AMT 1941 Plymouth Coupe

[NOBLNG]

All these great ‘41 Plymouth builds got in my head, so I decided to start mine too.? As always, all comments welcome.?

As Jim and Len pointed out, the grill and the shape of the nose and front fenders are the worst looking part of this kit. Once the flash on the nose is filed back to the trim, the grill no longer fits nicely.? The chrome was so bad on it anyways that I figured I would modify it. It will eventually get the Revell Chrom treatment.?

Also, the vertical bar on the inner edges of the grill is not correct. So I started modifying it and the opening for a better fit.

Then I added some styrene to the center edges for an additional depth stop.

I had to line the passenger side opening With .010” styrene to close the gaps.

That’s all for now. I want to sand the fender contours a bit, so I will mix up some sprue goo or Milliput to fill in the backside a bit to be safe.

Edited February 21, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

I am amazed at how many us are willing to spend our time trying to take this "sow's ear" and make a silk purse out of it. 

Greg has found yet another issue that needs fixing and I am now following his idea to make the grille correction (the next chance I get). The more we study pictures of the 1:1, the worse the kit gets. Between all of us, we just might have the formula to make this awful kit awesome ?.  Can someone please do something about those horrible rear springs and the Fisher-Price rear axle? AMT had good intentions, though, providing a way to lower the rear. I suppose we should be grateful they didn't mold it into the floor.

I really like what you're doing on the grille, Greg. I wish I had thought of it ? (and I was getting ready to spray the fine surface primer....oh well)

[NOBLNG]

2 hours ago, customline said:

I am amazed at how many us are willing to spend our time trying to take this "sow's ear" and make a silk purse out of it. 

Greg has found yet another issue that needs fixing and I am now following his idea to make the grille correction (the next chance I get). The more we study pictures of the 1:1, the worse the kit gets. Between all of us, we just might have the formula to make this awful kit awesome ?.  Can someone please do something about those horrible rear springs and the Fisher-Price rear axle? AMT had good intentions, though, providing a way to lower the rear. I suppose we should be grateful they didn't mold it into the floor.

I really like what you're doing on the grille, Greg. I wish I had thought of it ? (and I was getting ready to spray the fine surface primer....oh well)

Fisher-Price rear axle! ?? Thanks Jim! I am going to copy your fender mods…more or less, and I also want to move the headlights inboard a touch and round the outside of the fenders a bit more, and……and………?

Edited February 17, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

48 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Fisher-Price rear axle! ?? Thanks Jim! I am going to copy your fender mods…more or less, and I also want to move the headlights inboard a touch and round the outside of the fenders a bit more, and……and………?

I'm glad somebody appreciates my sense of humor ?. Well, the yellow plastic makes the toy comparison easy.  Yeah, the fenders could be "rounder" but some work with a sharp #11 on the headlight bezels and opening the holes downward will get the headlight-to-fender top relationship in a better way. Keep Band-aids handy (I prefer Curad 1" plastic strips myself but it's a personal choice).  Then there's the windshield issue, sorta like the Fleetline situation but not as bad. The more you look, the worse it gets. I'm drawing the line at the nose job ?

Maybe I'll try something with the windshield....more on this later....maybe. stop looking ?!

[NOBLNG]

6 hours ago, customline said:

I'm glad somebody appreciates my sense of humor ?. Well, the yellow plastic makes the toy comparison easy.  Yeah, the fenders could be "rounder" but some work with a sharp #11 on the headlight bezels and opening the holes downward will get the headlight-to-fender top relationship in a better way. Keep Band-aids handy (I prefer Curad 1" plastic strips myself but it's a personal choice).  Then there's the windshield issue, sorta like the Fleetline situation but not as bad. The more you look, the worse it gets. I'm drawing the line at the nose job ?

Maybe I'll try something with the windshield....more on this later....maybe. stop looking ?!

I’ll put my Elastoplast fabric bandages up against your Curads any day. They will stay put far longer than any plastic strip.? 

Maybe instead of wearing my 4x cheaters while working on this one, I should restrict myself to 2x….after all, it does say level 2 on the box.?

