Subtle changes make a noticeable impact on the channeled version of Revell's Hot Rod Model A Roadster kit....

[tim boyd]

As most of you know, Revell's Hot Rod Model A Roadster kit is generally a fine piece of work; allowing the builder to construct either a Highboy roadster with a 1932 Ford frame, or a Channeled Roadster using a "Z'ed" Model A frame.

The Highboy version stands well on its own, but the Channeled version, built straight from the box, has a few odd features that slightly detract from the impact of the finished model. The changes needed to correct those are pretty easy. In my On-Line How-To #31 feature at my Fotki site, you can read the details of the changes I made from the box-stock configuration in the background to the revised version in the foreground.  

Thanks for looking, and good luck with your projects involving this Revell kit....TIM  

Edited October 1, 2023 by tim boyd

[OldNYJim]

I really enjoy these online how-tos Tim, and appreciate the considerable effort you go to, to put them together…and this one is no exception!

That’s a great looking roadster - I like the color scheme particularly, and the tweaks made improve upon the out-of-box kit considerably!  Great build!

[tim boyd]

I've posted additional pictures of the completed model, including a different set of wheels and tires and some other fine tuning, at the "Under Glass" section of this forum.  You can go directly there with this link....TIM  

[ea0863]

Thank you much Tim. Your Fotki page did a great job illustrating the changes and I've already made note for my next such build.

[Brudda]

Fantastic! I’m learning everyday 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Tim thanks for sharing that article on restoring the rear fender openings. Great info.

[Rattlecan Dan]

Fantastic work. Much appreciated tutorial along with the beautiful build. Thanks for posting.

[Ace-Garageguy]

"Subtle changes make a noticeable impact" on just about any restyling job or hot-rod build.

There aren't many who get it right, and not many who get it, period.

Setting the grille rearward as you've done is the single biggest improvement that can be made to this kit.  

[tim boyd]

6 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

"Subtle changes make a noticeable impact" on just about any restyling job or hot-rod build.

There aren't many who get it right, and not many who get it, period.

Setting the grille rearward as you've done is the single biggest improvement that can be made to this kit.  

Bill...thanks for adding your comments.  I look to you (as I am sure many others do) as a "godfather of sorts" on the topic of hot rod design and accuracy, and glad to know you approve of grille changes.  Halfway expected you to tatoo me a bit on the unrealistic forward inclination of the intake manifold/carbs of the completed model as seen above.   I did do some after the fact fine tuning and was able to somewhat improve the appearance as seen in the updated image below.  Still, as always, some things I would do differently next time if I ever do this type of build again.  Thx again for the feedback...TB 

 

 

[tim boyd]

All...thanks very much for your feedback on this post. 

I am really happy to hear that some of you found value in the "fixing the rear quarter panel" tutorial posted at my Fotki site; I often wonder whether it is worth it to go to the trouble of doing this type of work to document how to do these changes.  It is especially helpful to know that you do see value in this. 

Best to you all....TIM

 

 

[Dan Hay]

Great tutorial fixing the “gaping maw” of the wheel opening. I might actually build one now instead of robbing all the cool parts for other builds.

[OldNYJim]

3 hours ago, tim boyd said:

All...thanks very much for your feedback on this post. 

I am really happy to hear that some of you found value in the "fixing the rear quarter panel" tutorial posted at my Fotki site; I often wonder whether it is worth it to go to the trouble of doing this type of work to document how to do these changes.  It is especially helpful to know that you do see value in this. 

Best to you all....TIM

 

 

Personally, I 100% find your articles valuable Tim…I revisit your Fotki often, and rarely look at your body of work without finding some inspiration.

Thank you so much for the effort you go to, and please know it IS useful, enjoyable to view and DEFINITELY of value.

MCM staff - more Boyd in the mag please!  

[Skip]

Nice upgrades Tim. I think you are right on the money with your changes, they are in keeping with a traditional Hot Rod. More like a backdated traditional Hot Rod, if one is going to go the period Hot Rod route, then the rear frame crossmember, spring and mounting of either a quick change or early Ford banjo rear end would need to be fit. The other thing would likely be a '32 car radiator shell, shaved or not. The slightly chopped windshield frame and stanchions take the roadster from stock windshield to a Hot Rod inspired windshield. Wheels, the black rims were what the average Hot Rodder probably would have run every day. At least the guys that my uncles used to run with did, then they would pop on the trim rings and either post '40 Ford caps or baldy caps when they were headed to a show or to show off. Swapping out the fuel injection is a smart idea, most of the early injection units were a pain to tune and keep tuned, they required near constant fiddling and changing out of the pills (jets). Running fuel injection on the street back in the day was a real rarity even in Southern California, it wasn't until the computer controlled (aided) retro-injection systems started showing up in the early '90s, Kinsler, Ingalese and others which are controlled by computer Vs. the pill etc. A dual 4-Barrel setup was far more drivable than any injection system back in the early/mid '60s, way easier to tune for the street too. Almost forgot, one of the real big hitters on your '29 Ford clean up was fixing those weird looking wheel wells, (inner fender wells) I haven't liked them since the Revell '29 Roadster first came out.

