36 Ford Coupe

[tgabreu]

Usually, I prefer to build the old black kits when I'm in a mood to do a hot rod, but the 36 Fords are hard to get a hold of. This kit is probably from the 70's. The early kits have period parts that were deleted from later issues. Since I started building models in the early 60's, there's also an element of nostalgia in opening a box full of black parts! The original AMT kit had a chopped top as an option, and was obviously used as the master for the resin body I was going to use. Since I decided to go with the kit's stock height top, step one was to correct the fit of the body-to-top.







Another part of the plan was to cannibalize one of my Ala Kart
kits for tires, wheels, engine and other bits and pieces. That changed to just using the tires and wheels, and using the Pontiac engine that came i the 36 Ford kit.



Since I haven't finished a single kit yet this year (I've started at least 4 others), I'm going to try to stay focused on this until it's finished!

Tom

[opa1]

Sounds like a plan. I know about not finishing a kit, my problem is that right now I finally started a kit after some 8 months!.. Wish they brought back some of the 50s & 60s kits, maybe the prices too !!!! ...............KEEP BUILDING & FOCUS !!!!


ED

[tgabreu]

Well, I'm on a roll, now! Igot the roof lined up and glued on-it took several sessions of gluing a bit then letting it sit overnite. I have a few quirks about model building-I don't like using putty or primer if I can avoid it. Instead of putty, I like to use slivers of the kit's sprue and liquid glue to fill gaps.



I also made a bit of progress on the kit's Pontiac engine. I modified the exhaust- I cut off the extension pipes from the manifolds and added a crossover that should match up to the single exhaust that's molded in the frame.



Tom

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Lookin good Tom!

[BUCKY]

Yeah, buddy!!! Don't see that many of these built, for some reason. Don't see many on the contest tables that I've been to. Looking nice, so far! Keep going until we get to see the finished product!!!!

[tgabreu]

Probably don't see many because of the poor fit of the roof to the body. I've had several of these kits, and they're all the same. I just missed a mint original kit on Ebay- it sold for only $42! That kit has a chopped top, skirts, and a LaSalle grill, all of which were deleted or changed in later releases. The resin body was, apparently, cast from an original, judging by the mis-match at the front of the body/roof joint.

Tom

[tgabreu]

As usual, got bogged down on this one- took a brief hiatus to build another kit. Got the engine finished and in the frame, though.



Tom

[harron6]

The AMT '36, along with the Monogram '34 Ford, are 2 of my faves. I always accepted the so-so fit in the roof as nothing major. Kit options and the beautiful body lines make up for the roof. Ignition wiring is way above average! Too much black in the engine to suit me, but it does set off the gold block.

[tgabreu]

Both the 34 and 36 fords are models that we really could use modern, state of the art kits of. The Monogram 36 and 34 kits lost a lot of their original parts long ago, including the parts to build stock versions-both had coupe or roadster options. The AMT 36 lost it's best parts in the second or third re-issue. The AMT 34 is a disappointment. I built an original Monogram 36 Ford about a year ago, and was surprised at how poorly the parts fit was. I didn't want to paint it, (representing the way I had built it in the 60's), which made it more difficult to force parts into alignment without surface damage. Sometimes, hindsight isn't always 20/20! Here's the old Monogram 36 as a roadster with the original artillery wheels and rubber tires:





Tom

[Buddho]

I like that...nice looking build.

[JCON]

Cool stylish build!!!

[dustymojave]

It's interesting how Monogram so blatantly copied AMT when they did their own 36 Ford kit. Both had options of convertible or chopped 3 window coupe. Both came with the same La Salle grille in virtually identical custom grille shells. Both came with stock flathead V8 or optional 1960s V8 hot rod engine.

I'm working on an AMT 36 early 60s issue molded in black kit that I bought off evilbay recently. The roof had long ago been glued to the body shell and it's a little off. Attempts to remove the roof to re-set it made it clear that 50 year old glue had made itself at home. So rather than high risk of serious damage, I decided to just work with it.

I plan to build it as an El Mirage Russetta Timing Association dry lakes hot rod. An old friend of mine was Kong Jackson, maker of lots of go fast stuff back in the late 40s and up through the 1990s. So I have been thinking of putting on some 3D printed Kong heads and Kong ignition, then maybe hand writing his name on the side of the hood or on the trunk as if hand written with a white shoe polish bottle at the lakebed. It will be black with actual El Mirage dust. (I live nearby) I may even photograph it there when its done.

[BUCKY]

That would be fantastic, Richard! We'd love to see that one!

[dustymojave]

In a while, but I don't intend to take over this thread to share it.

[BUCKY]

Absolutely! When you're ready, start a thread for the El Mirage! It sounds like a cool project!