[LennyB]

Why do I feel like I'm going backwards instead of forwards. Greg, I really like your idea for the grill. I had moved the vertical moldings outboard to cover that awkward section of grill (which made the center section wider when it was already too wide to begin with). Your method solves two problems in one fell swoop. So I guess I'm going to have to steal that idea.?

 

 

 

Just be careful about moving those headlights inboard. After I put the fender welting on this one I found the headlights sat on top of it. Luckily on this one I'm not going with the stock lights.

 

And Jim, there is an easy way to fix the windshield opening. Chop off the nose and put a Woody behind it ?

 

 

 

[NOBLNG]

24 minutes ago, LennyB said:

Why do I feel like I'm going backwards instead of forwards. Greg, I really like your idea for the grill. I had moved the vertical moldings outboard to cover that awkward section of grill (which made the center section wider when it was already too wide to begin with). Your method solves two problems in one fell swoop. So I guess I'm going to have to steal that idea.?

 

 

 

Just be careful about moving those headlights inboard. After I put the fender welting on this one I found the headlights sat on top of it. Luckily on this one I'm not going with the stock lights.

 

And Jim, there is an easy way to fix the windshield opening. Chop off the nose and put a Woody behind it ?

 

 

 

That’s the nice thing about plastic…east to change it?. Can you imagine the thoughts in a sculptor’s head when they’re doing a marble statue and say “oops”?
I was thinking about sectioning the nose….then this idea hit me.? The beak looks narrow enough now I think. The moldings should have more curve to them, but doing that would mean even more work to the grills. And yes, the fender welting will have to be moved over also.??

Edited February 17, 2024 by NOBLNG

[LennyB]

15 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

That’s the nice thing about plastic…east to change it?. Can you imagine the thoughts in a sculptor’s head when they’re doing a marble statue and say “oops”?
I was thinking about sectioning the nose….then this idea hit me.? The beak looks narrow enough now I think. The moldings should have more curve to them, but doing that would mean even more work to the grills. And yes, the fender welting will have to be moved over also.??

And I started this because I thought it would be an easy project, boy was I wrong. I hope we're not still tweaking the nose 12 months from now.?

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

And I started this because I thought it would be an easy project, boy was I wrong. I hope we're not still tweaking the nose 12 months from now.?

Only if I do something else between now and then.?

[customline]

5 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I’ll put my Elastoplast fabric bandages up against your Curads any day. They will stay put far longer than any plastic strip.? 

Maybe instead of wearing my 4x cheaters while working on this one, I should restrict myself to 2x….after all, it does say level 2 on the box.?

Don't scrimp on magnification, Greg, you might be surprised when you zoom your photos- happens to me all the time ?. 

[customline]

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Only if I do something else between now and then.?

How about giving us a tutorial on how you slotted out the grilles. What did you use to cut the slots so neatly?I just tried with several tools at my disposal but nothing I have in my arsenal will do a proper job so....what did you use and where can I get one? ?

[bill-e-boy]

The other issue as I see the kit grill compared to the 1:1 is the grille surround looks a little heavy. You could thin than down a bit and add some stock to the inner side and open that out like you already have done. The grille opening would also then need filling in to fit the reshaped grille.

I must dig one out of the stash and have a look or just rehash the built up

And yep there definitely some Fisher-Price elements to the kit such as the already mentioned rear end and also the gearbox leave a lot to be desired. The headers hang a little low too

 

[NOBLNG]

9 minutes ago, bill-e-boy said:

The other issue as I see the kit grill compared to the 1:1 is the grille surround looks a little heavy. You could thin than down a bit and add some stock to the inner side and open that out like you already have done. The grille opening would also then need filling in to fit the reshaped grille.

I must dig one out of the stash and have a look or just rehash the built up

And yep there definitely some Fisher-Price elements to the kit such as the already mentioned rear end and also the gearbox leave a lot to be desired. The headers hang a little low too

 

It could be played with a bit more, but every modification requires a counter-modification. My plan is to use the stock engine so far. This will hopefully be a better looking curbside model rather than a replica….but we’ll see where it goes.