Having grown up in a Hot-Rodding family, from as early as I can remember we've had something Hot Rodded in the garages either my uncles or my dad, brothers and my own. My brothers and I were exposed to good old Hot Rods back in the early 60's and it's been a string of Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Race Cars through the years. So maybe, just maybe, I'm kind of qualified to give an opinion or two on early Hot Rods because I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by them from an early age. Most of my family have owned Hot Rods, not Street Rods with their pretty carved billet handiwork, billet didn't make it go fast... I think that's one of the biggest reasons we have seen a resurgence of basic Hot Rods with their simplicity and just darn good looks!

Edited October 8, 2023 by Skip

[tim boyd]

Skip....thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts and insight here.  

FWIW, I agree 100% that a Halibrand QC, transverse leaf spring, and Model A crossmember would have been far more period-typical, and had i had the time that would have been the next change to add to the build. (I think I mentioned this in one of the photo captions posted at my Fotki site; if I didn't, I should have).  Although a Ford diff and coil overs would not have been technically impossible at that point in time, they certainly were not typical and to your point, not seen in any degree of regularity.    

Another area I was not completely happy with was the inclination of the intake manifold (and as a result) the carbs.  Having been sourced from the AMT-Ertl replica of the 1966 Riviera, the manifold was designed to be rougly parallel with the ground, but sinnce the engine in that application was tilted downward to the rear, the intake's car mounting surfaces were angled to be lower at the front.  Plop that manifold into the Revell Z'ed chassis, added to the slight forward rake I added, and the manifold/carbs tilt downward to the front.  Not too realistic. 

When I did my post-completion mods to change the wheels and tires, I also tweaked the engine mounts and filed the manifold surfaces to make the carbs sit a little more parallel to the ground. See before/after pix below.  The effect is pretty subtle (possibly not even noticeable), but at least I know I made an attempt to fix it. 

As for the grille shell, I previously built another Revell '29A Channeled roadster with many of the same changes, only that one did include the Deuce shell. So, this time I went with the Model A shell.   As mounted, it sits a little lower than I might like.  I prefer grille shells to be aligned with the leading edge of the cowl, such that if a hood was used, it would sit at the right angle.   On this model, I would need to raise the grille shell perhaps 1/16" to achieve that.  Oh well....

Finally, got to get rid of that shifter knob (about four times too big) and (while it is too late to do anything about it now), if I ever build another Revell channeled Roadster, I will route the steering column through a hole drilled in the dashboard, as it sits way too low/too close to the sea as built from the kit and mounted to the kit's column drop. 

Skip...sounds like you grew up in a wonderful environment and really cool to have you share your thoughts and memories with us on the forum.  Thanks again...TIM 

Before...

After....

  

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 10/5/2023 at 7:36 PM, tim boyd said:

Halfway expected you to tatoo me a bit on the unrealistic forward inclination of the intake manifold/carbs of the completed model as seen above...

I thought about it, but figured what happened is exactly what you describe above (manifold from a kit with the engine mounted nose-up), and I didn't see any point in bringing it up and detracting from the point you were making...but since you mention it...  

The ideal solution would be to raise the front of the engine, and probably lower the rear.

You may be interested to know that I've seen exactly the same thing in real life. Carbs with floats often don't like to idle unless the bowls are level. A fella I worked for who really should have known better used a 3-pot manifold on a flathead (a manifold meant for installation in a boat, of all things) that ended up with the same nose-down slant once the car was on the ground with its dropped axle and pronounced rubber rake.

Though he was an exceptional car builder in many ways, he was a little light on the physics and engineering end of things. Anyway, the car just wouldn't idle no matter how much fiddling he did with the carbs, timing, etc. He chalked the problem up to "too much cam", an opinion not supported by the valve-event timing and lift specs on it.

I pointed out the forward slope of the manifold was likely the cause, allowing an intermittently rich mixture (similar effect as having the carb floats adjusted too high), and he poo-pooed my reasoning. After prolonged "discussion", I eventually got permission to remove the manifold and mill it so the carbs were level at rest.

Voila. No more idle problem. And it looked right. 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy