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Post by Bernard Kron on Dec 28, 2010 1:00:46 GMT -5
The new hot rod movie Deuce of Spades is constructed around the story of an absolutely breathtaking black Deuce highboy which is the mythic star of the picture. But as stunning as it is, my eye was drawn to the car driven by the antagonist in the movie, “Fresno”. It’s a truly striking bright red ’29 A-V8 on Deuce rails with a signature bare aluminum hood. When I saw it, I knew I had to build it. Here it is as it appears in the film: Unfortunately the car only appears for about 15 minutes in the middle of the picture and there are few detail shots of it. So I starting searching on the internet in the hopes pof finding shots of it before it starred in the moVie, hopefully with more mechanical and interior details. After a lot of work I found the Photobucket account for the car’s builder which had quite a few shots. Here are some: If I couldn’t model the iconic bare metal hood with all its louvers there was no sense in pursuing this project. Fortunately I had a resin hood I got from Replicas and Miniatures Co. of Maryland that’s designed to mate the AMT ’29 Ford Roadster to a Revell Deuce Grill shell when sitting on a set of Revell Deuce frame rails. I also had some Archer Fine Transfer louver decals so I combined them to model the hood. Here’s a picture showing the steps involved beginning with the layout tape to help align the rows and ending with the hood finished out in Testors Metalizer Buffable Aluminum Plate: Also necessary was to adapt the Revell frame to the Model A body shell and to convert it to a buggy spring rear end as used on the 1:1. This involved shortening the rear ends of the rails, narrowing the floor panel and cutting a slot for the Model A arched cross member: I’m using the AMT kit interior bucket but I’ve added the bolster across the top from the seat in the Revell ’32 Ford Roadster kit as well as some styrene rolls along the sides. I’ll also add some pleated side panels and seating surfaces as seen on the 1:1. Incidentally the 1:1 is powered by a small block Chevy but the movie is set in 1955 and as you can see the car is pretty basic. In the film they make a point to say that the car is very fast, but it would be highly unlikely to be Chevy V8 powered. So I’m installing a period correct full race flathead with 4 Strombergs and Evans heads. More on that in the next installment… Here are some frame and body mockups: Thanx for lookin’, B.
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Post by RodBurNeR on Dec 28, 2010 1:02:52 GMT -5
looks like a fun project, neat inspiration too!
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Post by dakotajohn on Dec 28, 2010 8:30:44 GMT -5
Lookin' Badass!!!!!
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Post by tex34ford on Dec 28, 2010 10:26:30 GMT -5
great start. I'm curious about the Archer louvers-what are they made from? Do they have any depth-height? Obviously from looking at your pics they can be painted over.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 10:35:31 GMT -5
Also admire your inspiration and dedication! ;D
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Post by Bernard Kron on Dec 28, 2010 10:51:33 GMT -5
Thanx everyone! ... I'm curious about the Archer louvers-what are they made from? Do they have any depth-height? Obviously from looking at your pics they can be painted over. They are part of the Resin Details series from Archer: www.archertransfers.com/catSurfaceDetails.html . They use a resin printing technology and, unfortunately are fairly shallow, although very crisp. I used them earlier this year on the hood of a Deuce roadster that, unfortunately, was a bit too modern for TRaK. As you can see from the pictures below, under gloss paint they aren't aggressive as molded in or grafted louvers. Archer's main market is military and railroad modelers, both groups that tend to work in flat paints where the resin details "read" better. These are actually "O" scale (1/48) 6" louvers. I think they work well under the Metalizer paint where the reflectivity helps. I'm not sure about the rear deck. I may experiment with the Archer louvers but I suspect that, since I'll be using gloss red paint, I'll be using one of Ed Fluck's (Drag City Casting) Deuce louvered rear decks adapted to the '29. They won;t match in either depth or pattern, but will be positioned in such a way as to not be seen side by side with the Archers in any single view. BTW, I contacted Archer encouraging them to make taller and more aggressive 1/24-1/25 louvers for the auto modeling market and they wrote back saying that for now the technology doesn't allow it.
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Post by draggon on Dec 28, 2010 12:27:10 GMT -5
Looks like you're on a roll, Berard. Looking great so far!!
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Post by tex34ford on Dec 28, 2010 14:54:10 GMT -5
Bernard, thanks for the Archer info. As to Fresno having a Chevy V-8, don't forget that is what is in the Deuce of Spades '32. When the guys are sneaking a peek under its hood, somebody says it's a 162 h.p. TurboFire V-8 which is what the original '55 Chevy came out with in late '54. Of course it's also mentioned that Johnny had a friend who worked at GM, so you could stretch it a bit and say that Johnny had first dibs on one. There were several California rods that did get what was essentially '55 crate motors through their local dealers. That being said,I dig your idea of a "big" flathead for Fresno's car. Keep us posted on this. I heartily recommend the Deuce of Spades movie a s money and time well spent.
