My Dad's 1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe Race Car

[hegstad1]

So in the mid 1960's my Dad was a member of the Coachman Car Club in Bemidji, Minnesota.  That's my Dad on the left.



They would find old cars and rebuild them into dirt track racers.  One of these cars was a 1935 Ford 3 window coupe that they acquired from a farmer for $10.  Do any of you realize how rare and expensive these are today??? It had a couple of different engines in it's life and one was a 312 V8 out of a T-bird. They, of course, made many modification to make it suitable for the track.








Without being able to afford to build a 1/1 recreation, I decided to try it in 1/160.  The closest n-scale model to a '35 Ford is the Fine-N-Scale '36 3 window.  I hollowed it out (tricky), cut off the fenders and front end and reshaped the fire wall.  The frame is cut from a Shapeways load (brittle as hell).





I fit an interior from a Classic Metal Works truck.



The engine is a Micro-Engineering V8 with valve covers added (some little pewter somethings.) and an air cleaner made from a GHQ Z8 valve wheel.  I didn't try to add headers.  Sue me.  I used K&S diamond mesh for the running board framework and a M&R sides etched vent to fashion a radiator.  I added some brass wire suspension detail as well.  Wheels and tires are GHQ castings.

The biggest challenge of the project was decals!  HUGE props and "thank yous" go out to Michael Livingston (thbguy) for this.  We spent hours designing and testing them.  The size really pushed the limits of the Alps.

I will now have to add the Coachman Car Club garage to my layout. 

Here is the final product.  This thing is F*&%ing small so adjust your criticism appropriately!

[muktown128]

Andrew,

Great job putting that together.  Very well done!

Scott

[mandealco]

That is so cool, nice work.
Cheers
Steve

[Roger Holmes]

Very well done and a neat tribute to your Dad!

[dnhouston]

Very Cool 

[conrad]

Quote: "Here is the final product.  This thing is F*&%ing small so adjust your criticism appropriately!"

Very, very nice.  No one can criticize a homage to one's father.

Conrad

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's so ****ing cool!

[mmagliaro]

Small or not, I think it is VERY neatly done.  Particularly the pinstripe circles on the tires - very crisp and circular.
I hear you on the brittleness of Shapeways plastic.  I am not a fan.

[keeper]

That's one super cool ride!

Thomas

[peteski]

Very, very nice!  Those decals are like icing on the cake.

[nkalanaga]

I like it!

[spookshow]

Boy do I miss Renaud's Pizza. Had lunch there almost every day back in college.

-Mark

[bbussey]

Sweet!

[robert3985]

I agree.  VERY cool! 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[MK]

Damn!   

You need one of those Peteski's giant dime (or quarter).