[NOBLNG]

57 minutes ago, customline said:

How about giving us a tutorial on how you slotted out the grilles. What did you use to cut the slots so neatly?I just tried with several tools at my disposal but nothing I have in my arsenal will do a proper job so....what did you use and where can I get one? ?

Here is what I used on mine.

I first made a cut with a razor saw as close to the center of each trough as possible, as a guide for the file.

Then with short controlled strokes, file each slot to depth. Widen the slot if necessary, my file was just about perfect width. I used the round sanding stick to shape the tips to more of a point, although there is a bit of a flat spot on the 1:1 bars.

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by NOBLNG

[Steve H]

This is getting fun with all you guys and your ‘41’s. Nice work and keen eye Greg. Always something to learn on your WIP’s. Between the 3 of you, there’s going to be some real nice builds when complete… and lots of styrene dust….
 

Cheers, Steve

[customline]

I tried. I really did. It's just too much for me. Luckily, it was a spare grille. ?

[LennyB]

8 hours ago, customline said:

I tried. I really did. It's just too much for me. Luckily, it was a spare grille. ?

Jim

 

Are you sure you used the right tools?

[David G.]

I built one of these back in 2016 and it was not the greatest casting but I don't remember it being this bad. The molds must have really degraded in the time since I built mine. 

Excellent detail work you're doing on this one Greg. I'm very interested to see where you go with it.

David G.

[customline]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

Jim

 

Are you sure you used the right tools?

Well, even if I had the right tools, I still need better eyes and hands. This grille mod is just beyond my current abilities. I may try again, because I'm pretty stubborn and I have another spare grille. Greg suggested a hacksaw blade and I think I may try stripping the chrome (to improve visibility) and try a mini-hacksaw (that I have out in my truck if I can find it but had not thought of until now)...maybe. 

I actually had that drill you pictured. My grandkids loved to annoy me with it for years. Much as they tried, they were never able to kill the battery in that damned thing. ?

Edited February 18, 2024 by customline

[NOBLNG]

On 2/18/2024 at 6:45 AM, David G. said:

I built one of these back in 2016 and it was not the greatest casting but I don't remember it being this bad. The molds must have really degraded in the time since I built mine. 

Excellent detail work you're doing on this one Greg. I'm very interested to see where you go with it.

David G.

Thanks David. I read your WIP…nice work, it looks great in red!?

On 2/17/2024 at 6:51 PM, Steve H said:

This is getting fun with all you guys and your ‘41’s. Nice work and keen eye Greg. Always something to learn on your WIP’s. Between the 3 of you, there’s going to be some real nice builds when complete… and lots of styrene dust….
 

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so the saying goes.?

I have glued the front panel in place and applied some sprue goo to the inside. I also plugged the headlight holes because I think I may need to move them in and down slightly. We’ll see after the goo is dry…which may take a week or more. I want it dried back to rock hard styrene in case I sand through to it.? Now I can turn to other tasks for a bit.?

Edited February 19, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

The headlight plugs are kind of interesting, Greg. How'd you do that?

[NOBLNG]

16 hours ago, customline said:

The headlight plugs are kind of interesting, Greg. How'd you do that?

I punched them from .100” evergreen with my Whitney punch. 9/32” fit perfect.? I would have preferred no dimple, but that’s what it does.

Edited February 19, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

4 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I punched them from .100” evergreen with my Whitney punch. 9/32” fit perfect.? I would have preferred no dimple, but that’s what it does.

That's a serious tool, Greg. I'll bet you could punch sheet metal with that thing. 

Dimples are ? cute.

Edited February 19, 2024 by customline

[NOBLNG]

12 hours ago, customline said:

That's a serious tool, Greg. I'll bet you could punch sheet metal with that thing. 

Dimples are ? cute.

Yes, it is a metal punch and will do a 1/4” hole in 16ga. (1/16”) mild steel.?

Edited February 19, 2024 by NOBLNG

[customline]

4 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Yes, it is a metal punch and will do a 1/4” hole in 16ga. (1/16”) mild steel.?

Wow. It looks like it has tons of compound leverage. It looks pretty old, too (the metal box). A nice collectible, for sure.