32 Ford Hot Rod

Subject:
32 Ford
Hot Rod
Kits Used: Revell, AMT, Monogram

Story & model by:
Tim Howell
Pictures: R. Forys

When I think of Hotrods, one car comes to mind more than any other. The 32 Ford, whether it's a 3 or 5-window coupe, convertible or sedan, it just makes a very nice Hotrod. I took myself back to the fifties trying to think how they would have done it back then. It's certainly not the way it is today, with everything to build your own 32 right at your computer screen. Then if you've spent wisely and have some mechanical skill, you can put your own together in a couple of weekends. Yes, the age we live in!

[I took myself back to the fifties trying to think how they would have done it back then.]

Lets go back. It's 1957, your 18 years old in your last year of high school. Some of your buddies you hang out with have cars and some are pretty hot, like a 53 Buick Super V Eight, 55 Corvette. 50 Mercury, 55 Chrysler 300 C, 55 T-Bird and the captain of the football team just got a new 57 Chevy Bel-Air with fuel injection. You, on the other hand, have a part-time job at your uncle's service station/salvage yard. Your grandfather just sold you his old, but serviceable, 1932 3-window coupe because he now has a new 56 Ford Pick-up. WOW! I think I just found a project for my last semester of auto shop.

[The body was painted a basic red primer. ]

Now let's bring it all together. Not knowing what color to paint the car, red primer will do for now. My cousin is taking body shop and he wants to do some flames. He gets a grade and I get free flames... make'em good. A wrecked 49 Ford in the salvage yard will supply a fresher drive train. Then the rear end from a 56 T-Bird for better all round street/strip performance. The 49 Ford also supplied the wheels, hubcaps, steering column, steering wheel, and shifter. The bigger headlight buckets are from a 36 Ford. All the under hood goodies like the beehive oil tank, matching heads, manifold and carbs are from a guy my uncle knows. He races at the local Drag strip and owed my uncle a little money... lucky me. And so, a hotrod is born.

This all, of course, is a fictitious story, but one I'm pretty sure played out somewhere in that time frame. So like modeling, you can buy what you want, put it together and have a very nice piece. Or you can do a mild kit bash like my 32 Ford SRAV (ShortRangeAttackVehicle). It started as a Revell 32 Ford 3-Window Coupe (#7605) and since I have 3 of these kits, I wanted each one to be unique. With a search through the parts boxes, I started to piece it all together. The engine is from the Revell 32 Ford Sedan kit, it's very nice and fit right in with the mounts and rest of the driveline. An AMT 49 Ford did, in fact, donate some of its parts to this project, as did a Monogram 36 Ford. The parts used are just like I described in the story. And none of the donor kits used in this build were cut or otherwise injured.

[I used Dupli-color Red sandable primer on the body.]

The paint and flame decals were the most challenging part of the build. I used Dupli-color Red sandable primer with Testors and Tamiya acrylics. Removing mold lines on the body first, I then gave it a good soap and water wash. Next two coats of the primer did well, followed by a shot of Future clear to prep for the kit decals. After a dark wash around different parts of the car, it was time for the flat clear to bring back that flat primer look, and seal the decal in its place. Overall this was a fun and quick build. I think every once in a while, it's a good idea to actually use some stuff from your extra parts box. You know very well we all have at least one spare parts bin.

For references I used my PC and Goggled 32 Ford pictures. I also used The Street Rodders Handbook by Frank Oddo.

[For references, I used The Street Rodders Handbook by Frank Oddo. ]