'48 Ford Coupe

[Fletch]

One of the kits from years ago that I've always had a soft spot for is the IMC/Tesotrs/Globe '46-'48 Ford Coupe and Convertible. They were always a bit of a challenge due to being a flat kit. But, if you were willing to invest the time and effort you can come up with a pretty nice completed build. I look for the coupe kit at any and every swap meet I attend.

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This past Sunday in Seattle was no different. After getting setup to shoot the show I wandered around selecting the models I wanted to photograph. I spied a Testors version of the coupe. The guy had it priced at $50, realistically about $15 to much. I ask if the price was firm and he said yes that was what he wanted for it. My reply was at $50 you'll be packing it back home. This was around 10am. I made another trip around the room at noon to see if anything new had arrived. Sure enough the '48 was still sitting there but the price was now marked down to $40. Of course I had to be a smart Alec and ask how firm that price was. He replied he couldn't go any lower. I walked away and finished selecting the builds I want for the magazine.
Around 2:15 we were starting to pack things up for the drive home when this guy walks up with the '48 in his hand. He says would you be interested in it for $30? I replied not as interested as I would be if it were $25. He replies well I have to pay for the root canal somehow, $25 it is.

So, here is my $25 Testors '46-'48 Ford Coupe. I love the lines of fat fendered Fords, there is nothing else like them. My goal for this build is to update the 40+ year old chassis with newer Revell '40 Ford components from the Good Guys version. Replace the kit flat head with that of the Revell '48 Ford Convertible. Dressing that Flatty up with parts and pieces from MCG, Parts by Parks and RMoM.

The basic plan is to build a Boulevard Cruiser. The use of the Flat Head will set the era some where after 1948 and will be pretty much relent upon the wheels and tires to determine the date of the build.

The kit chassis with the Revell '40 frame members, drop axle and split wishbone installed. The rear cross member still needs to be removed and the Revell pieces installed.

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The stance from several angles:

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I don't know if the Good Guys Tires and wheels will be the final version, it could just as easily end up with Wide Whites and Caddy Sombreros by the time it's finished. . The color is a going to be a Jade Green from a stash of automotive lacquer a friend gave me a couple weeks ago.

If I can get it to sit something like this I'll be happy:

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But, this one is very cool as well.

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I'm thinking I need another Testors '48 Ford coupe.

[Kit Karson]

I might know where there might be a couple more Testors '46-'48 Ford Coupe kits and if I'm correct one of them is still factory sealed. I'm a big fan of the fat O-fenders era. You plan works for me... for sure!

[demonhunterfan]

May 13, 2009 23:07:04 GMT -8 Fletch said:

Nice fat Ford Dave, just like you like 'em ;D I like that 'carb & air cleaner' set up you got stickin' outa the hood! ;D




Wow! Don't know if'n you can even call that a 'stance'! Methinks if you want to get it to sit like that, you gonna hafta get some help from young Flow about airbags. This 1:1 has got to have air bags in it!

What a difference the chop makes!

Later and God bless

[Fletch]

The chopped version has a lot of styling ques that I like and some that I would never consider using. The Continental kit is very cool, the chop is about as perfect as they come the slope to the rear window is spot on. I like the rear of the car the front is another story. The custom '46-'48 Chevy grill works as does the front bumper the frenched parking do not, nor do the molded in headlights. I would have frenched the headlights like this:



or use '53 buick head/parking light ass'y like this:



There are several of the stylings of the one with the Buick headlights I like, the fact that they turned it into a hardtop takes away so much from the car it's not even funny.

When I started looking through photos to find different ideas to use for this project I was amazed at what some people will do to a classic body style. The thought that kept going through my mind was, "Wow, you must really hate you car!"

As my Dad always said, "Some people's sense of taste is in their mouth."

I'll have to dig through the stalled builds and see if there are any more of the '48 coupes floating around that can become a chopped slammed custom.

[sdrodder]

Fletch my brother.

This is looking soooooo great. The work you have done looks to have improved the kit by far huh. I personaly like the purple chopped one but thats just me. I cant wait to see more on this one. How is the parts fit on the body?


God Bless
Florian

[Fletch]

Flo, actually I pretty much threw the kit instructions away. In the past I've assembled the body per the instructions, this time I taped the truck/doors and cowl together so it was one unit. I started gluing at the trunk then moved to the cowl. The kit instructions have you glue in the rear quarter windows at this stage of the game. This time I left the doors taped in place then glued toe roof in place at the trunk then formed the roof over the doors. Once that was set I removed the doors and fit the quarter windows. I had to do a bit of sand->fit -> sand again until they fit. The up side of doing it this was is it got away from the problem that seems to plague every one of these that I've seen built, that being that the passenger side of the roof ends up with a hump over that side quarter window. There is a ridge around the quarter window pieces that is about .010-.015". If the ridge were on one side only it wouldn't be that big a deal but with it on both sides it becomes a major obstacle to getting it all to fit properly together.

The Revell '40 Ford Coupe (Good Guys Version) supplied the suspension parts all the way around and the '48 Convertible the engine.

I've got a little sanding to do on some filler but it should go to paint tomorrow weather permitting.

I found 2 other assembled bodies out in the garage so something close to the purple version is in the future.

[sdrodder]

May 18, 2009 17:37:56 GMT -8 Fletch said:

Flo, actually I pretty much threw the kit instructions away. In the past I've assembled the body per the instructions, this time I taped the truck/doors and cowl together so it was one unit. I started gluing at the trunk then moved to the cowl. The kit instructions have you glue in the rear quarter windows at this stage of the game. This time I left the doors taped in place then glued toe roof in place at the trunk then formed the roof over the doors. Once that was set I removed the doors and fit the quarter windows. I had to do a bit of sand->fit -> sand again until they fit. The up side of doing it this was is it got away from the problem that seems to plague every one of these that I've seen built, that being that the passenger side of the roof ends up with a hump over that side quarter window. There is a ridge around the quarter window pieces that is about .010-.015". If the ridge were on one side only it wouldn't be that big a deal but with it on both sides it becomes a major obstacle to getting it all to fit properly together.

The Revell '40 Ford Coupe (Good Guys Version) supplied the suspension parts all the way around and the '48 Convertible the engine.

I've got a little sanding to do on some filler but it should go to paint tomorrow weather permitting.

I found 2 other assembled bodies out in the garage so something close to the purple version is in the future.

Fletch thanks for the info. I cant wait to see this one finished, and i cant wait to see another one like the purple one. Keep up the good work