I was kicking around some ideas, basically based around the new roadster interior. What could inspire me to build yet another 1932 roadster (I think I've built six or seven already)? I then hit on the idea to build a full fendered version, something I've never done. Once I started mocking up the car, it reminded of the famous Gray Baskerville roadster. 

All of us hot rod fans know of Gray Baskerville. He was a true character who wrote (and photographed) for Hot Rod and Rod & Custom magazines for decades. Gray's daily transportation was a '32 roadster he owned for many years. It wasn't a fancy car, built from junkyard parts in the mid 50s. The car is red with primer spots, hardly a 'high dollar' build. Gray passed away in 2002 at age 66 and his car is now in the care of Tim Shelton (Our very own Dennis Lacy has worked on this car), preserved as it should be, primer spots and all. 

Here's a few links to information on the legends (both Gray and his car are legends). https://www.motortrend.com/features/1932-ford-roadster-gray-baskerville-hot-rod-magazine/?wc_mid=4035:23957&wc_rid=4035:885226&_wcsid=F8553672B28F33CFEF97E8EE2C6599DD350AFA4B0348BA9B 

https://public.fotki.com/LOUD-PEDAL/1932-fords/famous-1932-fords/75-years-of-the-32-ford-/gary-baskervilles-r/ 

So, I decided I would build a model 'inspired' by this car and it's owner who referred to himself as "Yer old dad". 

Here's the initial mockup, using (one of?) my last Rat Roaster body. The chrome reverse wheels won't be used....

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Fitment of the body to the fenders is pretty good. The wheel well cutout on the RR body is a little wider than the fenders, so that gap will need to be filled in....

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This interior is sweet!!!....

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Here's my typical "yard sale" of parts. I'm going to install a flatmotor, the real car has an SBC. Again, not trying to be super accurate to the real car....

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I mocked up the flathead and I'm planning to use the crossmember and rear suspension pieces (a Columbia two-speed axle) from the Revell '40 Ford, with some obvious modifications.

Thanks for stopping by...more later. -RRR

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[stinkybritches]

I will definitely be following this build.

[Paul Payne]

Looks good- will follow!

[Plowboy]

Looks good Rodney! I have a question regarding the frame: why the '40 Ford X member in place of the K member? Was this a popular swap back in the day? I've seen model builders do this before. I always wondered why. But, never asked.

[Justin Porter]

Definitely looking forward to an homage to a truly historical roadster.

[Dennis Lacy]

I remember when you texted the mock up picture and before Gray’s name was mentioned that’s exactly what I thought of. Should be a good one! 
 

(Hot rods with fenders are a rare occurrence on your bench.) 

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

23 minutes ago, Dennis Lacy said:

(Hot rods with fenders are a rare occurrence on your bench.) 

yeah, I must have literally dozens of Revell '32 fenders...LOL... -RRR

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

3 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Looks good Rodney! I have a question regarding the frame: why the '40 Ford X member in place of the K member? Was this a popular swap back in the day? I've seen model builders do this before. I always wondered why. But, never asked.

I know it's done quite frequently. I would imagine it offers additional structural rigidity in the frame when adding horsepower. 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/35-40-ford-x-member-in-1932-rails.1197970/

Perhaps our resident hot rodder Dennis Lacy could offer some illumination on this swap? -RRR

[Mr. Metallic]

1 hour ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

yeah, I must have literally dozens of Revell '32 fenders...LOL... -RRR

I'll take a couple sets off your hands. ?

But seriously, this is looking good. And thanks for the heads up on the wheel openings being slightly larger. Have you compared both the drivers side and passenger side fit? The reason I ask is the 97 tooled Revell roadster body was asymmetrical left side vs right side. The distance from the front of the cowl to where the rear wheel opening starts was different, meaning the body wouldn't drop on their fenders offered in the other kits without some work. I suspect that is why we never got the roadster with fenders. It looks like they may have addressed that issue with the new body ?

[Plowboy]

56 minutes ago, Mr. Metallic said:

I'll take a couple sets off your hands. ?

But seriously, this is looking good. And thanks for the heads up on the wheel openings being slightly larger. Have you compared both the drivers side and passenger side fit? The reason I ask is the 97 tooled Revell roadster body was asymmetrical left side vs right side. The distance from the front of the cowl to where the rear wheel opening starts was different, meaning the body wouldn't drop on their fenders offered in the other kits without some work. I suspect that is why we never got the roadster with fenders. It looks like they may have addressed that issue with the new body ?

Way back when the roadster and three window first came out, I bought two of each and did the roadster with the three window's fenders with no problem. 

[Zippi]

Nice looking little Hot Rod you got going on there.  That interior fits nicely.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

2 hours ago, Mr. Metallic said:

Have you compared both the drivers side and passenger side fit?

The passenger side seemed a bit wider of a gap but I didn't take a pic and I blew apart the mockup. I will shoot a pic when I mockup again. -RRR

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

I bought two of each and did the roadster with the three window's fenders with no problem. 

KK did an in-depth study/measurement of the original roadster body and did determine that side to side proportions were off. I though pix were posted on our fotki page but I didn't find them. I too recall the fenders not fitting the old roadster body.... -RRR

[Mr. Metallic]

2 minutes ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

KK did an in-depth study/measurement of the original roadster body and did determine that side to side proportions were off. I though pix were posted on our fotki page but I didn't find them. I too recall the fenders not fitting the old roadster body.... -RRR

Thanks for confirming I'm not crazy ?. Or maybe we both are haha

I'll throw a set of calipers on a body when I get home.