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Post by Duane on Dec 28, 2010 15:01:46 GMT -5
B. all that i can say is: DAAAMMMN !!!!!!! jump on this puppy Son !!!!!!!!!!! lookin WAAAY COOOL !!!!!!
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Post by Dennis on Dec 28, 2010 15:33:41 GMT -5
This is a really cool subject, B, and the work you have done so far looks pretty good. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to start in on a model of one of the DOS cars. I think it's great that you chose the competition rather than the star of the film. The only thing about this car (not your model!) is that I hate the wheels and tires on it. It almost looks like the car had a different set of wheels on it, like Halibrands or something, and they had to come up with the "steelies" and this is the set they found. (Reminds me of when they put steelies with baby moons and whitewalls on the Delorean in Back to the Future II.) In the movie, the wheels almost look pink and the deep dish fronts are ewww. On top of all of that, I think the white walls make the car look "prissy". If it were mine it would have correct '40 Ford style wheels and Ford caps and blackwall Firestones on it faster than I could blink.
It is eluded to in the movie that Fresno's '29 also has a small block. If you watch the movie with the commentary on, Faith explains this a little. She says that although it was cut from the final, that the young boy who is with the group of guys who sneek a peek under the hood of the black car is, in fact, from Fresno, Ca. Faith explains that the original idea was that the kid went back home and started talking about what he saw and the character "Fresno" gets word and builds an SBC-powered roadster too. Also, in the fim when the two guys in the '35 pickup find Johnny to tell him there's a new guy looking for him and he's running a "Triple Threat", Faith explains that this is code between Johnny and Tommy for 3-carb SBC.
So it would be accurate to build the car with a Chevy but if your set on a healthy Flatty that will be cool. Maybe it can be the predassesor engine.
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Post by Bernard Kron on Dec 28, 2010 16:38:47 GMT -5
Thanks for all the comments guys! Very interesting input, Dennis. The wheels have always looked "unique" to me. In fact I was gonna ask everyone if someone could identify them. They look almost solid. Now that you've pointed it out, it's because they're reversed! (It's most apparent in the "junkyard" photos above) It's what gives them that look. It's definitely a "contemporary traditional" car, even a little odd, with a relatively high stance, a really basic, virtually untouched body and interior (stock dash...) and yet with a quick change rear end, rolled and pleated upholstery, profuse louvers and the custom - and unpainted - aluminum hood. I had watched the director's commentary and actually heard her comments about "triple trouble" being code for Johnny Callaway's TriPower SBC under the hood and the fact that the little kid gives it away when he goes back home to Fresno. The actual line in the movie is pretty incontrovertible evidence that at the very least the car has three carburetors, and that the director/writer intends it to be powered the same way as the Callaway car. So I guess I'll bag my 4-carb full race flattie for another project (those Evans heads look mighty sweet...) and build up a three carb SBC (I have a manifold for it). Damn! All of this serves to remind me that the movie is a romantic fantasy and it's probably wise to respect this. The Challenger's car looks at its best without the windshield (but then what car doesn't?) so I'm building it as seen in the movie. I actually like the whitewall look a lot, and the red color, too. As to the baby moons, I kinda wondered about that as well. Again the sort of "contemporary traditional" detail that is part of the look of both the car and the movie. I think I'll stick with them as they are part of the car's signature look. Now I have to think about whether to run reversed rims (maybe just on the rear...)! As an aside, regarding the whole issue of the "contemporary traditional" look, on the builder's Photobucket alongside photos of his car are pictures of the Wally Parks A-V8 which is clearly his inspiration. It's instructive to compare the two.
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Post by Dennis on Dec 28, 2010 19:53:19 GMT -5
It will look good for sure with a tri-power SBC, B. Although, maybe some rams horn manifolds are in order in place of the real cars block hugger style headers. Although, I suppose it is conceivable that a fellow back in the day could have created something just like them. And, of course the wheels have to stay for your replica. I just went to great length to point out I don't like them, LOL!
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Post by Bernard Kron on Dec 28, 2010 20:34:09 GMT -5
It will look good for sure with a tri-power SBC, B. Although, maybe some rams horn manifolds are in order in place of the real cars block hugger style headers. ... And, of course the wheels have to stay for your replica. I just went to great length to point out I don't like them, LOL! Yeah, ram horns for sure. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression you don't like the wheels...
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Post by sdrodder on Dec 28, 2010 22:40:01 GMT -5
interesting subject. Im kinda with dennis on this one the wheels surely look out of place on the car and even though i love whitewalls i would prefer black walls on this one. But i guess for a movie replica they have to stay.
The louvers on the hood look good. Just out of curiousity is the hood brush painted?
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Post by gmckid on Dec 28, 2010 22:43:51 GMT -5
Looks like your off to a good start. Id have to agree with dennis, the wheels on the 1:1 look somewhat out of place. I think you could still capture the look of the roadster, and improve upon it by using the wheels from the revell '40 ford standard coupe. It appears as though you decided to pinch the 32 rails at the cowl as well, where the 1:1 sits on stock width 32 rails...I think that was a good decision on your behalf, expecially for the 1955 time frame that you are after.
I havent seen the deuce of spades movie, and so i dont know the story on that car, but it looks like most other movie cars...thrown together to look good on the big screen, without much thought as to how the parts fit together as a whole.
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