[ea0863]

Just discovering Gray myself as I go through the Hot Rod Magazine issues of yore. What a character he was! - - - and don't call him "Gary"  

[Chevy II]

Really liking what happening here…

[Mr. Metallic]

With RRR's permission I'm sharing the measurements I pulled off of Revells roadster bodies from the last 25 years (since they introduced the roadster as part of their new (at the time) 32 Ford line back in 1997)

Here is the original 1997 roadster body. 

Passenger side

Drivers side

A difference of only .020. To provide some perspective, here is what .020 looks like. Pretty small, but enough to cause a gap. However, a gap that is easily addressed with a little sanding and careful positioning during final assembly (or a little luck i guess)

And here is the NEW roadster body that just came out.

Drivers side

and passenger side

Pretty consistent with the 1997 body. I work in quality, and the .020 difference between the parts would land solidly within our allowable variation.(but we're making office furniture, not aviation components where a .020 gap could be an enormous problem, just for perspective ? )

Here's the measurements of the wheel opening size since RRR noted the NEW body looks larger...

1997

passenger-  1.387

driver- 1.419

2009-ish (red car on box with flames)

passenger- 1.388

driver- 1.405

NEW

passenger- 1.434

driver- 1.423

I think what is skewing the numbers of the NEW body is if you look closely they molded a small lip inset from the face of the body that actually gets bigger towards the top of the opening and tapers back down at the rear of the opening. I forgot to snap a pic. So, the actual trim/lip around the rear wheel opening appears to have a gap when rested on the fender set. But Revell makes no claims that their body should fit the fenders offered in other kits, so they are in the clear. I just offer up this analysis to make fellow builders aware of the potential (relatively small) issue.

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by Mr. Metallic

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

13 minutes ago, Mr. Metallic said:

I just offer up this analysis to make fellow builders aware of the potential (relatively small) issue.

Thanks, Craig. It's interesting that Revell has kept the parts between the various versions of the kits very close in tolerances. My current project (and hoping to be done this weekend???) includes the new frame and a 3 window body and interior. The interior floorpan holes and the tabs on the frame assembly line up perfectly. I did find that I had to add 0.040" to the length of the hood and sides. I am using the original grill shell, is the new grill shell a bit wider? I haven't measured.

With this project I'm using the new roadster body and interior and old frame. The body, hood/sides and grill shell (new one) fit perfectly together. However, when the tabs on the grill shell are inserted into the slots on the front crossmember of the frame, there is about a 0.040" gap between the rear wheel wells and the fenders. The interior lines up perfectly with the tabs on the older frame. so it goes.... -RRR

[bobthehobbyguy]

Great project. Since start.

Great info on the  old and new roadster bodies.it 

[Kit Karson]

Well, that makes me feel a lot better!  It's little inconsistencies that'll drive me batty!  Happened with the AMT '34 Ford 5ive Window Coupe kit, too. Then after a bit of self-ridicule the question of what to do about it comes up!  Several mockups have been dropped back in the box because of the time investment estimation says, "not right now but could be done... one day."

Oh, the many conversations backstage that are always a source of inspiration and/or frustration let alone becoming a kind of challenge.  @Rocking Rodney Ratcan attest to having lost a battle or two with a model more than once.  Working with what you have and learned is the common challenge we all work around.

Putting fenders on a hot rod just adds dignity and grace to an already beautiful body!  Carry on...  -KK

[Dennis Lacy]

@Mr. Metallic

Thanks for taking the time to measure and share the results, Craig. I wonder why they can’t seem to make both sides of the body the same dimension? I realize .020” doesn’t seem like a lot but it can be relative to 1:25 scale. I also wonder if the other bodies in the series (3-Window, 5-Window, Sedan, Dan Fink Woody) share the same discrepancy?

[slusher]

RRR,  which 32 Rodster kit are you using sir? Thank you..

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

On 12/18/2022 at 4:08 AM, slusher said:

RRR,  which 32 Rodster kit are you using sir? Thank you..

The body is the Rat Roaster body with cowl indents to fit the chopped stock style windshield. Interior and dash from the 'new' roadster (based off of the Rat Roaster kit). Other components (frame and fenders) from other '32 kits (they should all be the same from all of the previous versions, 3W, 5W, sedan, speedwagon etc.). Hood and grill shell from the 'new' roadster and stock style hood sides from another '32 kit. A true Heinz-57! -RRR

Edited December 20, 2022 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Alright, I'm trying to get back on this one after a bit of a delay in the proceedings...

I received a resin ragtop from my good friend ADL, he mastered it for Drag City Casting, a very nice piece.

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I ditched the "stock" '32 sedan flathead mounts as I realized the motor needed to move an RCH or two further forward. If I use a skinny radiator, and a fairly "flat" fan from the parts box, it all fits....

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I started modifying the rear wheel wells to better fit the fenders, here the passenger side has been widened on the front side by about 0.040".  I sanded off the bead and it  has been replaced with a strip of Evergreen half round that has been sanded down. A schmear of putty around the beading will dress it up...

I'm hoping to make some serious progress on this now. It's a fairly basic build so it should go pretty quickly (plans that often go awry)....

 

More later.... -RRR 

[Calb56]

Great to see this back...